Your body undergoes extensive trauma when in a rear-end collision. Your body tries to absorb the shocks from a crash, resulting in injuries. The severity of your injuries depends on the speed at which you're hit. These injuries could be slight like whiplash or a sprain or more concerning such as spinal or brain damage. Seek medical attention right away after an accident.
The force from the momentum of a rear-end impact is devastating to the body. Since the collision is coming from behind, there is no way to protect or prepare your body for the trauma it will undergo.
When you're hit from behind, your body will snap forward, and then back quickly. Your body attempts to absorb these shocks, resulting in minor to severe injuries depending on the speed of the driver who hits you. This normally results in a variety of injuries.
While this list isn't every possible injury that could occur, below are the most common types of injuries that may result from a rear-end accident
Whiplash is one of the most common injuries from a car accident. The Mayo Clinic best describes it as a "neck injury due to forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck, like the cracking of a whip."
Whiplash symptoms include:
Whiplash treatments include:
In rare cases, you may develop chronic whiplash, which requires nerve block injections for pain relief or even disc surgery.
Even with mild cases, it's unlikely you'll be able to work until your symptoms dissipate.
Car accidents are one of the leading causes of spinal cord and back injuries and should be taken very seriously.
Injuries to the spinal cord frequently result in permanent paralysis, so it's important not to ignore your pain and seek medical help.
Knowing the difference between a sore back and something more serious is important. Below are signs of a possible spinal code injury:
Traumatic brain injuries vary from a headache to something life-threatening. Due to them having similar symptoms, it may be hard to tell something serious apart from something less serious like whiplash.
Don't take the risk, if you hit your head during an accident, let your doctor know right away. Additional symptoms you may experience:
In very extreme situations where the spine or brain are damaged severely, you may experience partial or full paralysis. These serious injuries are sometimes permanent. In cases where healing is possible, expect years of physical therapy.
Depending on the severity of the accident, there could be profound effects that follow you now and into the future. You may be in a position where acquiring a settlement is important.
Consider things like car damages, or needing to buy a new vehicle entirely. Don't forget medical expenses for immediate injuries and more permanent damages. Of course, make sure to include any lost wages.
The cost of psychiatric care for any mental damages sustained from the ordeal is important to take into account as well. Some of these are hard to put a number on but are important to keep in mind.
Some mental damages include:
It's important to start the claim process as soon as possible. You'll need to think about paying for:
Start your claim process with these easy steps:
Your insurance company is likely to offer you a low-ball settlement in an attempt to save money. If you accept this settlement, you are likely to receive less than you deserve and need.
Make sure to follow the procedure instructed for any accident.
An accident attorney is able to fight for you for the best possible settlement. An accident attorney doesn't require out-of-pocket fees, but instead gets paid a portion of your settlement (usually between 25-35%).
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