Wake County, NC (September 18, 2026) - Injuries were reported in two truck crashes on eastbound Interstate 40 in Wake County on Friday afternoon, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. The collisions were reported northeast of Raleigh.

The first crash happened around 1:10 p.m. just before the Harrison Road exit, numbered 287. Troopers said three vehicles were involved. According to their initial account, a tractor-trailer struck one vehicle during an unsafe lane change, triggering a collision involving another car that went off the highway.

One person in a car was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries described as minor. Troopers cited the tractor-trailer driver for an unsafe lane change.

The second crash occurred around 1:50 p.m. near the I-540 interchange and Airport Boulevard exit, near Raleigh-Durham International Airport. The Highway Patrol said it involved a dump truck and four passenger vehicles. Troopers reported that the dump truck hit a minivan, left the highway to the left and struck an SUV at the median wall.

Two people from the second collision were taken to a nearby hospital with injuries troopers described as not life-threatening. Two additional injured people received treatment at the scene. The Highway Patrol said the second crash was under investigation at the time of the initial report.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation reported that all eastbound lanes near exit 284 were closed for about 40 minutes. Heavy backups were reported around 2:10 p.m. Two left lanes reopened around 2:30 p.m., though significant delays persisted, including westbound backups. All lanes reopened later that afternoon, with traffic still moving slowly.

Medical Expenses Without Hospital Admission

Two people injured in the dump truck collision received treatment at the scene, while two others were taken to a hospital. That difference raises a practical expense question. Hospital admission is not a requirement for every medical expense considered in an injury claim. Accident-related doctor bills and laboratory fees, as well as hospital bills, may be part of a bodily injury claim.

Someone treated at the scene of the dump-truck collision can discuss any actual doctor or laboratory charges with a truck accident lawyer even without a hospital trip. The relevant question is which care and expense arose from the collision, not whether an ambulance transported the person. Responsibility and applicable coverage would still matter before any payment could be assumed.

Ask About Actual Expenses After Scene Treatment

For someone treated at the scene of a truck collision, any later medical-expense question can be put to the insurer in concrete terms: which actual accident-related charges are being considered, and what is the reason for the payment decision? If expenses arise, ask about those expenses rather than assuming that the absence of hospital transport settles the question.