Rear-End Collisions: Causes and Common Injuries

Rear-end collisions are considered to be one of the most prominent types of auto accidents in the country. These are considered to be a common cause of accidental injuries.

In present times, distracted driving is highly prevalent. However, it is not the only cause of rear-end collisions. These collisions can be caused by:

• Distracted driving
• Speeding
• Heavy traffic
• Weather conditions
• Road rage
• Mechanical failure
• Fatigued driving

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
In order to prevent and mitigate rear-end crashes, go for the Forward Collision Avoidance Systems. These systems allow a vehicle to automatically brake without driver action when a crash is likely to occur. However, unfortunately, even with this technology, accidents are still likely to happen. The common injuries you could experience as a result of a rear-end collision can differ. It may differ based on certain factors.

 

What are some of the common rear-end injuries caused?

 

Whiplash
Whiplash is certainly one of the most common injuries that can result from a rear-end collision. This injury is usually caused by a violent, sudden movement of the neck and head. It can cause serious soft tissue damage.

The severity and extent of whiplash injuries vary from case to case. There are certain spinal injuries that demand more intensive medical treatment than others. These are the situations where the head, neck, and back move more violently. This heightens the likelihood of sustaining a serious injury. One of the most prominent dangers of a rear-end whiplash injury is that it isn’t immediately apparent. It could take days or weeks for the full symptoms of the injury to become truly visible.

Broken Bones
Broken bones arise from failure to brake. This is a prominent side effect of many collisions. These are associated with all auto accidents. However, in a rear-end collision, the most common breaks occur to certain parts of the body like hands, spine, ribcage, feet, and skull.

Many modern crash safety equipment exists today. However, broken bones can still happen when the collision is extreme. Unlike soft-tissue injuries, many of the breaks can be easily detected. This enables victims to get medical treatment just on time. However, when there are fractures to the skull, it can be way more serious. These fractures can indicate other problems such as traumatic brain injury, or TBI.

Traumatic Brain Injury
TBI-related deaths are way too common today. Just like whiplash, the early warning signs of traumatic brain injury may not be instantly visible. This could take days or weeks for the full effects of the injury to fully manifest.

There are certain common symptoms. These include loss of consciousness, dizziness, chronic fatigue, abnormal changes in behavior, impaired speech, lowered cognitive performance, etc. The bad thing is that traumatic brain injury can be extremely difficult to treat. Also, certain injuries can result in permanent impairments. Some might even lead to death.

Facial Disfigurement/Scarring
When it comes to rear-end crashes, occupants can be thrown against their restraints. There are times when an occupant could hit a dashboard or headrest in a manner that leaves them with permanent scarring or disfigurements. In such cases, the quality of safety measures and immediacy of treatment can be major deciding factors in preventing scarring.

Paralysis
When a spine or brain injury is pretty severe, it can leave you partially or completely paralyzed. There are multiple factors that can impact the degree of paralysis.

Seat Belt Injuries
Seat belts are vital when driving. But, surprisingly, when someone is involved in a rear-end car accident, seat belts can cause injuries! When your car is struck from behind, your seat belt tightens in order to hold your body firmly in place and prevent it from striking the steering wheel, dashboard, and windshield. The moment this happens, the seat belt can very well cut your skin when your body is thrust forward. The most common seat belt injuries are bruising or lacerations to the chest, neck, and torso.

You must see a doctor and have your injuries documented if you wish to file a claim. Make sure to seek legal representation. Get a monetary settlement for your injuries.
Usually, the Extent of Your Injuries has to be taken into account. This extent depends on certain common factors like type of vehicles involved, the rate of speed, the location of impact, if seatbelts were worn, airbag deployment, seat back angle, etc.

Keep in mind that headrests can be the most common source of protection against whiplash in rear-end collisions.

 

Steps to take after a Rear-End Collision

Right after a rear-end collision, you must contact the emergency medical service as soon as possible. Keep in mind that the timeliness of your treatment can make a huge difference in your recovery process. Once you have properly taken care of your health needs and the needs of any other occupants in your vehicle, consider contacting an experienced auto accident attorney.

You must keep in mind that many things can happen in the aftermath of a severe rear-end collision. Some of these include astonomical medical bills, adjusted insurance rates, lost time and wages, etc. so, many of you might stress over financial trouble right after such an accident.

Keep in mind that you do not need to face a financial emergency due to the recklessness of others. Make sure to contact an experienced auto accident attorney in your community to represent you. Try to rightful earn you the compensation for injuries, property damage and medical treatment associated with such a collision.

 

Ways to prevent rear-end collisions

Drivers must check your mirrors more often. When coming to a stop at a traffic light, try to look in the rearview mirror to be sure vehicles behind you are stopping. Make sure to check your mirrors to be sure traffic is stopping behind you.

