Car accidents are an unfortunate reality of modern life. While most people are aware of the potential for property damage and personal injury, few understand the full extent of what happens to the human body during a car crash. This blog post will examine the legal aspects related to car accidents and injuries and how a Lawrenceville auto accident attorney can assist victims.
The Impact on the Body
During a car crash, the body experiences a sudden and violent change in momentum. This can result in a range of injuries, from minor bruises and cuts to severe trauma such as broken bones, internal bleeding, or traumatic brain injury.
The Immediate Aftermath
In a car crash, the human body undergoes a sudden and violent change in momentum, leading to a range of potential injuries. The severity of these injuries can depend on various factors, including the speed of the vehicles involved, the angle of impact, and whether the occupants were wearing seatbelts.
Common Injuries
The most common injuries during accidents include scrapes, cuts, and bruises to limbs. Depending on the impact of the crash, broken bones are a very real possibility. Your arms, legs, spine, neck, hands, and ribs can all break on impact. Long-term damage can also occur, especially with spinal injuries or severe whiplash.
High-Speed Impact Consequences
In a high-speed impact, you start to break ribs. The more energy you’re absorbing on the ribs, the more ribs you’ll break. Once you’ve broken enough ribs, the chest loses its structure, and you start to impact upon the lungs. If you puncture the space between the lungs and the ribcage, then your chest will expand as normal but your lungs won’t go with it, and that’s called a pneumothorax.
Head and Spine Injuries
During a car accident, the heart is thrust forward and a downward snap occurs as a result of the momentum. The sudden movement of the head results in the brain also jerking forward and backward, which may result in concussion or worse, brain injury. The spine can experience trauma during a car crash, and disc herniation can occur, leading to back pain or neuropathy.
Key Legal Aspects
In Lawrenceville, Georgia, car accident cases are governed by specific laws and statutes. One of the most important is the Georgia Motor Vehicles and Traffic Code. This code sets out the rules of the road and defines what constitutes negligent driving behavior.
If a driver is found to have violated these rules and caused an accident, they can be held liable for any resulting injuries. This is known as negligence per se. For example, if a driver was speeding or ran a red light and caused a crash, they could be held automatically negligent.
Another important legal concept is comparative negligence. Under Georgia law, if you are partially at fault for the accident, your compensation may be reduced by your percentage of fault. However, if you are 50% or more at fault, you may not recover any damages at all.
How a Lawrenceville Car Crash Attorney Can Help
An experienced Lawrenceville car crash attorney can provide invaluable assistance in several ways. First, they can help establish the other driver’s negligence. This often involves gathering evidence, such as police reports, witness statements, and traffic camera footage.
Second, an attorney can accurately value your claim. Many people underestimate the true cost of their injuries, failing to consider future medical expenses, lost earning capacity, and non-economic damages like pain and suffering.
Finally, an attorney can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. Insurance companies often try to minimize payouts, and having an advocate on your side can ensure you receive fair compensation.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, consider seeking legal advice from The Weinstein Law Firm. Contact us at 770-HELP-NOW for a free case review.