Rear-end crashes are more than just fender benders. They cause injuries in addition to property damage. Most people understand that a rear-end collision could cause whiplash and other soft tissue injuries. However, most people eventually make a full recovery from soft tissue injuries.
Fewer people understand that rear-end crashes can prove deadly or may cause life-altering injuries. According to the National Safety Council, roughly 17% of fatalities reported in two-vehicle collisions involve rear-end wrecks. Those involved in rear-end crashes can also sustain injuries that cost them tens of thousands of dollars in medical care and affect their earning potential.
What serious injuries often occur after a rear-end crash?
1. Major fractures
Rear-end collisions can easily produce enough force to break bones in the human body. Especially if people in the rear vehicle brace inappropriately prior to impact, they could break bones in their arms or shoulders in multiple places. More serious fractures may require surgery and may cause lasting functional impairment. People sometimes need to change professions or stop working altogether because of significant fractures.
2. Traumatic brain injuries
When a rear-end crash occurs, people jerk back and forth in their vehicles violently. In some cases, they may strike their heads on windows, steering wheels or dashboards. Blunt-force trauma to the head can result in bleeding or inflammation inside the skull. That can then cause damage to the structure of the brain. Moderate and severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can cause permanent functional limitations and changes in cognition for the injured person. They may face a significant increase in their long-term medical care costs and a reduction in their earning potential.
3. Spinal cord injuries
The violent movements that occur in a rear-end crash may do more than cause whiplash. In some cases, people can damage their spinal cords. They could sustain an incomplete spinal cord injury that involves the pinching or tearing of the spinal cord. In particularly severe cases, a rear-end crash could cause a complete spinal cord injury that causes paralysis below the injury site.
People seeking medical care for rear-end crash injuries may be eligible for compensation if they were not at fault for their crash. Reviewing insurance coverage and liability with a skilled legal team could help those injured in rear-end crashes seek compensation for lost income and medical expenses.