Houston Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

Not all vehicle collisions - and by that I mean automobile and semi-truck accidents - result in fatalities or wrongful death cases. Much more often there are victims that sustain injuries ranging from mild to catastrophic. Certainly we cannot review them in total in a single article so let us look at fracture related injuries for this electronic entry.

*The term 'broken bone' is a misnomer and not a medical term at all. When there is a break in a bone physicians refer to it as a bone fracture. Common types of fractures include the:

'closed' fracture in which there is a break in the bone but it does puncture through the skin

'open or compound' fractures in which the hematoma (or blood vessels, tissue and or an internal organ) is visible. There is a greater risk for infection with these types of fractures.

'complete' fractures in which the bone fragments are completely separated

''incomplete' fractures in which the bone fragments may remain partially joined
'oblique' fracture or a fracture diagonal to a bone's long axis which is opposite to a 'linear' fracture that runs parallel to the long axis of the bone.

There are addition types of fractures as well - such as ones in which the bone is broken into multiple pieces, ones in which the bone is twisted and ones in which the pieces of bone are actually driven into each other.

The human body - and its bones - are not designed to withstand the impact of a vehicle collision of any type. When one factors in the weight and size of a semi-truck (particularly in relation to an automobile) it is clear that those who are traveling in the smaller vehicle are bound to bear the physical brunt of the accident.

Fractured bones are just one type of injury that is quite common in a semi-truck accident.

It is important to note that emergency rooms frequently take xrays after a automobile accident but many times spinal cord issues do not involve fractures and more specialized tests such as an MRI or CT scan may be necessary.

Continue reading "Fractures From Semi Truck or Auto Accidents" »

Spinal cord injuries can be the result of a variety of causes from automobile or truck collisions to work-related accidents and more. Often they are life altering and can even lead to a permanent condition such as paraplegia, quadriplegia or myelopathy.

There are two types of spinal cord injuries - complete and incomplete. Complete spinal cord injuries result in paralysis or loss of function below the point at which the spinal cord was injured while an incomplete spinal cord injury will result in some - but not total - loss of feeling or sensation below the area at which the spinal cord was injured.

Complete paraplegia is the permanent loss of motor and nerve function of the legs, bladder and bowels. This includes a loss of sexual sensations and functioning as well. In some cases individuals with complete paraplegia do have a measure of trunk movement but most often movement requires the use of a wheelchair.

Incomplete spinal cord injuries are much more common. The extent of damage cannot be determined completely for perhaps up to two months and only after the shock to the spinal cord has subsided. Even so - there are five main categories of diagnoses that may 'present' and result in varying degrees of sensation and movement loss including: posterior cord, anterior cord, and central cord syndromes.

It is important for an accident victim to know that many times x-rays do not show the full extent of the potential spinal cord injury. Particularly, problems with herniated discs or ruptured discs.

Often, a car accident victim will be treated at the hospital, given x-rays and discharged with instructions to follow up with another physician. It is only when an MRI study is done that they learn that they have a very serious injury that may require surgery.

The moral of the story is that emergency room treatment is for emergency situations and conditions that require immediate surgery. Other conditions that are not life-threatening or immediate are not well served by emergency rooms.

If you've been in a car or truck accident and are still experiencing issues consider talking to your doctor about getting an MRI study done to rule out disc problems.

Continue reading "Spine Injury From a Truck Accident" »

Many car wrecks or truck accidents result in physical injuries that require medical attention and extensive recuperation periods. Let us consider how long it takes to recover from the various injuries sustained in a vehicle collision.

It takes approximately 6 weeks for a broken arm to heal.

It may take up to 3 months for a broken leg to heal.

It can take months to YEARS to recover from a traumatic brain injury. It is possible that a person may never recover.

It can take months to recover from whiplash or soft tissue damage.

It can take months to recover from herniated disk or other back injury and the problem can persist for years.

It can take weeks to months to heal from injuries sustained to internal organs.

It can take months or more to heal from the emotional trauma of a car or truck accident.
It could take days, weeks or even months for a person to come out of a coma.

It could take a number of painful surgery and recovery periods to correct physical problems endured in a vehicle collision - over months and even years. In some cases the best that can be expected after s serious car or truck accident is not that positive.
In some cases there will never be a complete recovery.

A person who must endure the partial or full amputation of a part of their body will never experience full recovery.

