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03/28/2022

A rear-end accident can be very traumatizing, both physically and emotionally. You are driving carefully, on your way to work or to visit some friends, and there is a sudden bump from behind, pushing you towards the dashboard of your car. When you finally realize what is going on, you start feeling pain and you also start worrying about the extent of your injuries. As a victim of a rear-end crash, you have the right to receive financial compensation for your economic losses (hospital bills, pocket expenses, lost wages) and for the emotional trauma you suffered. We encourage you to contact a Houston car wreck attorney at Calhoun Meredith as soon as possible after the accident, in order to evaluate your case and understand your legal options.

We know that it may take a long time before you recover from your severe injuries and regain a sufficient range of motion to be able to leave the hospital bed and start recovering your physical strength. During this time, your medical care bills are mounting, while your income stops coming in. Also, there is a statute of limitations of 2 years for legal actions in personal injury cases, which starts running from the date of the rear-end accident. This is why you should consider contacting personal injury lawyers as soon as you are able to communicate with a family member to act on your behalf.

What Are the Most Common Causes of a Rear-End Auto Accident?

The most frequent cause of motor vehicle accidents of all types is distracted driving. A distracted driver is partially focused on something else than driving: using their mobile phone, fiddling with the navigational or entertaining system of the car, talking to other passengers, or eating. Although people are technically capable of multitasking, driving requires 100% focus on the road and other road users.

One single moment of lack of attention may bring a car dangerously close to another vehicle. If the car in front brakes suddenly, the distracted rear driver may not be able to react in time to avoid a rear-end collision.

In other cases, the fault driver may be:

  • speeding
  • drunk driving (or driving under influence of drugs)
  • aggressive driving (tailgating, changing the lanes frequently)

Inclement weather conditions and poor road conditions can also play a significant role in a rear-end collision. An experienced car accident attorney will analyze the circumstances of the accident, identify the liable party and make sure that the injured party receives the maximum compensation they deserve for bodily injury, property damage, and emotional trauma.

The Most Common Types of Accident Injuries Caused by a Rear-End Crash

Rear-end collisions can cause a wide range of injuries, from minor injuries (bruises) to catastrophic injuries or even fatal injuries. Both drivers and passengers are equally at risk of dying or suffering life-changing injuries after a rear vehicle crashes into their car. Rear-end collision injuries can be very painful injuries, or they may not show symptoms on the spot. However, they are equally dangerous for your health.

In the experience of any rear-end accident attorney, these are the most common types of injuries that accident victims suffer:

1. Whiplash

Whiplash is the most common type of neck injury as a result of any auto accident. According to Mayo Clinic, this injury is caused by the rapid and forceful movement of the neck backward and forward, beyond its normal range of motion.

Whiplash may not show symptoms immediately, but hours or even days later. However, you should seek medical attention immediately after any type of car accident, including minor accidents. Whiplash can cause:

  • headaches
  • severe neck pain
  • stiff neck
  • loss of range of motion in the neck
  • blurred vision
  • dizziness
  • sleep problems

2. Head Injuries

Head injuries can range from a simple bump to the head to traumatic brain injury. This type of injury is very serious and you should always err on the safe side and accept all medical tests and investigations to determine the extent and severity of your injury.

All kinds of injury to the head can result in life-threatening conditions and/or permanent disability, so you must insist to be taken to the hospital as soon as possible after the rear-end collision.

3. Spinal Injuries

Spinal injuries are also extremely dangerous. From physical rupture of the spinal cord, resulting in paralysis, to a slipped spinal disc and nerve damage, the extent of the damages inflicted to the spine by a rear-end collision is tremendous and with catastrophic impact on your life and future ability to return to your usual activities.

Many patients are left with chronic pain in the lower back after a spine injury, even after they have reached the maximum medical improvement. Others suffer from muscle spasms periodically and are prevented from performing many activities - from job duties to the hobbies they love.

4. Stress Fractures

Stress fractures occur in load-bearing bones of the lower leg and foot, usually due to overuse (repeated physical effort). However, they can occur as a result of sudden trauma in case of a preexisting condition of the bone, such as osteoporosis or an improperly healed previous fracture of the bone.

5. Soft Tissue Damage

Muscles and internal organs can become ruptured due to sudden violent motion. Even a minor injury of this type can be extremely painful and leave the accident victim with reduced range of motion on the short to medium term. Other internal injuries may cause bleeding and pose a risk to the person's life.

Reasons to Hire a Rear-End Accident Lawyer to Handle Your Case

Filing an accident injury claim and winning a fair compensation amount are not simple and straightforward matters. Insurance companies are actively trying to reduce the number of compensation claims they have to pay or to minimize the monetary compensation they pay.

They rely on the fact that the injured person does not know their legal rights and the types of damages they are entitled to receive in a personal injury lawsuit. A personal injury attorney can do the following for you:

1. Investigate the Circumstances of the Rear-End Collision

The rear-end accident lawyer will start by establishing how the accident happened and who is the fault party for your physical injuries and property damage. To do so, the lawyer will look at the accident report prepared by the police officer who was sent in response to your 9-1-1 call. Also, the attorney will look for:

  • CCTV traffic footage that may have captured the accident
  • eyewitnesses
  • your own evidence (photos, videos taken with the mobile phone)

2. Evaluate the Damages Recoverable in an Accident Claim

Next, the lawyer will look at your medical records and talk to the medical professional in charge with your treatment. The lawyer will try to determine your total medical expenses, both current and future (if you need to hire a physical therapist or seek chiropractic care for spinal manipulation) as well as the likelihood to make a full recovery. If you may be left with a permanent disability, the lawyer will also add the costs with:

  • life care
  • assistive devices (walking frame, wheelchair)
  • home modifications

Other economic damages you are entitled to recover are:

  • cost to replace property loss (totaled car)
  • lost wages
  • loss of earning capacity
  • pocket expenses

At the same time, an experienced attorney will try to maximize the amount of non-economic damages you may receive in compensation for:

  • severe pain
  • emotional distress
  • humiliation caused by facial injuries which leave permanent disfigurement
  • loss of enjoyment of life
  • loss of consortium

Moreover, if the party liable for your traumatic injury acted with gross negligence or malicious intent, you may also receive punitive damages at the end of a personal injury lawsuit.

3. Negotiate Your Compensation Claim

Any insurance provider has extensive experience in fighting claims arising from traffic accidents. Their insurance adjusters will invoke every possible argument in an attempt to reduce your claim amount or even persuade you that you do not have a case.

An experienced attorney knows exactly how to fight back these arguments. By invoking the comparative negligence doctrine applicable in the state of Texas or relying on prior experience with similar cases, a personal injury lawyer can persuade the insurance company that it is better to settle the claim for compensation out of court than choose to take the case to trial.

4. Represent You in a Personal Injury Lawsuit

In a few rare cases, insurance companies refuse to settle a claim for a motor vehicle collision because they do not want to create a precedent or because they believe they can win the case in court. However, an experienced car accident attorney can prepare your case carefully, represent you with utmost professionalism and win your fair compensation at the end of a personal injury lawsuit.

Hire an Innovative Personal Injury Law Firm!

Calhoun Meredith is a team of experienced personal injury attorneys in Texas who put all their energy, experience, and knowledge of the law to win our clients' cases. We stand by our dedication and professionalism in the most honest sense - we do not charge any fees until we win your fair compensation.

Thus, you can afford to hire an experienced personal injury attorney to handle your case and help you find the financial relief you need after a severe rear-end accident. Do not wait - the statute of limitations of 2 years starts running from the date of your accident - so call us as soon as possible: 855-664-0273!

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