According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rear-end crashes are the most common type of multi-vehicle collision. Roughly 29% of car accidents happen when the front of one vehicle strikes the rear of another, and these collisions can cause serious injuries or even fatalities.
Rear-end crashes in Huntsville, Alabama, specifically, frequently result from careless driving. As a result, victims may have legal claims against the drivers who caused their injuries. A Huntsville car accident lawyer from Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers can help injured motorists pursue injury compensation after any of these accidents.
Contact us today at 205-933-1500 to schedule a free consultation.
How Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Rear-End Accident in Huntsville, AL
Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers was founded over 20 years ago with the goal of representing injured clients in Huntsville, Alabama, and aiding them in their efforts to recover financial compensation. Our Huntsville car accident attorneys have over 90 years of combined legal experience standing up to at-fault parties and the powerful companies that insure them.
In the event that you end up injured in a preventable accident, our firm will provide the following forms of assistance:
- Reviewing the incident that injured you and explaining your legal options
- Securing evidence to prove your case and filing an insurance claim
- Negotiating with the insurer for a fair resolution to your case
- Taking your case to court if we cannot obtain a fair settlement
Insurers often deny valid claims, depriving you of much-needed financial resources. Contact our office as soon as possible after your accident to schedule a free consultation with a Huntsville personal injury attorney and learn how we will stand up to insurers on your behalf.
Rear-End Collision Causes
Rear-end crashes happen when a driver who lacks the time, space, or braking power to stop safely collides with the back end of the vehicle in front of them.
Some common causes of these accidents include the following:
- Tailgating (following too closely)
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Brake failures
- Unsafe lane changes
- Aggressive driving and road rage
Under most circumstances, the driver of the trailing vehicle causes the collision. They have a responsibility to drive at a safe following distance, and if they are too close, the law expects them to slow down to increase the gap between them and the next vehicle.
However, that distance must account for reaction and braking time. If a driver’s reactions are delayed by intoxication or distractions, they may collide with another vehicle despite following at a safe distance.
At 55 miles per hour, for example, a vehicle travels over 80 feet per second, which means a driver who glances at their phone for just two seconds to read a text could hit a car over 150 feet away. Similarly, driving at high speeds will increase braking times. Thus, a driver who speeds must drive at a greater distance from the vehicle in front of them.
Injuries From Rear-End Collisions
Although rear-end crashes are common, they are less likely to cause injuries and deaths than other collision types, like head-on collisions. Despite that lower likelihood, however, roughly 17% of traffic deaths and 37% of traffic injuries result from rear-end wrecks.
During such a crash, the occupants of both vehicles are pushed into their seats. Their heads are thrown backward before whipping forward as they come to a stop. If they are not wearing their seat belts, they will likely hit the steering wheel or dashboard and then rebound into their seats as their vehicle abruptly halts.
A common injury from a rear-end crash, as that implies, is whiplash. As the head and body whip back and forth, the spine hyperextends, stretching or tearing the soft tissues in the neck and back, and producing pain that lasts months or even years.
Other common injuries from rear-end collisions include concussions, wrist fractures, and chest bruises.
Liability for Rear-End Collisions
Your car accident lawyer must prove that the other driver’s negligent actions are what caused your rear-end collision. Negligence refers to the driver’s failure to exercise a reasonable level of care expected from an ordinary, cautious driver.
In many rear-end crash cases, negligence is clear; a driver who tailgates, speeds, or multitasks creates an unreasonable risk of injury or death to other road users. When they cannot stop in time, they are liable for the resulting collision.
Other cases, however, are not quite as clear. For example, a driver might nod off after taking prescription medication and slam into the rear of your vehicle. On the one hand, the crash itself occurred outside the driver’s control, but on the other, the driver might have been negligent if they had been warned that the medication causes drowsiness.
There are even some instances in which the front driver can also bear liability for a rear-end crash. One who cuts off another vehicle, leaving it with no stopping space, might be responsible for the resulting collision, for instance.
Contact Our Huntsville Rear-End Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Rear-end crashes can cause severe neck, chest, and brain injuries. Contact Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your injuries and the compensation you may be entitled to.