Common Injuries Caused By Falling Cargo
Many people are nervous driving around big trucks on San Antonio’s roads and highways. It is easy to understand why. Tractor-trailers are immense, and they weigh thousands more times than a passenger vehicle. Unfortunately, 18-wheelers and other types of commercial trucks do not always have to collide into another vehicle or object to cause a crash. Sometimes, cargo can fall off a truck and cause a very serious crash. Falling cargo happens more often than people think and people experience some of the most catastrophic injuries as a result. Below, our San Antonio cargo loading and securement accident lawyer explains what the most common injuries are.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Any type of accident can cause a traumatic brain injury, but a truck accident caused by falling cargo has increased potential for this type of injury. A person’s head may jerk forward violently and strike the seat in front of them, the dashboard, or the steering wheel. Flying cargo may also fly through the windshield, or objects inside a car may strike an accident victim’s head. Or, as a truck driver, cargo can fall out of your trailer as you open your doors as a result of the shipper/customer not properly loading and securing the cargo. The cargo can strike your head or crush the truck driver resulting in life-changing injuries. Traumatic brain injuries will always have serious impacts for the victim, including:
- Headaches
- Disorientation and confusion
- Memory issues
- Altered vision, changes in sensory perception, issues with hearing, and being unable to perceive hot and cold temperatures
- Vertigo
- Sleep disturbances
- Difficulty focusing
- Severe mood swings
- Personality changes
- Difficulty processing information
Spinal Cord Injuries
During an accident caused by improperly loaded or secured cargo, an accident victim may snap their body or head violently back and forth, due to the forcefulness of the crash or the cargo landing on him. This can result in a spinal cord injury. Falling cargo may also crush the spinal cord resulting in a serious direct injury.
Crushing Injuries
Trucks have a high center of gravity and the fully loaded trailer often towers above smaller passenger vehicles. When the cargo lands on these smaller vehicles, it can partly or entirely crush them, and the occupants inside. In some instances, the damage from crushing may be so severe that it restricts blood flow to the impacted area resulting in an amputation injury.
Burns
Any truck accident can result in serious burn injuries, particularly when gas tanks explode. However, many commercial trucks carry hazardous cargo, including gas, oil, and toxic substances. When this type of cargo spills out onto the road, it can ignite, and cause serious burns to multiple accident victims or it can be slippery and cause vehicles to slide and crash into each other – resulting in explosions and a fiery inferno. Burns are some of the most serious injuries victims can sustain, and they can also result in permanent scarring and disfigurement, which causes a great deal of emotional trauma, embarrassment, and shame.
Our Cargo Loading and Securement Accident Lawyer in San Antonio Can Help with Your Case
Improperly loaded or secured cargo causes many serious accidents on the road. At the Law Office of Israel Garcia, our San Antonio cargo securement accident lawyer understands the devastation these crashes cause and knows how to help you secure the maximum damages you are entitled to. Call us now at 210-LAW-9999 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation and to obtain the sound legal advice you need.
Source:
fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/cargo-securement/cargo-securement-rules
