Rear-end collisions are the most common type of motor vehicle collision, but they are also frequently misunderstood. Because many rear-end collisions occur at relatively low rates of speed, many people presume that these collisions generally do not result in serious injuries. The reality is that severe debilitating injuries often occur in car accidents where a vehicle is struck from the rear even at low rates of speed. However, many times whiplash injuries are the cause of this severe pain and prolonged periods of disability. Insurance companies are notoriously uncooperative when dealing with whiplash injuries suffered at low rates of speed. A common strategy of auto insurance companies is to derisively characterize such accidents at “low impact collisions” and claim that any resulting injury claim is either exaggerated or the product of malingering.
Although proving the severity of one’s injuries in a rear-end accident resulting in whiplash injuries can be challenging, liability may be fairly clear in these cases. The vast majority of the time those who are rear-ended are either stopped or moving very slowly. Because drivers are required to allow enough following distance so that they can stop if the flow of traffic comes to a standstill, the driver that collides with another vehicle from behind will typically be considered negligent. Rear-end collisions are frequently caused by drivers who are distracted or intoxicated. While rear-end collisions are already the most common form of collision, the increase in driver distractions, including mobile phones, iPads, car DVD players, GPS devices and more are responsible for the continuing trend toward more rear-end collisions.
Because most rear-end collisions occur at low rates of speed, it is especially important that you seek prompt medical attention. A whiplash injury that occurs during a rear-end car accident is caused by the head and neck being hyperextended when the vehicle seat forces the vehicle occupant’s torso forward while the head and neck of the occupant falls backward. The head and neck are then thrust into a hyperflexed position.
Soft tissue injuries like whiplash injuries can be difficult to diagnose so insurance companies tend to minimize these injuries. While a standard x-ray many not reveal whiplash injuries, there are other diagnostic tools that your physician may use to provide evidence of whiplash. Dynamic x-rays may be used, which involve tilting the head backward and forward when taking x-rays. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) screenings also are more effective at detecting evidence of soft tissue injuries like hyperextension or hyperflexion of the neck.
If you are involved in a rear-end collision in San Francisco, it is important not to speak with the insurance company adjuster for the other driver. While insurance companies frequently point to a lack of vehicle damage to support their position that no permanent or serious injury could have occurred, a lack of vehicle damages does not mean that a person did not suffer serious injury. The bumpers of motor vehicles are designed to withstand far more impact and force than the human body. Most serious injuries in rear-end car accidents occur at speeds of speeds between 8-12 mph. Motor vehicles generally are built to withstand impact of 12 miles per hour without vehicle damage. It is also important to know that the peak acceleration of the head in a collision far exceeds the peak acceleration of the vehicle. A crash at 5 mph causes about 10-12 g of acceleration of the occupant’s head.
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Many people that suffer whiplash injuries suffer from pain and disability for months while others experience chronic pain on a permanent basis. If you or someone you love has been injured in a San Francisco rear-end car accident, you should contact us as soon as possible because critical deadlines apply. Our San Francisco accident lawyers invite you to contact The Law Office of Ian Zimmerman for your free initial consultation. We are open 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., speak Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese, and are available for weekend, evening, home and hospital meetings and visits. We also offer free initial consultations and work exclusively on a contingency fee basis so that you pay nothing if we don’t win your case.