It is virtually impossible to drive in or around Rapid City without encountering at least one tractor-trailer. After all, the city sits at the intersection of I-90, I-190 and other major commercial thoroughfares.
Because of the considerable size and weight difference between your car and semi-trucks, it is not difficult to understand how a collision with one may change your life forever. If someone in your vehicle suffers from internal decapitation, though, you may have mounting medical bills you cannot begin to pay.
What is internal decapitation?
Conventional decapitation, which is always fatal, happens when the head separates from the body. With internal decapitation, the head does not detach. Instead, the ligaments that hold the spinal column to the skull break. While internal decapitation causes death in roughly 70% of cases, the condition is sometimes survivable.
What are the treatment options?
Internal decapitation is a spinal cord injury, so it is critical to receive care from a team of qualified medical professionals. Often, those with the injury require care from neurologists, neurosurgeons, spine specialists and physical therapists. Your loved one’s treatment plan, of course, likely depends on the extent of his or her injuries.
How do you pay for treatment?
If your passenger survived internal decapitation initially, he or she may have a comparatively good prognosis. Still, treating the condition is not likely to be cheap. After all, your loved one may have to spend months or longer in the hospital and in rehabilitation facilities.
Ultimately, you may be able to seek substantial compensation from the truck driver, trucking company or anyone else who caused or contributed to the crash.