Truck accidents can cause devastating injuries that require immediate trauma care and change lives forever. In Iowa, the most common severe injuries from truck crashes include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, amputations, internal organ damage, and broken bones. Victims often face long hospital stays, multiple surgeries, permanent disabilities, and enormous medical bills.
Causes of Serious Truck Accidents in Iowa
Iowa’s rural roads and busy interstates see high volumes of large tractor-trailers and commercial trucks. When these massive vehicles collide with smaller passenger cars and SUVs, the results are catastrophic. Some common causes of serious truck crashes in Iowa include:
- Truck driver fatigue – Drowsy or sleep-deprived truckers cause many accidents and may drive over the federal hours of service limits.
- Speeding – Large trucks require longer stopping distances. Speeding trucks can’t brake in time to avoid crashes.
- Driver distraction – Eating, texting, or using navigation devices while driving diverts the trucker’s attention.
- Impaired driving – Drug or alcohol use negatively affects truck drivers’ abilities to drive safely.
- Improper maintenance – Brake failures, bald tires, broken lights, and other equipment problems increase accident risk.
- Jackknife accidents – Sudden braking can cause dangerous jackknife crashes, especially in wet or icy conditions.
- Wide turns – Trucks require extra space when making turns. Other vehicles can get squeezed.
- Blind spots – Massive blind spots around trucks lead to merging and lane change collisions.
When truckers or trucking companies act negligently and cause devastating crashes, they should be held fully accountable.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are some of the most serious and potentially life-altering truck accident injuries. TBIs occur in truck crashes when victims’ heads violently strike interior surfaces or get forcefully jarred. Possible TBI symptoms include:
- Unconsciousness, disorientation, confusion
- Memory loss, amnesia
- Headache, dizziness, nausea
- Slurred speech, vision changes
- Mood swings, anxiety, depression
Moderate to severe TBIs can have profound long-term effects, including:
- Permanent disability
- Physical, cognitive, and behavioral impairments
- Partial or total loss of independence
- Inability to work, drive, or care for family
- Financial and emotional burdens on families
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries from truck crashes also cause permanent, devastating effects. The spinal cord is irreplaceable, and damage to it results in paraplegia or quadriplegia. Possible spinal cord injury symptoms include:
- Partial or total paralysis in arms and/or legs
- Loss of muscle function, movement, reflexes
- Numbness, tingling, decreased sensations
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
- Impotence, sexual dysfunction
Like TBIs, spinal cord damage causes immense struggles for the rest of victims’ lives:
- Permanent mobility restrictions requiring wheelchairs, assistive devices, etc.
- Routine bladder, bowel care
- Increased risk of infections and medical complications
- Significant home and vehicle modifications
- Loss of independence
- Inability to work
- Heavy financial toll
Amputations
Amputated limbs are another horrific yet common injury in Iowa truck crashes. Amputations happen when victims’ arms or legs get crushed under trucks or torn off in accidents. Part or all of the injured limbs must be surgically removed. Amputations involve:
- Initial trauma, pain, blood loss, risk of death
- Multiple surgeries, skin grafts, stump revisions
- Phantom limb pain
- Permanent disability, leading to prosthetics being needed
- Months of rehab to re-learn basic tasks
- Impacts self-image, mental health, etc.
- Unable to work in previous job
Internal Organ Damage
Given trucks’ massive size and weight, the internal organ damage from truck crashes can be devastating. Livers, kidneys, spleen, bladder, stomach, intestines, and other organs can be lacerated, ruptured, or crushed in the impact. This often necessitates emergency, life-saving surgery.
- Heavy internal bleeding in the abdomen
- Infections, peritonitis risks
- Partial or total organ removal
- Permanent impairment of organ function
- Digestive issues, incontinence
- Emotional trauma, body image issues
- Long hospital stays and rehab needs
- Ongoing medications and care
Broken Bones
Even when truck crashes don’t cause damage to the brain or spine, victims still frequently sustain severe broken bones throughout the body. These injuries require major orthopedic surgery and extensive rehabilitation.
- Fractured pelvis, hips, legs
- Broken ribs, sternum, collar bones
- Fractured skull, jaw, arms, wrists, hands
- Crushed foot and ankle bones
- Dislocated shoulders, knees, elbows
- Months in casts, splints, braces
- Multiple surgeries – rods, pins, plates
- Permanent arthritis, pain risks
- Mobility limitations
The Road to Recovery After Truck Injuries
Surviving a catastrophic truck crash with traumatic injuries is only the beginning. A long, grueling recovery awaits. Patients require dedicated medical teams, support from loved ones, faith in themselves, and unwavering perseverance. They must slowly rebuild mobility, strength, and independence. Ongoing rehab, medications, assistive devices, and accommodations become part of daily life.
Psychological recovery is also crucial. Dealing with emotional trauma, changed appearance, disabilities, and lost dreams requires tremendous mental health support. With time, patience, and resilience, survivors can adapt to a new normal and lead fulfilling lives again. But the physical and emotional scars will remain forever.
Pursuing Legal Action
Truck crash victims face enormous medical expenses, lost income, decreased quality of life, and other damages. When truckers or companies are negligent and responsible for causing these losses, injury victims have legal rights to pursue compensation. An experienced Iowa truck accident lawyer can help by:
- Conducting a detailed investigation
- Gathering evidence like police reports, EDR data, videos
- Proving liability and negligence
- Assessing the full scope of damages
- Calculating costs of lifelong medical care
- Negotiating optimum settlement amounts
- Taking the case to trial if needed
- Helping victims focus on recovery while achieving maximum compensation
If you or a loved one suffered catastrophic injuries in an Iowa truck accident caused by someone else, contact the experienced attorneys at Monge & Associates for a free consultation to discuss your legal options. We have the resources and dedication to help you recover damages while you focus on recovering physically and emotionally from your life-changing injuries.
We have 32 offices located in 19 states, including Iowa, Missouri, and South Carolina. Our attorneys specialize in truck accidents and know how difficult it can be to go through legal hurdles in order to receive the compensation you deserve. Don’t suffer alone; let us help you. Call now on (888) 477-0597.