Of the millions of traffic accidents that happen annually in the United States, none are more common than rear-end collisions. And perhaps because they are so routine, rear-end crashes have a reputation as minor fender benders that rarely cause much if any, real damage or injuries.
But that is a myth. Not only are rear-end collisions the most common type of traffic accident, but they are also the frequent cause of devastating injuries, extensive property damage, and even fatalities. And people who get hurt in rear-end collisions have the same rights as any other crash victim to claim compensation from the parties at fault and insurance companies.
Here is a review of the tragic toll of rear-end collisions in the U.S. and of how an experienced car accident lawyer can help pursue monetary damages for injured victims.
Rear-End Collisions by the Numbers
More than 6 million traffic accidents happen in the United States annually, according to the Traffic Safety Facts Annual Report Tables reported by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). On average, rear-end collisions account for roughly one-third (33 percent), or around 2 million, of those crashes in any given year.
Rear-end collisions regularly cause injuries to crash victims. They account for nearly the same percentage slightly more than 30 percent, or around 600,000 annually of the subset of crashes that result in injuries in recent reporting years. In other words, rear-end crashes lead to injuries at about the same rate as any other type of traffic accident, despite their popular (but undeserved) reputation as minor fender benders.
Rear-end collisions can also result in fatalities. Although less commonly the cause of a traffic accident death than some other types of collisions, rear-end crashes still lead to more than 2,000 losses of life every year in the U.S., roughly 7 percent of the annual toll.
Common Rear-End Collision Scenarios
Rear-end collisions happen in many of the same ways as other crashes. They are frequently the result of unsafe driving behaviors like speeding, inattention, driver distraction, driver fatigue, and alcohol or drug impairment. They can also easily stem from vehicle mechanical failures like faulty brakes or poor vehicle maintenance like driving on bald tires or with a tail light out.
A handful of road or driving conditions tends to lead to the bulk of rear-end collisions.
A rear-end crash is especially likely to happen, for example:
- At busy intersections or in heavy traffic when drivers become distracted and have insufficient time to stop to avoid a collision with the vehicle in front of them
- n stretches of road with limited forward-looking sightlines, where drivers rounding a corner or cresting a hill get surprised by slowdowns or stopped vehicles just on the other side and fail to stop
- In potentially hazardous weather or environmental conditions that make road surfaces slippery (like rain, snow, or ice) or limit driver visibility (like precipitation, fog, smoke, or sun glare)
- In emergency braking situations, such as when a car unexpectedly brakes to avoid a collision with an animal on the road and the driver in the vehicle trailing behind it fails to react in time
These, of course, are not the only driving scenarios that can end up causing a rear-end crash. But they help to illustrate why so many rear-end collisions occur every year. The conditions listed above are common. Many drivers encounter them nearly every day, which means that the risk of a rear-end crash is constant for a high percentage of motorists.
Common Rear-End Collision Injuries
The statistics from NHTSA cited above should dispel any misunderstandings about the potential dangers of a rear-end collision. You have as great a chance of getting hurt as a driver or passenger in a rear-end collision as in any other type of accident. And the injuries you suffer can be severe.
Rear-end accidents can cause:
- Traumatic brain injuries, often stemming from vehicle occupants striking their heads on a steering wheel or dashboard, but also sometimes simply from the jolt of the collision
- Spinal cord and spinal column injuries, commonly due to unnatural contortions of a person’s body caused by the force of a collision
- Back, neck, and shoulder soft tissue damage, also known as whiplash because it results from the whipping motion of a person’s torso that happens when a vehicle comes to a sudden stop
- Crush injuries, which can occur when the force of a rear-end collision collapses the vehicle cabin around an occupant
- Broken bones and other orthopedic trauma, a common result of striking a body part against the interior of the vehicle or bracing for an impact
- Facial lacerations and other trauma caused by broken glass, flying debris, and even the force of impact with an airbag
Any of these injuries can cause severe disruption in a person’s life. Some, as noted, can even lead to a tragic death. And this certainly is not a complete list of the trauma a rear-end crash can cause. No matter what type of injury you might have suffered in a rear-end collision, you may have rights to compensation and can likely benefit from speaking with an experienced lawyer immediately.
Your Legal Rights After a Rear-End Collision
A person who gets hurt in a rear-end collision may have the right to seek compensation. Generally speaking, you can claim monetary damages from anyone whose careless or reckless conduct contributed to the cause of a rear-end crash that injured you. Those parties, as well as other parties answerable for their conduct, and insurance companies, may all have an obligation to pay for the harm you suffered.
The most reliable way to obtain compensation for rear-end crash injuries is to hire an experienced attorney to handle your claim.
