While many people believe that minor accidents don’t result in serious injuries or vehicle damage, they can still develop due to certain forces involved in low-speed collisions. For instance, fast rotation, acceleration, and deceleration can conflict and put stress on the body that leads to potentially serious injuries, from whiplash to traumatic brain injuries.
How Low-Speed Accidents Can Cause Major Damages
The operation of a motor vehicle of any kind entails the generation of kinetic energy to propel it forward. Bringing the vehicle to a complete stop extinguishes this energy. Normally, brakes would be able to absorb the kinetic energy as the vehicle slows and eventually stops. However, sudden collisions force the body and vehicle to absorb the energy. The resulting forces cause the body to move in unnatural ways that can contribute to serious or even fatal injuries.
The nature of the injuries sustained and other damages experienced after a crash will depend on numerous factors. For example, the type of collision could lead to a certain type of impact, with head-on, rear-end, and other collisions affecting the vehicle and occupants in different ways. Other factors include the speed at which vehicles are traveling, the vehicles’ size and weight, the use of seatbelts, and pre-existing medical conditions that the accident could aggravate.
Possible Injuries Resulting from Minor Accidents
Depending on the specific circumstances involved in an accident, a variety of injuries could develop, ranging from minor to severe.
Some of the injuries that victims of minor accidents may suffer include:
- Whiplash, which commonly results in many accidents, particularly rear-end collisions
- Concussions, including headaches and other symptoms
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) that could permanently impact cognitive function and behavior
- Soft tissue damage to tendons, ligaments, or muscles
Many other injuries may also result from low-speed collisions that require proper diagnosis and treatment, and even a few sessions of pt. This is why it’s important to seek treatment for any symptoms experienced after an accident, even if those symptoms appear minor at first. In some cases, serious underlying injuries may not become apparent until days or weeks following a crash, at which point the condition could be particularly dangerous.
Seeking Compensation for Damages in a Minor Accident
Even in minor collisions, accident victims may be able to seek compensation for injuries and other damages if another party’s negligence caused the accident. Working with a car accident lawyer may help prepare a successful claim or lawsuit for minor to severe damages sustained. However, seeking treatment for injuries and obtaining medical records is one of the best ways to support an accident claim.
