Almost one-third of all auto accidents nationally are rear-end collisions. Some rear-end collisions are mere ‘fender benders,’ so many people believe these accidents are never serious. On the contrary, a rear-end crash can cause severe or fatal injuries. You should always retain a rear-end collision attorney if you suspect the other driver caused the accident.
Learn about rear-end collisions below, and speak to an car accident lawyer in Brooksville for financial justice today. You can receive compensation for your medical expenses, lost work time, pain and suffering, and mental anguish.
What Is A Rear-End Collision?
As the name implies, a rear-end collision occurs when one motor vehicle slams into the back of another. Rear-end crashes often happen in traffic, at stop lights and signs, or because of poor visibility.
Fault for a rear-end crash may seem clear - most assume that the rear driver is always at fault. That is usually true, but not always. You should have an auto accident attorney review your case if you aren’t sure who caused the accident. The consultation is free, so there’s no financial risk involved.
Rear-End Crashes Are Often Serious And Debilitating
Rear-end collisions cause thousands of severe injuries and deaths annually. Rear-end crashes also often lead to catastrophic injuries, including brain trauma and spinal cord injuries. When a car accident victim suffers such a severe injury, they’ll need major financial support to cover their short-term and long-term medical expenses, pain, and lost earnings.
Many rear-end crashes cause injuries that are difficult to see, such as a sprain, strain, muscle tear, or ligament damage. These are called soft tissue injuries and can be painful and last for months or years. Such an injury can limit your ability to enjoy life, work, and spend time with your family.
Whiplash is a classic injury that afflicts many people in rear-end crashes. When the car is hit from behind, the body of the person inside may have their head whipped back and forth. It is estimated that the head and neck may move three times as fast as the impact force, leading to overextending and stretching.
This violent motion can tear delicate tissues in the neck and cause significant injury and pain. Whiplash victims can have severe pain and disability, but the insurance company may doubt the severity of the injury. These injuries are difficult to diagnose and hard to see on imaging scans. An experienced rear-end crash attorney will ensure that your soft tissue injuries are taken seriously and you receive just compensation.
How Do Rear-End Collisions Happen?
The following are common causes of rear-end collisions:
Distracted Driving
The most common reason for rear-end accidents is that the rear driver is distracted. There are more driver distractions now than ever, especially cell phones, computers, and tablets. The driver also can be distracted by the radio or GPS.
Looking away from the road in traffic for a second can cause a devastating rear-end crash. Every driver is responsible for driving with a duty of care to drive safely and avoid injuring others.
Reckless Driving
Drivers are often in a hurry, which can lead to reckless driving. Speeding and tailgating are dangerous driving habits that trigger rear-end crashes. Drivers who exceed speed limits and follow too closely are often blamed for serious rear-end crashes. However, you shouldn’t ‘brake check’ the driver if they are tailgating. This is also reckless driving; you can be found partially responsible for the accident.
Bad Weather
Weather conditions often cause rear-end crashes. A slick road from rain, snow, or ice can make it harder to stop, and rear-end crashes are common. All drivers should slow down in bad weather and increase following distances. Drivers also should reduce speed in fog and other low-visibility environments.
Drunk Driving
Drunk drivers lack judgment and coordination behind the wheel. They may fail to stop in traffic quickly and cause a rear-end crash. Or, the driver might even pass out and hit you in a rear-end accident.
Fatigued Driving
Drivers also cause rear-end crashes if they fall asleep behind the wheel. Rear-end crashes may happen when a dozing truck driver slams into a smaller vehicle from behind.
How A Rear-End Collision May Affect You
The consequences of a rear-end collision can be devastating. You may have broken bones, head trauma, internal injuries, or spinal cord damage. You can even be burned if the fuel tank explodes on impact. Further, you might be out of work for months, years, or permanently. The total financial cost of the crash can be hundreds of thousands or millions in the worst case. Recovering to the maximum extent may involve long-term hospitalization, surgery, and rehabilitation.
But don’t worry. If another driver caused the crash, your rear-end collision lawyer will maximize your compensation. A car accident attorney will also do the following:
- Conduct an accident investigation: Your car accident lawyer will collect all the evidence, such as police reports, medical files, eyewitness statements, photos and surveillance video, and crash scene evidence to prove fault.
- Negotiate with the insurance company: Your lawyer will leverage their skills and experience to negotiate with the liable insurance company for a fair settlement.
- Handle legal and administrative matters: Your rear-end collision attorney will handle the case. All you need to do is focus on your recovery. Your lawyer will do all paperwork and communications with medical providers and insurance companies.
- Represent you in court: If a settlement cannot be reached, your attorney may recommend filing a lawsuit and going to court. They will represent you and argue the best case for the jury.
- Determine your medical expenses and other losses: You can be entitled to more money than you think, including future medical costs, lost earning ability, and pain and suffering. Your attorney will work with your medical team to estimate your damages accurately.
