Considering there are tens of thousands of car accidents every year, a percentage of them do not involve high speeds. Some crashes are categorized as “low impact” because they are under 10 mph, but does that mean that these low-impact crashes don’t cause injuries?
In many situations, even a low-impact, low-speed crash leads to injuries. This is because of the forces at work. The typical compact car weighs about 2,000 pounds, so if a collision takes place at 10 mph, the impact force is about 3.7 tons. Now let’s say we’re dealing with an SUV that weighs 3,000 pounds. With a 3,000-pound SUV, the impact force has escalated to about 5.6 tons, which is a major blow to the neck and back.
Our bodies are not designed to deal with impact forces between 3.7 and 5.6 tons, which is why many people who are in low-impact crashes, especially rear-end accidents experience pain, muscle soreness, difficulty moving their neck or back, headaches, and other symptoms for weeks, if not years after a low-impact crash.
Those who are elderly, frail, or have pre-existing medical problems can suffer more than other individuals after being in a low-impact crash, but unfortunately most victims regardless of age face unfair opposition from insurance adjustors who are skeptical and fight to reduce their claims. In fact, it’s not uncommon for an insurance company to work hard to minimize a plaintiff’s claim due to the low speeds involved.
About Rear-End Accidents
We represent a lot of people who’ve been hit in a rear-end accident because a negligent driver was texting while driving, driving while distracted, speeding, or drunk driving. We’ve found that victims of rear-end collisions in particular are at risk of injuries regardless of the speed of the vehicle that hit them.
You see, the driver in the car in the rear accelerates a lot faster than the car that’s hit in the front. Meaning, the car in the front is absorbing more of the force. In effect, the occupants in the vehicle in the front tend to suffer more injuries.
Low-impact accidents tend to affect the soft tissues in the neck or back. This typically includes the muscles, tendons and ligaments. As we mentioned above, people who are elderly or in poor physical conditions are more susceptible to injuries in low-impact crashes.
Were you injured in a low-impact crash? If so, you don’t want to file a claim on your own. In order to maximize your settlement, you’ll want to enlist a Columbia injury attorney from our firm. Contact us today to get started.
Related: Time Limit for Filing a Personal Injury Claim in SC