A person who has suffered traumatic brain injury may never fully recover.

A person who has suffered the loss of a loved one will most likely never fully recover.

The residual effects of car and truck accidents cannot be understated. Please drive carefully.

Continue reading "Recovering from an Injury in a Truck Accident" »

Certainly we can all agree that the human body is a sophisticated and complicated machine for which a multitude of problems can arise. Nowhere is this truer than in anything spinal cord and spine related. For the purposes of this blog our focus will on the singular concern of herniated discs.

A 'herniated disc' is the medical term for a bulging disc. It occurs when the nucleus - or inner portion - of the disc pushes against the wall of the disc causing it to protrude without rupturing.

There is a possibility that a herniated disc will heal on its own - left to its own devices (so to speak), and, in fact, this is often the case, as often bulging discs even go undiagnosed.

However, there is the possibility that this medical condition can worsen and the disc can actually rupture. When this occurs a person may well experience pain but even under these circumstances one may not realize the extent of the injury and - again - may stabilize and the pain will subside without treatment!

There are cases, though, of diagnosed chronic disc injuries in which treatment is prescribed.

One of the most common causes of this condition is high-speed auto accident - whether or not whiplash occurs. Whiplash itself is a sprain or strain of the muscles of the neck. But a herniated disc may be an unfortunate side effect if it is predisposed to a hernia at the time of the injury.

The side effects of a bulging disc also include such things as numbness in one's calves, toes or feet. With the variety of primary and secondary medical conditions that can arise from a bulging disc alone it is wise to seek immediate medical attention following a car or truck crash.

It is important to note that x-rays will not show a bulging or herniated disc and just because you are released from the ER does not mean you are OK. If problems following an auto or truck accident persist ask for or demand a MRI, which will diagnose a disc problem.

Continue reading "Herniated Discs" »

Spinal injuries and paralysis as well as brain injuries are not an unlikely result of vehicle collisions and rollovers.

However, other reasons for spinal injuries in a car include seatbelt failures, roof collapse, and seat collapse. Spinal cord injuries are usually either complete or incomplete.

A complete spinal cord injury reflects a victim's inability to function below the level of the injury. There are currently no cures for complete paralysis and those who suffer from this will never recover. Victims who suffer from incomplete spinal injuries will often make full recoveries.

A variety of other back injuries can result from auto accidents as well including whiplash and lumbar sprains. Symptoms of spinal cord injuries may experience a number of symptoms including pain, numbness or loss of muscle control. In addition, one may suffer sexual dysfunction, muscle spasms and infections.

Traumatic brain injuries are caused by the sudden occurrence of physical damage to the brain. They are categorized as either closed head or penetrating brain injuries. Closed head injuries are often the result of a person's head colliding with another object whereas the latter will result when an object pierce's a person's brain.

Automobile accidents are the leading cause of brain injury in all age categories. Statistics place the number of brain injuries due to vehicle collisions at 2 million annually. There have been medical advances to treat these problems but avoiding head injuries is the obvious best idea.

This is your regular reminder to drive defensively - the life you save may be your own.

Continue reading "Spine injury from auto accidents" »

Automobile and semi truck accidents can lead to any number of temporary and permanent physical injuries that alter a person's quality of life. One type of injury that is especially heart wrenching is temporary or permanent paralysis.

The medical definition of the word paralysis is the 'complete loss of control of a single muscle or group of muscles'. When paralysis affects only small portions of the body such as the inability to move your leg or arm then it is considered to be 'local'. Global paralysis is more generalized and is actually a loss of sensation throughout the body.

Paralysis is a complicated type of injury. If a person suffers temporary paralysis it is usually as a result of swelling or pressure on the nervous system. When pressure or swelling occurs it inhibits the spinal cord functions but full recovery is possible when the swelling subsides.

Although there are many researchers studying paralysis, unfortunately, there is no cure for permanent paralysis as of yet.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration approximately 55% of paralysis cases occur as a result of an automobile, motorcycle or truck collision. Certain types of crashes make a person more susceptible to paralysis than others.

For instance, in roll-over crashes the car compresses and body parts become unnaturally misshapen and the spinal cord may be affected. The automakers are required to ensure that the roofs of their products can withstand a roll-over without becoming crushed and further injuring any passengers.

Continue reading "55% of paralysis cases are caused by vehicle accidents" »