- Hire experts to help your case: An experienced rear-end crash attorney can access many different experts to help your case. For example, they may retain a medical expert on pain management to testify about your level of pain and suffering. They may hire an accident reconstruction expert to show how the rear driver caused the accident. They also can bring in an economist to show how your severe injuries will affect your earning power for many years.
- Offer support during a difficult time: Experienced personal injury attorneys have seen it all and have been through severe accident cases with many victims. They will help handle any legal and medical issues you encounter, which is immensely helpful when you are hurt.
How Much Is A Rear-End Collision Claim Worth?
Every rear-end accident claim is different, and it’s hard to say what yours can be worth without a detailed legal analysis. However, a personal injury attorney can review your case today for free to provide an approximate case range. The value of your case can vary according to the following factors:
- Severity of injuries: A rear-end crash claim with severe injuries will always have a higher case value than one with minor injuries. For example, someone with a severe spine injury with paralysis will have a higher case value than someone with a broken arm or leg.
- Medical expenses: The higher the current and future medical expenses, the more the case is worth. A serious injury such as a spinal cord injury can require millions in care over many years.
- Insurance available: The insurance coverage for the accident may be a limiting factor in your compensation. The at-fault driver may only have $30,000 or $60,000 of coverage for bodily injury.
- Fault: Cases where the fault is clear usually have a higher value than where the fault is questioned.
- Pain and suffering: Significant pain and suffering can raise the case’s value. Your attorney will obtain statements from your doctors to document your levels of pain and discomfort.
- Whether you settle or go to trial: A settlement is often the preferred method of resolving a rear-end accident claim. You get a defined sum in a shorter time than a trial would take. The settlement will be for less than the potential full case value you can receive in a trial. However, a jury trial is notoriously uncertain. You can walk away with nothing. Also, setting up the trial on the court calendar can take months. You can wait a year or more to see any money from a trial.
- Your attorney: Hiring an experienced car accident lawyer maximizes your odds of receiving a fair settlement for your losses. You should retain a lawyer with years of experience in auto collisions, especially rear-end crashes. The insurance company will take an experienced personal injury attorney seriously and may offer more money faster to avoid the risk of going to trial against an experienced litigator.
Talk to a personal injury attorney in your city today for more information about what your case can be worth. Assuming the rear driver was at fault, the attorney may be familiar with cases similar to yours and how much they settled for.
How Can You Maximize Your Rear-End Accident Settlement?
Every accident victim naturally wants to get more money in their settlement. Obtaining maximum compensation for injuries and damages can help you get back on your feet and get the medical treatment you need. There are several things you can do as the injured party to ensure you get the most money for your rear-end accident settlement:
Get Immediate Medical Care
You may not feel any injuries after being hit from behind by another vehicle. However, you can have severe injuries to many parts of the body that you don’t notice at first. It may take at least a few hours or days before pain sets in.
You still should go to the doctor immediately after leaving the accident scene. The doctor will check you for injuries. If they find any, they will note in your file that you have auto accident injuries. A statement from a doctor that you have crash injuries from the rear-end accident is important evidence for a personal injury claim. Doctors’ professional opinions carry significant weight in settlement discussions and trials.
Any delay in seeking medical care after the rear-end crash can lead to the insurance company questioning or denying your claim. You can help your car accident attorney’s efforts in settlement negotiations by getting medical care quickly after the accident.
Don’t Talk To Their Insurance Company
You must notify your auto insurance company after an accident with a covered vehicle. However, you should not think you must talk to the other driver’s insurance company. Their insurance adjuster may call you soon after the accident, especially if they think their client is at fault.
The adjuster is not calling you to see how you are feeling. Their call aims to get you to say something that affects your claim. They also may offer a quick, low settlement to get the case closed before you call a rear-end accident attorney.
You can help your attorney maximize your settlement by politely declining to speak to the other insurance company’s representative. Tell them to talk to your attorney instead. Your attorney will ensure that your rights are represented from the beginning of the case.
Collect Accident Evidence, If You Can
If you aren’t too seriously injured, you can help your case by taking photos and videos of the crash’s immediate aftermath. Take photos of the entire accident scene, including distance and closeup shots. Take pictures of the vehicle damages and your injuries, too. The vehicles will be moved within an hour or two of the police arriving, and their positions after the accident can show that the rear driver was at fault.
Speak To A Rear-End Collision Attorney Today
A rear-end collision can severely injure you. The rear driver is usually to blame for a rear-end crash, so you should talk to a Brooksville personal injury attorney now if you suffered an injury. You can receive compensation for your current and future medical bills, lost income, and other losses. Contact a rear-end collision attorney near you today for a free legal consultation.
James Wayne Holliday
James Wayne Holliday has been practicing law since 1995. He has been named as a “Best Attorney” Lifetime Charter Member in Florida, an honor awarded to less than one percent of the nation’s lawyers.
Mr. Holliday has earned a reputation as a relentless trial lawyer because of his outstanding work ethic and thorough preparation of his cases for trial.
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