Rear end collisions are the most frequently occurring type of car crash. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), around 29 percent of all crashes involve one vehicle hitting another from behind. For that reason, rear end collision injuries are also one of the most commonly experienced type of personal injury to result from a wreck.
Rear End Collision Injury Types
A rear end collision causes injury because there’s a sudden, jarring change of velocity and direction, and the human body wasn’t meant to experience that type of stress. Your bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, organs and circulatory system all might be affected, and it could take a while to sort out just how deep the damage goes.
These are the most common types of rear end collision injury types:
⦁ Whiplash – This neck injury is named after the movement that causes it. When your vehicle is struck from behind, your shoulders, neck and head snap violently back and forth like what happens when someone cracks a whip. You might not know you have whiplash right away, often symptoms develop later. Symptoms include pain, stiffness, reduced range of motion, tingling, numbness, fatigue, dizziness and other unpleasant sensations.
⦁ Airbag injuries – Airbags save lives, but they also hurt. They deploy in a fraction of a second at high speeds. If you strike them with your face or torso, you could have intense bruising, contact burns, lacerations, even broken bones in your face or ribs.
⦁ Back injuries – Even low speed crashes can cause back injuries, because your spine and the connected nerves and tissues are extremely delicate.
⦁ Head and brain injuries – One of the most important reasons to see a medical professional right after a car accident, even if you feel fine, is that head injuries can lead to lifelong damage. The ⦁ NHTSA says 1.4 million people every year receive a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and of those, 52,000 annually die.
⦁ Hand, arm and wrist injuries – If you were driving, you probably had your hands on the wheel when you were hit. As the collision pushed you forward, your fingers, palms, wrists, arms and shoulders slammed toward the steering wheel. You might have broken bones, torn connective tissue or other injuries.
Compensation for Rear End Collision Injuries
Usually, the driver who rear ended you will be found at fault. They might have been following too closely, driving too quickly or looking at their cell phone instead of the road ahead. That’s not always the case, though.
If you were “brake checking” the car behind you or driving without adequate signaling equipment, you might be partially at fault. But in most cases, if you were driving safely, the other driver will be found negligent and, in Texas and Louisiana, be required to reimburse you for vehicle damage and personal injury.
Insurance companies know they’ll usually have to pay if their driver rear-ended someone. However, that doesn’t mean they’re going to offer you a fair amount within a reasonable time frame. You can count on insurance companies to offer as little as possible when it comes to evaluating compensation for your rear end collision injury.
When to Talk to A Personal Injury Attorney
It’s almost always a good idea to talk to an attorney when you’ve been involved in a car accident. With Monsour Law Firm, a consultation is free. You don’t have to hire us to represent you, and you’ll get valuable advice on what your case might be worth and what are the best next steps to take. Give us a call at (903)999-9999 or schedule your free consultation online today.
