One of the worst things that could happen if a truck hits you besides dying is suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Your brain controls your whole body. Damaging it could affect anything from your ability to think clearly to your ability to control your right hand. Each year around 80,000 people suffer a TBI, which causes long-term or permanent disability.
How do traumatic brain injuries occur?
If a truck crashes into you while driving along, there will be massive forces at play.
These are three scenarios that could lead to a TBI if a truck hits you:
- Your head hits the dashboard or steering wheel: That blow could be enough to cause a TBI. Passengers in the rear seat could suffer a TBI if their head impacts the seat in front.
- Something hits your head: Most cars are full of loose objects. These can be anything from your handbag to your phone, from your coffee cup to your toolkit. It could even be your dog or someone who is not wearing a seat belt. The forces involved in a crash mean even a small, supposedly innocuous item can carry enough energy to cause a TBI.
- Your brain hits the inside of your skull: Even if there is no external impact, the crash may throw your brain with sufficient force inside your head.
TBIs are not always immediately apparent. You might be able to get up and walk away from the crash despite having one. It can take a few hours, a few days or even longer for the symptoms to present. It is one reason you should always get a medical check-up after any vehicle crash and should not accept an insurer’s early compensation offer. TBIs can prove much more devastating and costly than you could predict.