According to a report from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, rear-end collisions are the most common type of car accident. About 29% of all car crashes are rear-end collisions. Las Vegas automobile crashes result in a large number of injuries and fatalities each year. If you were injured in a car accident in Nevada, contact Jones Wilson injury lawyers today.
Common Causes of Rear-End Collisions
Even if a vehicle is traveling at a slow speed, rear-end accidents can result in devastating injuries for Las Vegas passengers. Common causes of these accidents include:
Tailgating
Drivers are required to stay a safe distance behind the vehicle in front of them. When they tailgate another vehicle, there’s not sufficient time or space to stop when the other driver slows down or stops suddenly.
Driver distractions
Distracted driving can include talking on a cell phone, texting, eating, or talking to passengers. Whenever a driver’s attention is not fully on the road, accidents such as rear-end collisions can happen.
Driver intoxication
When a driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, his driving skills are reduced. He may not be as alert, and he may misjudge the distance between his vehicle and the one in front of him.
Weather conditions
Drivers need to slow down in the fog, rain, high winds, and ice. When they fail to do so, there’s insufficient time to stop or keep their vehicles in their own lane.
Construction zones
Drivers who become impatient with congestion and slower speeds in construction zones can easily rear-end another vehicle – sometimes causing a multi-vehicle accident.
Speeding
When drivers speed, they don’t have sufficient time to stop, especially if traffic suddenly slows down.
Defective vehicles
Vehicles with defective brakes or tires with worn treads are more likely to slide into another vehicle.
Rear-end collisions – where one vehicle’s front end hits the back end of the vehicle in front of it – are one of the most common types of car accidents. Because these crashes often occur when one vehicle is slowing or stopped, people do not always realize how serious the injuries can be. However, even a minor accident can cause a person to suffer long-term injuries.
Common Injuries Victims of Rear-End Accidents Suffer
The severity of a person’s injuries could be impacted by a number of factors, like how fast the negligent driver was driving or whether the victims had advance notice of the impact to brace themselves. Common injuries a person could suffer in this type of accident include:
Neck injuries
When the neck, spine, and shoulders snap forward and back suddenly from the impact of the collision, a person can suffer hyperextension and hyperflexion, also known as whiplash. While some people will experience a reduction in the stiffness in their necks and shoulders over a relatively short period of time, many people may still feel pain and discomfort over a year after the accident.
Back injuries
Even if the impact is at a slow speed, discs in the lower back can be compressed, resulting in pain and limitations in the person’s ability to walk, work, and lift objects. A person could need physical therapy, steroid injections, or surgery if he suffers from a herniated disc or other back problems.
Face and head injuries
Because rear-end accidents occur at slower speeds, the victim’s airbag may not deploy, resulting in cuts, lacerations, fractures to the cheek or jawbone, or a detached retina when the person crashes into the steering wheel or windshield. Even worse, the person could suffer a life-altering head injury.
Wrist, finger, hand, and arm injuries
The victim’s hand, wrist, fingers, or arm could hit the steering wheel, sun visor, or other hard surface or become wedged between the airbag and steering wheel or dashboard.
Seatbelt injuries
When a person’s seatbelt is doing its job of keeping a person from hitting the steering wheel or dashboard, the seatbelt can lacerate or bruise the person’s skin, hip, torso, or chest.
Whiplash
Whiplash is one of the most common injuries resulting from a rear-end collision due to the violent jerking of the head back and forth caused by the impact. Neck pain, headaches, dizziness, and limited range of motion are some of the symptoms of this medical condition. In serious cases, a person can experience symptoms for months or longer after the accident.
Broken bones
You or a loved one could suffer broken bones in a rear-end collision even if the vehicle behind you is traveling at a slow speed.
Traumatic brain injury
If you suffer a traumatic brain injury in a rear-end collision in Henderson, you could experience drastic changes to your vision, hearing, or mobility. In addition, your reasoning abilities, memory, and concentration could be impaired, making it impossible for you to work or take care of your day-to-day needs.
Spinal injuries
If your spinal cord is injured in a rear-end collision, you could suffer permanent partial or complete paralysis. Other injuries that could have long-term consequences in your life include herniated disks and compression fractures.
Facial scarring and disfigurement
You may suffer serious lacerations, burns, broken facial bones, or other injuries to your face if the airbag deploys. You may be forced to live with permanent scarring and disfigurement, which could result in you suffering long-term emotional trauma as well as the pain of your injuries.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident you need to speak with an experienced car accident lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our Henderson office directly at 702.405.6000 to schedule a free initial consultation.
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Have You Been Involved In A Car Accident?
If you’ve been injured in a car accident you need to speak with an experienced car accident lawyer in Henderson as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our Henderson office directly at 702.405.6000 to schedule a free initial consultation.