A car accident should not be taken lightly, regardless of its severity. Although vehicle safety has exponentially gotten better over the years, even the most minor car accident can lead to serious injuries. A slight bumper-to-bumper accident can leave a person with long-lasting injuries. These injuries can include whiplash, head injuries, like concussions, internal-bleeding, or broken bones.
Following a minor car accident, the human body will release adrenaline, masking any immediate pain. However, human body is not capable of enduring such forceful impact as it experiences in a car accident. Even colliding with another car at speeds as low as five mph can negatively impact one’s body.
What Injuries Can Occur in Minor Car Accidents?
Here are a few serious injuries a person can suffer in a minor accident:
Whiplash
Whiplash is the most common injury in minor car accidents. Whiplash occurs when the head and neck are at a neutral position and then are suddenly jarred back and forth. It is a very painful injury and can take extended periods of time to heal.
Whiplash encompasses several symptoms, like pain, headaches, or soreness, and it can cause cognitive issues as well. Rehabilitation or physical therapy, as well as pain medications, are normally used to treat whiplash.
Head Injuries
Head injuries can be serious, even if the victim feels fine at first. More serious symptoms may develop over time. These could be defined as traumatic brain injuries, like concussions.
Some may associate head injuries with a loss of consciousness, but that is not always the case. Head injury symptoms vary and can include headaches, irritability, insomnia, memory loss, and dizziness. Head injuries can take a long time to develop after a car accident, and that is why it is so important to get checked immediately by a medical professional before the symptoms become severe.
As every human body is different, so is every car accident. One person could suffer bruised ribs as another person in the same vehicle could suffer broken ribs. Even minor injuries can eventually become serious, like a deep cut turning into an infection, or a strained muscle becoming torn.
What is the Eggshell Plaintiff Rule?
In the state of New York, those who are more susceptible to serious injuries, like the elderly, children, or the disabled, are protected in car accidents by the “eggshell plaintiff” rule.
Under this rule, if a person had a preexisting health condition that became exacerbated in a car accident, the negligent party who had caused the accident is still liable for all damages. After a car accident happens, it is important to hire a lawyer that will help protect one’s rights and ensure that one receives compensation.
Brooklyn Car Accident Lawyers at Eaton & Torrenzano Protect Clients Seriously Injured by Negligent Drivers
Even a minor car accident can cause a life-altering injury. If you were injured by a negligent driver, then contact one of our Brooklyn car accident lawyers at Eaton & Torrenzano right away. Our knowledgeable lawyers help car accident victims get compensation. Call us at 718-332-7766 or contact us online for a free consultation. Located in Brooklyn and Staten Island, New York, as well as Hillsborough, New Jersey, we proudly serve clients throughout Kings County and Richmond County, including Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, the Bronx, and Manhattan.