Auto Accident Case – $120,000 Settlement
Rear-End Collision Resulting In Serious Back Injuries
After her car was struck from behind in an automobile collision, this client was taken to the hospital. An examination disclosed a severe back injury involving her cervical disk. After negotiations with the insurance company for the other driver, a negotiated settlement in the amount of $120,000 was secured for our appreciative client.
Types of Automobile Collisions
On average, six million auto accidents happen each year. Yet, no two car collisions are exactly the same. Varying speeds, traffic, vehicle types, and impact angles all mean different injuries and different opinions about which party may be at fault. The most common types of automobile accidents include:
Rear-end collisions: As in our settlement detailed above, a rear end accident typically occurs when the car in front is braking or rapidly decelerating and the car behind is simply following too closely or driving too fast for the road conditions. Such an accident may however also happen even though the car in front is already stopped, or if the other driver is distracted. Both the driver and passengers may be injured from the rapid neck movement associated with the impact. Depending upon the speed of impact, the resulting injuries may be minor (commonly referred to as “whiplash”) or may lead to catastrophic injuries to the cervical spine resulting in paralysis or death.
Multiple vehicle accidents: Especially in freeway and highway settings, when many cars are traveling in close proximity at high rates of speed, any crash has the potential to quickly turn into a multi-vehicle “pile-up”. In such cases, the changes of a rollover or fatal accident are greatly increased.
Side Impact: When a vehicle is impacted from the side, this is typically referred to as being “broad-sided” or “T-boned”. Depending on the velocity of the impact and whether side air-bags were deployed, the potential for serious injury is high when compared to rear-end collisions.
Hit and run: Regardless of the type of collision, if the other driver leaves the scene, it is referred to as a hit and run accident. In Illinois, leaving the scene is a criminal offense. The victim of such an accident may still be able to access his/her own insurance policy for compensation depending upon the policy. But in circumstances in which there is no actual impact but the hit and run driver causes the other driver to have an accident, insurance coverage will likely be denied. Such a sit and run driver is commonly referred to as a “phantom driver”.
Rollover: Depending upon the angle of the collision and speed of impact, the victim’s car may rollover onto its side, its roof, or barrel-roll many times before coming to a stop. SUVs, which tend to have high centers of gravity are most susceptible to rollover accidents.
Sideswipe: When two vehicles are either traveling in the same direction or in some circumstances in opposite directions and barely make contact with each other, this is considered a sideswipe accident. Injuries are usually minor in such cases.
Head-on: These accidents, which are most likely to be fatal for both drivers and passengers alike, involve cars, trucks, buses or motorcycles which are traveling in opposite directions and impact each other head-on. The lower the speed of impact, the greater the chances for survival.
Contact Sexner Injury Lawyers LLC for a free consultation at (312) 243-9922 any time of day. There is never any obligation and no fees are ever charged unless successful.
