Spinal Cord Injuries in Truck Accident Cases

Truck accidents are known to cause serious injuries to the victims who are involved. These injuries often include those affecting the spinal cord. Motor vehicle accidents, including collisions with trucks, are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries nationwide, accounting for forty percent of all spinal cord injuries each year. Severe spinal cord injuries come with serious costs, and when a negligent truck driver or another party has caused these injuries, they should be held accountable. Miami truck accident lawyer Robert Dixon assists victims who have suffered a spinal cord injury in pursuing the compensation they need in order to cope with the cost of treatment and recovery. The Law Offices of Robert Dixon offers seasoned and knowledgeable legal representation for clients across South Florida, including Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. Spinal cord injuries of all kinds require victims to take time to heal and recover, and we are here to help with their legal issues while they focus on getting better. If you have questions regarding your options in the aftermath of a truck accident, please contact our office via phone or online to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.

Spinal cord injuries are more common in truck accidents than other motor vehicle accidents, given the impact a massive commercial truck can have when colliding with a smaller passenger vehicle and its occupants. Spinal cord injuries may either be temporary or permanently affect a victim’s life. Spinal cord injuries vary in severity, and depending on different factors, these injuries can present the following symptoms:

• Bladder, bowel, and digestive issues
• Chronic pain, numbness, or weakness
• Respiratory problems
• High or low heart rate and blood pressure
• Loss of sensation
• Sexual dysfunction
• Muscle spasms
• Paralysis

Loss of function or paralysis affecting a victim’s legs and lower body is known as paraplegia, while quadriplegia renders a victim paralyzed from below the neck. Both spinal conditions require lifetime care and treatment.

Most often a truck driver’s negligence is the main factor that has caused an accident and victims’ spinal cord injuries. Negligence exists when a defendant has breached the duty of reasonable care they owe to another, causing injury and damages. Drivers, and all motorists, owe each other the duty to act as a reasonable and prudent person would under the same or similar circumstances. When that duty is breached and results in a spinal cord injury, a defendant can be held accountable for those damages in a personal injury suit. For instance, a truck driver speeding excessively in order to make a delivery, striking another vehicle, can be found negligent and be held accountable for the medical costs incurred by the injured victim. Additionally, trucking companies may be held vicariously liable for the negligent acts of their employees. If a truck driver was acting within the scope of employment at the time of the accident and injury, an employer can be legally responsible for those acts.

In truck accident cases, it is advisable to consult an attorney as soon as possible to help you navigate the legal process. Spoliation of evidence, whereby key evidence is lost, destroyed, or altered in order for someone to escape liability, is more prevalent in truck accident cases due to the many interested parties involved. Having an advocate on your side who can look out for such actions is vital to preserving evidence as well as your legal rights. Once liability is established, damages may be awarded for past and future medical expenses, including costs related to long-term care, as well as lost income or diminished earning capacity, and pain and suffering.

Spinal cord injuries require victims to adjust to a new way of life, which not only has a significant financial impact, but an emotional one as well. If you suffered a spinal cord injury in a truck accident caused by a negligent party, you may be entitled to compensation. Injury attorney Robert Dixon of the Law Offices of Robert Dixon can help you determine who is at fault for your injuries and guide you through the legal process. Please call 877.499.4878 or contact us online to set up a free, no obligation consultation to find out more about your legal rights and options. We serve clients in areas including Miami, and West Palm Beach.