It is also important to stay focused on your driving. When you slow to a stop, try to detect an escape route. Never rush up to a stop sign or red light. While stopped, try to visualize what you can do should the vehicle behind you not show signs of stopping in time.

What Does a Typical Personal Injury Case Look Like?

You might wonder as to what goes on in a typical personal injury case. You might wonder as to how long it takes.

Getting medical treatment
This is the very first thing that you should do after getting injured in a certain accident. If you are injured, make sure to go to the hospital or visit a doctor. When it comes to health, this is the right thing to do. If you do not see a doctor for some time after an accident, the insurance adjuster and the jury will surely assume that you were not that hurt.

Picking a lawyer
This comes next. If you have a strong claim, it is important to choose a South Florida personal injury lawyer. You must make sure to choose the lawyer right after the injury. You can settle a minor personal injury claim yourself. However, you should still consider talking to a lawyer. If you have suffered from severe injuries or losses, you will need a lawyer for any personal injury claim.

If you are out of work for more than a few days, you should hire a lawyer. You must decide to talk to some lawyers. Once you choose a lawyer and sign a fee agreement, he/she will start to work on your injury case.

Investigating the injury claim
This is a major step. The medical records also need to be reviewed. The lawyer interviews you about how the accident happened, your medical condition, your background, and medical treatment. The attorney wants to know everything that might be relevant to the accident. He/she will make sure to ask all questions to know more about your injury and treatment. Usually, lawyers do not really want to be surprised. So, you must go ahead and answer all the questions honestly.

It is then that the lawyer will get all of your medical records plus bills associated with the injury. Also, he/she will get your medical records for any treatment that you have ever had associated with the condition at issue. This can take some months.

Once the lawyer collects all the medical records, the lawyer will review them in order to see if there is a possible case. Now, the lawyer might be able to determine that there is no case. In that case, he/she will deliver the bad news to the client early on.

Making Demands
There are many small personal injury claims that are settled prior to the filing of a lawsuit. If the lawyer is of the opinion that the case can be settled, they will go ahead and make a demand to the other lawyer or the insurance company of the other side.Else, your lawyer might go ahead and file the lawsuit. Generally, if your claim is about permanent injury or impairment, a genuine personal injury lawyer will not settle it prior to filing suit.

A genuine personal lawyer will not make a demand until the plaintiff has attained a point of maximum medical improvement that is referred to as MMI. MMI is the stage when the plaintiff has ended his/her medical treatment. This is mainly because when the plaintiff has reached MMI, the attorney does not know the actual value of the case.

The attorney should not file a lawsuit until MMI. This is mainly because if the plaintiff is not at MMI when the case goes to trial, the jury might give less value to the case. It could take some months or years for the plaintiff to attain MMI. However, a genuine lawyer will decide to wait, if the plaintiff can afford to wait financially. Of course, if the plaintiff requires money, then the attorney should put the case in a suit early on.

Filing of the lawsuit
The filing of the lawsuit usually begins the clock running on when the case is getting to trial. The pretrial procedures of every state vary. However, it will take some years for a personal injury case to get to trial. You need to remember that a lawsuit is required to be filed within certain time limits. These time limits are set by every state has set by passing a law that is referred to as a statute of limitations.

The Discovery Process
The discovery process is a procedure in which all the parties look into the legal claims and defenses of the adversary. They usually send interrogatories and document requests to one another. Also, they take depositions of every relevant witness in the personal injury case. It usually begins with the plaintiff and the defendant. This process can last for 6 months. It depends on the court’s deadlines as well as the complexity of the personal injury case.

Mediation and Negotiation
With the ending of the discovery period, the attorneys will start talking about settlement. Certain times, the lawyers can go ahead and settle a case by talking among themselves. However, some tend to go to mediation. Mediation can be defined as a process in which both clients and lawyers go in front of a mediator in order to settle the personal injury case.

Trial
In general, mediation works. However, if it does not work, the case is likely to go for trial. Depending on the severity of the injury case, a personal injury trial can last a day, a week or even longer. The duration of the injury case may be increased since, in many states, trials are held for only ½ a day and not a full day. This pretty much doubles the duration of a trial. However, it also lets the lawyers and judges get certain other things done.

When a lawsuit is scheduled for trial, it does not mean that the trial will occur on that date. Trials tend to get rescheduled due to the schedules of the judge. If your trial gets canceled due to some reason, you should not assume that the lawyers are conspiring against you. In general, trials are delayed all the time.

Some key factors that impact the settlement value are the defendant's assets, the plaintiff's losses and liability.