What is the Definition of a Car Accident?
The definition of a car accident is an incident where a motor vehicle collides with another object. These collisions could involve fixed objects like trees or buildings, as well as other motor vehicles.
Car accidents are as common as they are devastating. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), vehicle accidents are the worldwide leading cause of death among individuals ages five to twenty-nine. Nonfatal car accidents are even more common, and they can have a lasting impact on your health and happiness.
Types of Car Accidents
While all car accidents have the potential to bring devastating consequences, each accident is different. These accidents can result from different sets of facts and involve damage to various parts of the vehicle.
Some of the most common types of car accidents include:
Head-on Collisions
Head-on collisions are some of the most dangerous types of car accidents. This type of accident, which is also known as a front-end collision, occurs when the front of one vehicle strikes the front of another.
Head-on collisions make up a large portion of fatal car accidents, as the force generated by two fast-moving cars striking each other while traveling in opposite directions can be extreme.
Side-Impact Collisions
Side-impact collisions come in two different forms: T-bone and broadside accidents. A T-bone accident occurs when the front of a motor vehicle strikes the side of another car. Broadside collisions happen when the sides of two cars collide.
Rear-end Collisions
The most common type of car accident, a rear-end collision, involves one driver colliding with the back-end of another. These accidents are commonly linked to a neck injury known as whiplash.
Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents occur when a driver loses control of their car and rolls end-over-end. Rollover accidents can occur after a collision with another vehicle, but they are frequently one-car accidents.
Common Car Accident-Related Injuries
A car accident could result in devastating physical injuries. Some accidents are more severe than others, but even seemingly minor collisions could lead to long-term disabilities or chronic pain. Some common accident-related injuries include:
- Cuts and bruises
- Broken bones
- Internal bleeding
- Severe burns
- Head trauma
- Cracked ribs
- Paralysis
- Amputation
- Spinal cord damage
- Sprains and strains
The cost of recovering from these injuries can be extensive, both in terms of time and money. While a personal injury lawsuit cannot speed up your physical recovery, it could provide you with the financial compensation needed to pay for your treatment.
The Recoverable Damages for a Car Accident
Car accidents have a reputation for causing severe bodily injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vehicle collisions are responsible for sending over 2.3 million people to the emergency room each year.
If you suffered injuries in a car accident due to someone else’s negligent or careless driving, you might be entitled to financial compensation. The types of compensation that could be available in these cases could vary. Any financial, emotional, or physical losses you suffer in an accident through no fault of your own could be the basis of a successful personal injury lawsuit.
Past and Future Medical Expenses
Because of the severity of many car accident injuries, the cost of medical treatment following a crash can be substantial. Your injuries might have required you to:
- Have surgery
- Stay at the hospital
- Take pain medications
- Use assistive medical equipment
- Get blood and imaging tests done
- Schedule follow-up appointments with your doctor
Pain and Suffering
An unfortunate part of many car accidents is severe pain and suffering. Financial damages cannot erase the physical pain you have experienced, but they could provide you with some aid in dealing with this hardship. The scope of your pain and suffering compensation will largely mirror the extent of your medical bills.
Lost Wages
If you are too hurt to work, you could go days, weeks, or months without a paycheck. We can account for the wages you can’t earn now or in the future.
Property Damage
You could have the right to seek compensation for damage done to your vehicle and body. If your car was damaged or destroyed in the accident, you could hold the responsible party accountable for your losses. This compensation could include covering the cost of repairing or replacing your damaged vehicle.
Talk to the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP After Getting Hurt in a Car Accident
If you or a loved one got hurt in a car accident, a lawyer at our firm can manage your case from beginning to end and pursue damages on your behalf.
Connect with the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP at (866) 878-6774 for a free consultation with one of our staff members. We can further explain the definition of a car accident in the call.
