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Home » Consumer Information » Automobile Safety

Rear-end Collision

A rear-end collision occurs when one automobile runs into another one in front of it. Usually, this type of accident is a combination of the sudden deceleration of the lead car and the lack of time that the trailing car has to stop before running into its back bumper.

If each vehicle is relatively the same size, the level of damage to both will be about equal. However, if one is much larger than the other, the smaller of the two is going to feel the brunt of the collision. Injuries sustained by occupants of the first vehicle are typically much worse than those of the rear vehicle because they are struck from behind unexpectedly, whereas the people in the second car have a split second to brace themselves.

Crashing into another automobile of similar mass from behind is equivalent to colliding with a brick wall at half the speed. For instance, if you are going 50 mph and hit a parked car, it is like driving into a wall at 25 mph. The same goes for the motionless vehicle. It doesn't sound as painful, but the destruction to the cars and its passengers is still extraordinary.

Injuries

Automobile bumpers are designed to take a beating, so vehicles that have been struck in the rear may not show much damage. However, even low-velocity rear-end collisions can cause the passengers severe injuries such as:

  • Soft tissue injury of the cervical spine (i.e. whiplash).
  • Soft tissue injury of the lumbar spine.
  • Spinal cord injury.
  • Facial and head injury (depends on properly working safety belts and airbags).

Compensation

If you or someone close to you has been injured in a rear-end collision, contact an attorney immediately. In 99 out of 100 cases, the driver who rear-ends you is to blame. Anyone who suffers an injury at the hands of another driver deserves to be compensated. However, many people are unaware of the extent of their injuries and the resulting damages until weeks or even months after the accident. Humans are not built to withstand the shock of a rear-end collision, so anyone involved in one should seek medical attention without hesitation even if you do not notice anything out of the ordinary.

Insurance claims

It is not uncommon for claims adjustors from the liable driver's insurance provider to call you following the accident. Some may allege that since there is no major damage to your vehicle, there is no reason for you to have sustained any injuries. In order to handle assertion like this, you need an expert auto accident attorney on your side.