Rear-End Accidents

Rear-end accidents can be caused by a variety of situations. A driver may have become distracted and failed to keep a proper look-out. A driver may have been texting or fiddling with their radio. A driver may have been following too closely or traveling at an unsafe speed. A driver may have been operating a vehicle with a defective braking system. In all these situations, the driver who caused the impact from behind is assumed to be at fault.

However, rear-end accidents are not always straightforward cases. Insurance companies regularly try to shift blame onto the driver in front. Insurance companies do this by arguing that the driver in front caused his vehicle to come to an abrupt stop and is partially at fault. Insurance companies may also argue that the driver in front stopped short of the designated intersection or stopped when there was no reason to do so. In these situations, liability is contested.

Rear-end accidents can cause a number of injuries. The most common injuries that arise from low-impact rear-end accidents are strains of the neck and back. In high-impact rear end accidents the injuries can include: herniated discs, fractures, lacerations, compression injuries, internal injuries, contusions, among others.

Insurance companies almost always question the injuries that arise from rear-end accidents. The insurance companies are armed with “tests” that they have arranged for and which attempt to minimize the forces that arise from rear-end accidents and the injuries that can occur as a result. These “tests” are conducted by organizations hired by the insurance companies and the results are usually biased in their favor.  These “tests” seldom account for the fact that an individual who is involved in a rear end accident is seldom prepared for it and his or her body is usually at rest at the time of impact.

The vehicle damage that results from a rear-end accident may not always tell the full story. Often times, vehicles are equipped to absorb impacts from the back and front. As a result, the resulting vehicle damage may not appear significant although the forces caused by the accident may be. In these situations, the insurance companies will use the lack of damage to the vehicles as a way to discredit a person’s injuries.

If you or a loved one is involved in a rear-end accident, it is essential that you are represented by a skilled attorney with experience handling these cases. The attorneys at the Piccuta Law Group, LLP have extensive experience handling rear-end accident cases. Contact our attorneys today to discuss your case and receive a free consultation.