All car accidents are sudden and frightening, but when a car or truck hits a vehicle from behind, it’s even more shocking because the motorists in the front vehicle usually don’t see it coming and cannot take any evasive action or brace for the impact. Crash force in a rear-end collision, or tailgate accident, propels the vehicle occupants forcefully forward before the seatbelt snaps them back against the seat, causing substantial trauma to the spinal column and other bodily structures.
Rear-end collisions made up just over 40% of all motor vehicle collisions in 2022, causing about 3,400 fatalities and over 1.5 million injuries.
Rear-end collisions in Van Nuys cause serious injuries, often with lasting impacts on the lives of accident victims. If you have been injured in a rear-end collision in Van Nuys, contact the Van Nuys car accident attorneys at Martinian Lawyers for a free consultation.
How Do Rear-End Collisions Happen in Van Nuys?
Traffic congestion and delays are common in Van Nuys and the surrounding L.A. region, making it an area where rear-end collisions happen regularly during morning and evening traffic. The most common causes of rear-end collisions include the following:
- Distracted driving
- Tailgating (following too closely)
- Speeding
- Reckless driving
- Intoxicated driving
- Mechanical problems such as failed brake lights on the front vehicle or brake failures in the rear vehicle
- Slippery road conditions that cause the rear vehicle to slide into the front vehicle
When rear-end collisions occur in intersections, they sometimes cause secondary collisions by forcing the front vehicle into the intersection, resulting in further property damage and injuries.
What Types of Injuries Happen in Rear-End Collisions in Van Nuys?
Many rear-end collisions are more than just parking lot fender-benders, particularly when they happen due to a distracted driver who doesn’t see the vehicle slowing or stopping in front of them because their attention is on their phone or elsewhere, causing them to hit the car ahead at full speed. Injuries in rear-end collisions happen to occupants of both vehicles but are typically far worse to those in the front vehicle. Common rear-end accident injuries in Van Nuys include:
- Whiplash: this occurs due to the rapid back-and-forth, whip-like motion of the head which overextends the neck and damages the neck’s internal structures
- Lower lumbar injury: herniated or ruptured disks and other back injuries
- Head injuries and facial trauma: commonly from contact with the vehicle’s airbag
- Seatbelt injuries: bruising and soft-tissue trauma to the shoulder, chest, and hips
- Fractures: broken ribs, clavicle, hip, wrist, or pelvis may occur
- Knee injuries: particularly in those who sit close to the dash due to small stature
- Upper extremity trauma: injuries to the wrists, hands, and fingers of the driver from the sudden impact while they are holding the steering wheel
- Traumatic brain injuries: during the rapid back-and-forth motion of the head during a rear-end collision, the brain may bump or twist against the inside of the skull resulting in brain injuries
Injuries in rear-end collisions range from mild to severe, depending on the speed of the rear vehicle and the force of the crash.
Liability in Van Nuys Rear-End Collisions
California is a fault-based insurance state. It matters who causes a collision because they are liable for the damages to injury victims, typically paid through their auto insurance. The rear driver is nearly always at fault in a rear-end accident because they have the responsibility to be vigilant and alert to the road ahead and stop in time to avoid a collision; however, the front driver may be at fault or share fault in some cases. For instance, if the front driver’s brake lights are out and they were aware of the problems and didn’t correct it, or if they brake suddenly to avoid an animal in the road.
It may take an investigation to determine the at-fault party in a rear-end collision to document clear evidence of liability so injury victims can recover compensation for their damages like medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.
