If you are like most Americans, at some point in your life, you will be in an auto accident. In fact, according to Forbes, most people file an insurance claim for a traffic collision once every 17.9 years. Fortunately, the vast majority of car accidents are not fatal. Of the approximately 10 million vehicle accidents each year, about 3 in every 1,000 involves fatalities.
But even non-fatal accidents can result in injuries and significant damage. In fact, more than 2 million people are injured in car crashes each year, with the average claim for injuries rising to more than $23,000. Even relatively minor auto accidents can result in injuries, medical bills, and property damage.
The victims of minor and low-impact auto accidents, such as those that occur at intersections or in parking lots, are often confused about their legal rights and wonder whether it is worth hiring a lawyer and pursuing legal action following the auto accident.
While insurance companies often use the word “low impact” to describe a car accident that involved little or no pr
operty damage or those car accidents that occurred while traveling at low speeds, low impact does not mean that the auto accident was “low injury.” Moreover, “low impact” does not mean that the insurance company will pay you what you deserve. Accordingly, it can be incredibly helpful to hire a personal injury lawyer following an auto accident – even a relatively minor one – in order to assess your options and ensure that you are getting a full and fair recovery.
In many cases, there is no correlation between the severity of the property damage and the severity of the physical injuries sustained in an auto accident. For instance, minor car accidents that may produce little or no property damage, such as rear-end accidents, can result in whiplash and other soft tissue injuries to muscles, ligaments and tendons. In fact, according to a study commissioned by General Motors (GM), whiplash can occur in car accidents at speeds of less than 8 miles per hour. Whiplash and soft tissue injuries can cause medical problems for years following the accident.
Medical treatment for whiplash, neck injuries, and soft tissue injuries can be lengthy and may require significant medical bills and rehabilitation costs. Accordingly, if you have been injured in a minor car accident, you may still want to pursue legal action to protect your rights and obtain compensation for your injuries and resulting medical bills. By pursuing a personal injury lawsuit or negotiating with the negligent driver’s insurance company, you may be able to recover compensation for medical bills, rehabilitative costs, and lost income resulting from a low impact car accident.
