When an 18-wheeler or another large commercial truck collides with a passenger vehicle, the occupants in the smaller vehicle are at a much higher risk of suffering severe and potentially life-threatening injuries. Because these collisions can be so violent and the injuries life-altering, it’s important to speak to an attorney as soon as possible about your legal rights.

The 18 wheeler accident attorney at the Law Offices of Michael J. Gopin, PLLC, have more than 30 years of experience helping injured people in El Paso and throughout Texas get the compensation they deserve after serious crashes. To learn how we can help with your case, contact us now for a free consultation.

Types of Injuries in a Truck Accident in El Paso

There are many kinds of injuries that can occur in a truck accident. Some of the most common injuries include:

  • Spinal cord injuries: Damage to the spinal cord can result in full or partial paralysis, among other serious side effects. People who suffer spinal cord injuries typically require extensive treatment and may never return to the quality of life they had before the crash.
  • Traumatic brain injuries: Traumatic brain injuries can result from objects penetrating the skull during the crash, a person’s head hitting the car or another object, or simply from the tremendous force of the crash itself. Regardless of how they occur, traumatic brain injuries can impact a person’s motor functions and ability to think and speak. They can also cause all manner of other serious health problems.
  • Traumatic orthopedic injuries: The force from a truck accident is easily enough to break or crush bones, along with muscles, ligaments, joints, and other soft tissues. These injuries often require extensive surgery to heal, along with physical therapy afterward. In some cases, the injuries are permanent, which can severely diminish a person’s quality of life.
  • Burns: Vehicles sometimes catch fire during or after crashes, causing extensive burns to victims. Burns can also happen if a driver is pinned against hot metal or another hot surface after a crash.
  • Whiplash: Whiplash is an injury that affects the muscles and other soft tissues in your neck, upper back, and shoulders. Whiplash injuries can be extremely painful and make it hard to perform everyday tasks. Whiplash is most common in rear-end collisions.
  • Broken bones: Even a single broken bone can be extremely painful and limit a person’s ability to work or do other tasks.
  • Internal injuries: Truck accident victims can suffer damages to internal organs and other parts of the body, even if nothing appears wrong on the surface. These injuries are quite serious and require immediate medical treatment, as they can be fatal.
  • Amputation and disfigurement: In particularly violent crashes, victims may suffer traumatic amputation of a limb or another type of permanent disfigurement. Burns, severe cuts, and other injuries can also lead to truck accident victims being scarred or otherwise disfigured.

How to Prevent Truck Accident Injuries in El Paso

Here are some important safety tips to avoid truck accidents:

  • Stay visible. Trucks have much larger blind spots than passenger cars, especially in the area directly behind the truck and to the left and right of the trailer. Try to stay out of these blind spots and make sure you can see a truck’s side-view mirrors.
  • Pass with care. Do not linger in a truck’s blind spots when passing. Give the truck plenty of space. And make sure you can see a truck fully in your rearview mirror before attempting to pull in front of it. Avoid passing trucks on downhill slopes, where they often pick up speed.
  • Do not tailgate or follow too closely. Trucks require much more room to slow down and stop because of their extra size and weight. If you follow too closely, you could run into the back of the truck if it has to stop suddenly.
  • Anticipate wide turns. Smaller vehicles can become trapped when a truck makes a wide right turn. If a truck is turning, back off and give it plenty of room.
  • Be patient. It can be frustrating to deal with large trucks on the road, but your best course of action is to take a deep breath and give them plenty of space to maneuver to avoid an accident.

What to Do After Being Injured in a Truck Accident

Your first step is to seek medical treatment immediately. Once you’ve been evaluated and have begun treatment, your next step should be to speak to a tractor trailer accident lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Your attorney can work quickly to identify all the liable parties and preserve evidence before it is lost or destroyed.

What Information Do I Need to Collect After a Truck Accident?

Be sure to get the driver’s name, contact details, and insurance information, as well as contact information for the trucking company. Save all of your medical records, photos from the accident scene, the accident report from the police, and contact information for any witnesses. Your attorney will follow up to secure traffic or surveillance camera footage, witness statements, the truck driver’s logs, black box data from the truck itself, and other evidence that can help demonstrate fault.

How the Law Office of Michael J. Gopin Can Help You

An experienced truck accident attorney is an invaluable ally when you are going up against powerful trucking companies and their insurers. When you choose the Law Office of Michael J. Gopin, PLLC, our team will immediately begin investigating your crash to determine who’s liable for your injuries. We will also take care of all the necessary paperwork, handle all communication with the at-fault parties, and aggressively pursue the maximum compensation possible. If the other side refuses to offer you what you’re rightfully owed in a truck accident settlement, we’ll be prepared to take your case to court to fight for justice.

To get started, contact us now for a free consultation.