Nobody wants to get into a car accident. People take precautions, sign
up for defensive driving courses, follow the driving laws, and generally
exercise reasonable care while behind the wheel of a vehicle. However,
a moment's distraction can lead to a collision with another vehicle.
If this impact occurred at a low rate of speed, people dismiss the possibility
of serious injury. Do not let a fear of being judged prevent you from
seeking medical attention and pursuing legal options. Serious, long-term
injuries do result from low-speed, low-impact accidents. A Kentucky traffic
accident attorney can help you obtain any recovery to which you may be
entitled. We have offices located in both
Lexington andWinchester Kentucky to better serve injured clients.
The physics behind car accidents establishes that a low-impact accident can have serious consequences. If a car is moving at ten miles per hour and collides with a vehicle that is stopped, the energy of the impacting vehicle is going to be transferred to the stopped car, resulting in significant impact force. The harm to the driver and passengers in the car being hit is increased by something known as the magnification of acceleration. What happens is that the force of the collision causes the people to accelerate at a faster rate than the heavier vehicle, leading to a greater transmission of the force of the impact to the individuals. This is why "whiplash" injuries are so common in low-speed car accidents. These types of collisions actually result in a great amount of damage to the neck and back.
If you have been injured in a low-impact crash, you should get a full medical examination, even if the car does not show any significant damage from the accident. There can be severe soft tissue injury that requires medical treatment, therapy, and rehabilitation. Soft tissue injuries include damage to neck and back disks, muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
One of the hurdles to overcome is the unfortunate stigma that surrounds some soft tissue injury cases. There are many untruths circulating through the general population, including the following:
- Any injury that may be present will heal. There is a tendency to dismiss the significance of the injury, but the fact is that almost fifty percent of the people suffering from soft tissue injuries will deal with an impairment for many years.
- There cannot be a serious injury because the person did not report pain at the time of the accident. The reality is that at the time of the accident, the victim was experiencing an adrenaline rush that can and does mask a wide-range of pains. Moreover, some injuries, like nerve root inflammation, develop over a protracted period of time.
- The injury is being overstated so that the person can get more money. This is one of the most harmful false judgments. Soft tissue injuries do not show up on x-rays, but this does not make them any less debilitating. Generally, people are not going to go through the struggle of medical appointments, therapies, diminished activities, and other sacrifices to get a little more compensation and society does victims a serious disservice by implying they are faking it.
- Today's car designs prevent whiplash injuries. Although there have been many improvements in the structure and stability of cars, whiplash is still very possible, especially if the headrest is not positioned properly.
- The person had the injury before the accident. Even if the victim had a pre-existing condition, the force of the impact often increases the injury exponentially.
If you have been involved in a low-impact crash, do not let the rhetoric prevent you from getting the help that you need. The experienced attorneys at Goeing Goeing and McQuinn PLLC are ready to discuss your case and present your legal options.