A rear-end car accident is a very common type of accident every day. You may see one or more just on the way home from work on a given day. Usually, they aren’t very serious. One car doesn’t brake fast enough or a car has their brake lights out and two collide. You drive by and don’t give it a second thought. What would you do if it were you? What if someone hit your car from behind? It’s scary. You’re nervous and have no idea what to do next.
The first thing you need to do is to seek medical treatment immediately. Once you get to the hospital, they can check you out and see if you have sustained any injuries. You may even have to stay overnight in the hospital. Once you are safe and recuperating, there is one more important thing you need to do. Call a good rear-end car accident attorney.
Even if the car that hit you was only going 15-20 mph, you can sustain some pretty serious injuries. Your injuries probably won’t be as serious as they would be in a head-on collision. However, you will still be beaten up. You will be in pain. You will likely miss at least a few days of work. And, your car will need to be fixed. Let your local Atlanta car accident lawyer help you get the compensation you are entitled to.
You can suffer all sorts of injuries in a rear-end car accident. The attorneys at The Weinstein Firm will review your case and let you know if you have a strong case. They will look to see what types of injuries you sustained. Here is a guide to the types of injuries typically associated with a rear-end car accident.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a very common type of injury in a rear-end car accident. When your car is hit from behind, it can jostle your head and jerk it forward and backward. This is the exact type of movement that causes whiplash. When your neck is thrown forward or backward, it stretches the neck beyond what is normal. You can suffer tears or strains to the muscles and ligaments in your neck. This is why whiplash is painful. However, because it is only a strain, there is no way to really prove you have it.
Your attorney will have your doctor testify or give a written statement confirming that you did indeed suffer from whiplash. The doctor can also testify that your injury was probably the result of your car accident.
Some of the side effects of whiplash are:
- Fatigue
- Inability to sleep
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Ringing in the ears
- Headaches
- Pain and stiffness in the neck or back
It may take a day or two for whiplash to set in. Make sure you let your attorney know you are hurting. More importantly, seek medical treatment as soon as you feel the pain. Whiplash is very hard to prove. Juries aren’t as skeptical as the rest of us. Courts accept that whiplash is a real thing. However, don’t wait too long to see a doctor. That will make it harder to prove the injury was the result of your rear-end car accident.
Back Injuries
Almost any type of car accident can cause some back injury. This is true of rear-end car accidents. When the impact hits your car, your body is thrown forward. Your back could be thrown back against the seat. You could easily strain muscles in your back. You may even end up with herniated or bulging discs as a result of the accident.
Back injuries are the most common sort of injury associated with car accidents. You may have to go to physical therapy or a chiropractor to recover from the injury. You may need surgery. Back injuries are very painful things. They can keep you out of work for quite some time.
Airbag Injuries
Almost all new cars come equipped with airbags. Some cars even have side and front airbags. They are supposed to protect us in case of an accident. And they do. The problem is, they can also cause injuries when they deploy.
When an airbag deploys, they do so with a lot of force. If an airbag hits your face or chest, it can cause injuries. You may luck out and just have minor cuts and bruises. However, you could end up with a broken bone or two. You may also end up with burns from the powder inside the airbags. If this is the case, you need to seek treatment immediately.
These injuries take time to heal. You deserve compensation for these injuries. Your car accident attorney will fight to make sure you are paid. The attorneys at The Weinstein Firm have a lot of experience dealing with car accident injuries. They will present your evidence to get you the best settlement possible.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are scary. They are the most serious of all car accident injuries. Damage to the spinal cord can result in paralysis. The paralysis can be partial or total. It all depends on what part of the spinal cord was damaged. Your spinal cord can be damaged or it can be severed altogether. Doctors and surgeons will do the best they can to prevent paralysis, but sometimes they can only do so much.
You can imagine how devastating a spinal cord injury can be. Your entire life will be affected. You won’t be able to work at all. You will have to rely on others to take care of you, and may never be able to drive again.
These types of serious injuries can also cause depression and anxiety. These are all things your attorney at The Weinstein Firm will consider when preparing your case.
Head & Brain Injuries
Rear-end accidents can cause serious head and brain injuries. You may receive minor cuts and bruises. However, if you are not so lucky, you can end up with serious injuries to your head and brain.
You may get deep cuts in your head or a skull fracture. These usually require surgery and can also cause bleeding on the brain. This will involve long hospital stays and long-term physical therapy. It will have a significant impact on your life.
Head and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are the kinds of injuries that bring higher awards. The damages associated with these sorts of injuries are much higher than they are for whiplash or broken bones.
Facial Disfigurement
When you are in a rear-end car accident, you can end up smashing your face on the wheel or dashboard. You may be thrust forward and hit your face on the windshield. All of these things can cause facial disfigurements.
Serious cuts or broken bones to your face may require surgery. It may require you to get extensive cosmetic surgery. It may take months or a year to fix these injuries. You have to make sure you seek immediate medical treatment. Your car accident lawyer will seek compensation for these injuries.
Wrist and Arm Injuries
When you are involved in a rear-end accident, you will instinctively try to brace yourself using your arms and wrists. This can result in cuts, broken bones and sprains. These injuries are painful and can be debilitating.
If you injure your arms or wrists, you may need surgery. Once you have sought medical treatment, call the car accident lawyers at The Weinstein Firm for a free consultation.
Seat-Belt Injuries
Seat belts do help keep us safe. They keep our bodies from flying out of a car during an accident. As much as they keep us safe, however, seatbelts can cause injuries during an accident.
When a seatbelt does its job, it can cut into our chest or neck. It can cause damage to our shoulders. These injuries can be minor or they can be severe. Make sure you seek medical treatment immediately to make sure they are taken care of.
Contact A Car Accident Lawyer at The Weinstein Firm
If you are in a rear-end car accident, you are going to need a lawyer. You will need to spend time focusing on recovering from your injuries. Let the experienced lawyers at The Weinstein Firm handle your legal issues while you try to get back to normal.
Your attorney is going to seek compensation for all of your injuries. He will also look to get you money for expenses related to the accident. Here is a list of just some of the things he will claim on your behalf:
- Medical bills
- Damages to your car
- Time missed from work
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages
Contact one of our Atlanta car accident attorneys. If you have a good attorney, he will fight hard to win your case. That is what the attorneys at The Weinstein Firm do. They have decades of experience working hard to fight for the rights of their clients.
Call today for your free consultation. One of their expert lawyers will review your case. You don’t pay a thing until you win your case.
