When people think of a “serious” or “severe” car accident, visions of rolled vehicles, multiple cars, or high-speed impacts may rush through the mind. It’s common to think that a simple fender-bender or a low-speed crash could cause serious, even catastrophic injuries – but they can.
The kinetic force and momentum of a moving car is significant, even at “low” speeds. When this force meets a dead stop or another amount of force and momentum the results can be deadly. When a car hits a solid, static object, the momentum of the moving vehicle will have a very strong impact because the force needs to be absorbed quickly and abruptly. This means that no matter the speed, number of cars, or visual appearance of a crash, massive injuries could occur.
Common sever injuries that can be obtained in low-level crashes include:
Whiplash: Whiplash, also called cervical acceleration-deceleration, is a brain injury caused by a sudden jolt forward or backward. This injury can cause bleeding in the brain, tearing of ligaments and discs, and a host of neurologic disorders.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A TBI is caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that disrupts the normal function of the brain. Not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI. A TBI may range from “mild” to “severe.” TBI’s contribute to roughly 30% of all injury fatalities.
Spinal Cord Injury: A spinal cord injury is the most common auto accident injury. These injuries can cause paraplegia, quadriplegia and death.
Just because your accident occurred at a low speed, or even if you initially feel OK, you should ALWAYS seek medical treatment after you are involved in any type of crash.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, our excellent car accident attorneys can help. Call 1-800-444-5309 now for a free consultation.