A skilled attorney can often secure payment for your:
- Medical expenses in treating rear-end crash injuries and any subsequent health complications
- Costs of repairing or replacing your damaged vehicle and other personal property
- Miscellaneous out-of-pocket expenses tied to dealing with your injury and its effects on your life
- Lost earnings and job benefits, including paid time off you used due to your injury keeping you out of work
- Lost future income if your injury causes a long-term or permanent disability
- Your physical pain and discomfort
- Your emotional distress
- Your inconvenience and diminished quality of life
- Any scarring, disfigurement, or loss of bodily function you suffered
In addition, an attorney can sometimes secure a court award for additional damages if someone caused the rear-end accident intentionally or through extreme recklessness. The best way to find out about the types and amounts of compensation you could claim for injuries you suffered in a rear-end collision is to connect with a knowledgeable attorney immediately.
What a Lawyer Can Do for You After a Rear-End Accident?
A lawyer’s job is to represent your interests and to take care of every step of the process of building and pursuing a claim for compensation after a rear-end collision leaves you injured. You deserve compensation for your losses. But you also need the time and space required to focus on healing. By hiring a lawyer, you put the hassle and complication of getting money in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing, giving you peace of mind and the opportunity to get better.
Because rear-end collisions are so common, skilled traffic accident lawyers handle them all the time. But that does not mean all rear-end collision cases are the same. On the contrary, the right lawyer to pursue your case is the one who understands that every crash is a unique event and that every claim deserves individualized attention and careful planning.
To that end, your lawyer should have the capacity to:
- Investigate the crash, if necessary, to identify its precise causes and the parties at fault
- Analyze insurance policies to determine whether and for how much they cover your injuries
- Evaluate your losses to make sure any claim you file seeks full compensation
- Handle all dealings with insurance companies concerning the accident
- Advise you about decisions you may need to make while healing from your injuries
- Prepare and file claims for compensation on your behalf against at-fault parties and insurance companies
- Negotiate settlements of those claims to achieve a quick, fair result
- Take your case to court if required to prove it to a judge and jury
- Pursue all necessary steps to collect and distribute the money owed to you
Reputable traffic accident lawyers provide these and similar services to rear-end crash victims like you on a contingent fee basis. Instead of charging you upfront or by the hour, their fee consists of a percentage of any money they secure on your behalf. They only get paid if they reach a favorable outcome for you, in other words.
What You Can Do for Yourself After a Rear-End Collision?
Your actions after getting hurt in a rear-end traffic accident can have an impact on your rights to recover compensation. Consider following these tips to keep your interests protected.
Take the Accident Seriously by Seeking Prompt Medical Attention
Rear-end collisions are no minor matter. They can cause significant injuries, including debilitating trauma that you might not recognize in the immediate aftermath of a crash.
Do not take your health for granted just because you feel okay right after the accident. Go to a doctor immediately for a checkup that screens you for common injuries like brain trauma, spinal problems, or soft tissue damage.
Taking this simple precaution can go a long way toward protecting your health. It can also improve your odds of securing compensation by creating medical records and other documentation of your injury, which a lawyer can often use as evidence to support your claim.
Connect With a Lawyer Right Away
You do not have to wait until after you have healed from a rear-end accident injury to contact a lawyer. Just the opposite: the sooner you connect with a knowledgeable lawyer, the better the odds of building a solid claim for compensation. Plus, the statute of limitations restricts your right to seek monetary damages. You may have as little as just a few months, and no more than a few years to take legal action before your right to compensation expires forever.
So do not delay. Traffic accident lawyers offer free case evaluations to crash victims like you. Talking to a knowledgeable legal professional cost you nothing and comes with no obligation on your part.
Take Care When Dealing With Insurance Companies
A lawyer, once you hire one, can handle all communications with insurance companies on your behalf. But until then, it pays to take care when dealing with any representative from an insurance company, whether yours or someone else’s. Insurers often want to talk to you about an accident in hopes of learning something from you that will give them a reason to deny or limit your claim.
If you have to talk to your own insurer about the rear-end collision, stick to the facts and do not say anything that might sound like blaming yourself for what happened. You generally do not have any obligation to speak with someone else’s insurance company. But if you do, do not consent to give a recorded statement, and never agree to or sign any settlement offer they propose.
f course, the safest course of action when dealing with insurance after a rear-end accident is to leave it to your lawyer.
Contact a Rear-End Collision Attorney Today for a Free Case Evaluation
Car Accident Attorney in New York, Andrew Finkelstein
Rear-end collisions might be common, but that does not make them any less dangerous for drivers and passengers. If you suffered injuries in a rear-end accident, you could face severe injuries that burden you with lasting pain, life struggles, and crushing expenses none of which you should have to endure without compensation from the parties at fault.
A skilled personal injury attorney in New York can handle every step in the process of getting you the money you need to pay for care and rebuild after the trauma of a rear-end crash. Contact a car accident lawyer today for your free case evaluation.