Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end car accidents are known to cause serious personal injury, or even wrongful death, to the drivers and occupants of the vehicles involved in the crash. When you are injured because of the negligence of another driver, the burden of dealing with medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering is unfair, frustrating and stressful. At Katz Personal Injury Lawyers, our Atlanta car accident lawyers help you deal with that anger and frustration by making sure you receive the care you need and the compensation you and your family deserve.

When a rear-end auto accident occurs, the driver in the second vehicle is often cited for following too closely. This citation is an important piece of evidence in determining the fault or negligence of the other driver.  Unfortunately, some police officers are hesitant to issue a citation because the damage may appear limited. For this reason, it is important to have your vehicle inspected as soon as possible.  You should also seek medical treatment as soon as possible if you feel any symptoms of physical injury.  Delaying medical treatment after a car accident often results in the insurance company refusing to compensate you for your injuries or making a low settlement offer.

A whiplash injury frequently occurs in a rear-end collision and can happen to the occupants of either vehicle. The person in the moving vehicle is brought to a sudden stop, and this rapid deceleration causes the head and neck to whip rapidly back and forth. By the same token, an individual in a stopped car who is rear-ended will experience a rapid acceleration, causing the head and neck to whip violently. This whiplash motion can cause a permanent, debilitating neck injury. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can also occur, either in a concussion where the head hits the steering wheel or dashboard, or even just from a violent shaking of the brain inside the skull. One of the biggest mistakes in a rear-end collision is not seeking medical attention promptly.

The following is a list of potential injuries that can be a result of a rear-end collision:

• Back injury
• Neck injury
• Brain injury
• Internal bleeding
• Internal organ damage
• Fractures
• Lacerations
• Spinal cord injury

The fault in a rear-end collision is typically attributed to the driver behind, who is considered to have been following too closely to be able to stop in time to avoid a collision. Besides following too close, the driver may also have been texting or using a cell phone while driving or engaged in some other type of distracted driving. But not all rear-end accidents are simple. If the collision occurred because the driver in front made a sudden stop,  why the driver made that stop and whether it was a reasonably safe to do so may be taken in consideration. Sometimes the accident may be the result of a car that is stopped in a lane due to engine trouble, and a car coming upon the stalled vehicle makes a sudden lane change, leaving the next driver with very short notice of the stalled vehicle and limited ability to avoid a collision.

It can oftentimes be difficult to sort out whether the following vehicle was negligent in whole or in part, and whether other vehicles or factors played a part in the collision. If you are injured in a rear-end collision, it is important to retain an experienced Atlanta car accident lawyer who knows how to investigate an accident and hold all responsible parties accountable for their share of the blame. At the same time, it is equally important to avoid being wrongfully accused of contributing to the accident because how much a driver is at fault may be a factor in the amount of economic recovery.

If you have been injured in a rear-end collision in DeKalb, Cobb, Fulton, or another Georgia county, contact the law offices of Katz Personal Injury Lawyers at (404) 460-0101 for a free consultation with an experienced accident and injury lawyer who can help you obtain the compensation you are entitled to.