Rear-end accidents, the most common type of car accident, are always the fault of the person who hits the car in front of them. However, that doesn’t mean that the person whose car is hit from behind will necessarily avoid injury in the collision. While rear-end crashes often lead to only minor damages, the bodily and vehicle damages can sometimes be severe.
If you get hit in a rear-end accident, it is recommended that you contact a car accident attorney for legal help, even if you don’t think you’ve been seriously injured. Delayed injuries can take weeks or even months to become apparent, so it’s best not to accept an insurance settlement before seeking both medical attention and legal advice. You are entitled to a fair insurance settlement from a car accident, and a lawyer can help you get there. Here are 5 of the most common types of injuries that occur as a result of rear-end car crashes.
Whiplash
The most common injury resulting from rear-end auto accidents is whiplash, a neck injury caused by forceful, rapid back-and-forth neck movement. The symptoms of whiplash include neck pain, neck stiffness, headaches, fatigue, dizziness, blurred vision, and sleep disturbances. They usually start to develop within days of the injury.
Whiplash doesn’t always go away on its own, though it usually improves within a few weeks with the help of pain medication, exercise, and sometimes physical therapy or chiropractic care. In some cases, however, victims may face long-term complications as a result of whiplash.
Back Injuries
Back injuries are another common result of rear-end car accidents. While a primary symptom of back injuries is back pain, the specifics of the injury can vary by severity and by what type of body part is hurt. These types of injuries include back strains, back sprains, herniated discs, or spinal cord injuries.
Back injuries can be incredibly painful and can take a long time to heal. Even at low speeds, the force of impact can cause spinal compression and put pressure on the vertebrae, resulting in pain and soreness.
Head Injuries
Head injuries also vary immensely in type and severity. In rear-end accidents, their most common cause is a person’s head and face hitting the dashboard, steering wheel, or window. The impact can cause bruising, broken facial bones, or, worst of all, traumatic brain injury. Alternately, your head and face can hit the airbag. While this is usually a good thing, in crashes at low speeds, the force of an airbag can also contribute to a head injury.
While a bruise will likely heal on its own, a broken bone or brain injury will take much longer to heal. Some severe forms of traumatic brain injury (TBI) never fully heal. Any injury to the head should be examined right away; when you see your doctor after a rear-end car accident, make sure they check your head closely.
Symptoms of brain injury include loss of consciousness, headache, nausea, sleep problems, sensory problems, mood swings, slurred speech, and confusion.
Seatbelt Injuries
Seatbelts save lives and should always be worn while driving or riding in a car. However, it is important to note that when rear-ended at low speeds, a seatbelt can also contribute to an injury. When your car is struck from behind, your seatbelt will constrict to keep you in place and prevent your body from hitting the windshield or even being ejected from the vehicle.
The force that moves your body and gets stopped by the seatbelt can cause bruises, lacerations, or broken bones. When seatbelt injuries occur, they are most commonly to the chest, neck, and torso.
Arm & Wrist Injuries
While slightly less common than the other injuries listed above, arm & wrist injuries do occur as a result of a rear-end auto accident. These injuries can be bruises, scrapes, sprains, and breaks. If a driver sees a car coming behind them and grips the steering wheel to prepare for impact, their wrist, hand, or shoulder can be severely injured.
Although there’s little you can do to prevent yourself from being rear-ended, besides doing your best to always drive safely and defensively, it helps to be aware of what injuries are most commonly caused by this type of crash. That way, if you ever get rear-ended, you’ll know what symptoms and ailments to look out for.