Truck accident injuries are more severe because a loaded tractor-trailer can weigh twenty times what a passenger car does. They more often hit several parts of the body at once. They more often include a real concussion. And the spine injury is the one most often put off.
A crash with a commercial vehicle, such as a semi truck, sends far more energy into the people in the smaller car. The injuries show it.
Why are truck accident injuries worse than car accident injuries?
In a crash between two vehicles, weight matters more than speed. A loaded tractor-trailer can weigh twenty times what a passenger car does. So even a slow hit makes forces far beyond those of a car hitting a car.
The result: injuries are more severe. They are more likely to hit several parts of the body at once. They are more likely to include a real concussion. Underride and side-impact crashes are especially damaging, because the cabin where people sit takes the hit head-on.
What happens in the months after a truck accident?
Emergency phase
A high-force crash is a reason to order imaging (scans) readily. The hospital handles this stage. It is not our part.
First two weeks
Several injuries fight for attention, and the spine often loses. Take a patient with a broken wrist and a neck injury. The wrist gets treated. The neck gets a mention.
One to three months
Once the more obvious injuries are handled, other problems take over. These are lasting spine pain, radicular symptoms (nerve pain that runs down an arm or leg) and post-concussion problems.
Beyond three months
Pain that has not settled needs an exact diagnosis of which part is hurt. This is where targeted blocks help more than more scans.
Which truck accident injuries get missed?
In a high-force crash with many injuries, the risk is this: the loudest problem gets treated and the rest get put off. A displaced fracture (a bone broken out of line) demands attention. A facet joint injury (harm to the small joints at the back of the spine) is quieter. It is easy to leave for later.
Later is where it gets harder. A spine injury that would have responded to early diagnosis and targeted care turns into chronic pain. That happens once guarding, deconditioning and central sensitization have had six months to set in. Guarding is muscles locking up. Deconditioning is losing strength and fitness. Central sensitization is a nervous system that turns the pain volume up.
Concussion is also missed in this group. Part of the reason is that attention is elsewhere. The other part is that the symptoms get blamed on the normal distress of being in a serious crash.
When to get help immediately
Get an emergency check for a headache that keeps getting worse, repeated vomiting, confusion or drowsiness, weakness or numbness on one side, chest or belly pain, shortness of breath, or any change in bladder or bowel control. Anyone on anticoagulants (blood thinners) who hit their head needs a check no matter the symptoms.
To get checked, call or text us. We are at 12174 Natural Bridge Rd, Suite 110, St. Louis, MO 63044. No referral is needed and no attorney is required. See accident and injury care.
Common questions
My other injuries were treated but my back still hurts. Where do I start?
With a proper spine exam. In patients with many injuries, the spine is the part most often put off. It is also the one that most often turns chronic.
Does a more severe crash mean permanent damage?
Not always. More force makes structural injury more likely. But most spine injuries can be treated, even after significant crashes.
How long should I wait before seeking pain treatment?
Do not wait for the other injuries to finish healing. The spine exam helps more when it is done early.
What injuries can you get from being hit by a truck?
A loaded tractor-trailer can weigh twenty times what a car does. So the injuries are more severe. They more often hit several parts of the body at once. Broken bones, spine injuries such as facet joint injury, nerve pain down an arm or leg, and a real concussion are common. Underride and side-impact crashes are especially damaging.
Why is a concussion missed after a truck accident?
Two reasons. Attention goes to the louder injuries, such as a broken bone, so the head gets less of it. And concussion symptoms often get blamed on the normal distress of being in a serious crash. A headache that keeps getting worse, repeated vomiting, confusion or drowsiness after a truck crash needs an emergency check.
What helps back or neck pain that lasts past three months after a truck crash?
Pain that has not settled by three months needs an exact diagnosis, not more waiting. At this stage targeted blocks help more than more scans, because they show which part is making the pain. Left alone for six months, guarding, deconditioning and central sensitization turn a treatable spine injury into chronic pain.
Sources
- Nolet PS et al. Exposure to a motor vehicle collision and the risk of future back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Accident; analysis and prevention, 2020. PubMed 32438092
- Burström L et al. Whole-body vibration and the risk of low back pain and sciatica: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International archives of occupational and environmental health, 2015. PubMed 25142739
- Smits EJ et al. Expert consensus and perspectives on recovery following road traffic crashes: a Delphi study. Disability and rehabilitation, 2022. PubMed 33305970
- Hurri H et al. Functional Tests Predicting Return to Work of Workers with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: Are There Any Validated and Usable Functional Tests for Occupational Health Services in Everyday Practice? A Systematic Review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 2023. PubMed 36982096
Hurt in an accident? Start here.
You do not need a lawyer, a police report or a referral to be seen. Bring your symptoms and we will work out the rest.
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Same-day appointments are often available for new accident and injury patients.