Rear end accidents and collision injuries can negatively impact your life.
Rear end accidents occur when one vehicle collides into the back of another vehicle. These types of accidents are quite common and can result in various injuries, depending on factors like the speed of impact, the size of the vehicles involved, the use of seat belts, and the effectiveness of safety systems.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the most common accident scenario is the rear end accident. This type of accident is responsible for nearly 1/3 of all car accidents.
A common misconception is that rear end accidents don’t cause serious injuries and that these claims are of little value. A collision should never be labeled as “just a rear-end crash,” every accident is different, and some rear-end collisions cause permanent injury and even wrongful death.
Rear End Collision Injuries
Rear end crashes often cause whiplash, a broad term for injuries caused by a rapid backward and forward neck movement, similar to cracking a whip. A whiplash injury is frequently associated with rare accidents but can result from any collision. Another common misconception is that whiplash accidents only occur in high-speed accidents. Multiple studies have determined that low-speed collisions can cause serious injuries.
If you are in a car struck from behind, your body is immediately thrown fo
rward, with your head trailing behind. Your head will be thrown back, stretching and possibly tearing ligaments, muscles, and tendons. This injury is invisible – occurring without signs of bruising, swelling, or scarring. A diagnosis is not usually made by a CT scan, MRI, or X-ray but by asking a patient how they feel. These imaging scans sometimes rule out other injuries, such as a cervical fracture.
Always Go to the Emergency Room After a Rear End Accident
Whiplash may not be felt in the immediate minutes and hours after a car crash. Symptoms may not show up until you wake up the next morning, experiencing severe neck pain, back pain, stiffness, loss of range of motion, pain, and tenderness. Some patients report blurry vision, insomnia, ringing in the ears, difficulty concentrating, irritability, memory problems, and depression.
Many people will evaluate their feelings to determine if they go to the hospital after an accident. If a whiplash event is suspected, you can seek medical treatment immediately. Your visit to the doctor (and record of it) is important for your health and well-being and your personal injury claim.
Don’t Accept an Immediate Settlement Offer Without Talking to a Lawyer First
It may be surprising how quickly an insurance company wants to pay a claim (and closeout). Insurance adjusters will be eager to settle your claim – if it’s for a low amount because you are permanently waiving all rights to any future compensation.
In the immediate hours or days following an accident, knowing how your injuries may affect you is impossible. Will you have pain in two weeks or two months? Will you experience severe headaches? It may be impossible to know if you do not get evaluated by a medical professional. Accepting a quick Tampa car accident settlement can mean receiving far less compensation than you are entitled to. Always speak with a lawyer before accepting a settlement offer.
Get a Free Consultation With The Coleman Law Group
The Coleman Law Group offers a free consultation to review your case and answer your questions. Contact us to discuss your case if you have been injured in a car accident in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Land O’ Lakes, Sarasota, or Lakeland. All consultations are free, and we are only paid if we recover money for you.
