Fender Bender Accidents and the Myth of Minor Collisions
The cars and trucks that are being manufactured today are, almost without question, safer than those that have been made at any time during the history of the automobile. There are safety measures to help drivers to avoid becoming involved in accidents and there are safety features designed to reduce the severity of harm and injury inflicted by those collisions that do occur. But the troubling reality is that even those motor vehicle accidents that appear to be relatively minor and unlikely to do much damage to a vehicle's occupants can lead to injuries which require extensive and expensive medical attention or automobile repairs.
Collisions involving a vehicle that is traveling at low speeds can, depending upon a number of different factors, cause significant jarring of a driver's body. Certainly, the potential severity of these injuries pales in comparison to the threat posed to motorist safety by high speed head-on crashes, but it is still important for drivers to understand that they should seek medical attention in the wake of an automobile accident because some of the most troubling dangers offer little immediate or external suggestion of their existence.
Low-intensity Crash Complications
Gruesome images of twisted metal and wreckage from high speed crashes can be found quite frequently in media accounts of these tragic incidents and they are also often included in movies or television shows because of the powerful effect of such graphic depictions. It should come as no surprise then that some motorists tend to be dismissive of those collisions that lack striking evidence of trauma. Some of the potential dangers of these crashes may include:
- Neck injuries, including whiplash
- Airbag defects
- Seatbelt malfunctions
- Back injuries caused by rapid flexion or compression
- Neurological problems
- Dental injuries
- Heart attacks caused by shock
- Brain injuries including the so-called "talk and die" syndrome, where one appears to be in possession of his or her faculties only to perish later
Adhering to safe driving practices and remaining consistently and actively aware about your surroundings while you are driving can go a long way toward preventing the threat of these accidents. But it is especially important to stay engaged in the following high-risk places and situations:
- In gridlocked or otherwise dense highway traffic
- At stoplights and stop signs
- In parking lots and parking structures
- On hills where rollback accidents may occur
Legal Guidance
Your insurance policy may not cover the full cost of your medical care and a legal action may be the only way to avoid financial distress. Contact the Racine car accident lawyers of Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C., to speak with a skilled and experienced attorney about your potential case.
