A rear-end accident resulted in multiple fatalities recently in Kentucky when a dump truck driver got distracted and did not see a slower moving car. The dump truck rear-ended the car, and then overrode the vehicle and pushed it into the guardrail. The collision is currently being investigated by an accident reconstruction specialist according to WBKO.
Unfortunately, the crash is one of many fatal rear-end accidents which occur within Kentucky every year. Motorists need to be aware of the dangers of rear-end crashes and of the serious harm these collisions can cause.
Rear-End Accidents Can Be Dangerous for Motorists
When rear-end accidents happen, drivers and passengers in both the car which was hit and the car in the rear can sustain serious injuries.
One of the most common types of damage to the body which is suffered in a rear-end accident is whiplash. Whiplash is a soft tissue injury affecting the neck. It can occur when the body is violently thrust backwards and forwards, so the soft tissues stretch and are harmed. The symptoms may not show up immediately, and it can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours or so for victims to begin experiencing the pain which is characteristic of whiplash. Once symptoms begin, victims may experience significant discomfort and mobility may be severely limited. Ideally, victims recover within a few weeks or months, but sometimes whiplash becomes ongoing and chronic. This can result in an ability to work or a reduction in income-earning abilities.
In addition to whiplash, victims of rear-end accidents could also experience spinal cord damage, head injuries, broken bones, other soft tissue injuries, cuts and bruises, and other damage from the crash. In some cases, the injuries from rear-end accidents lead to death, just as in this recent fatal rear-end crash which happened in Kentucky.
Victims of rear-end accidents need to get medical attention and an accurate diagnosis of their injuries right away when a collision occurs. It is important for victims to keep a careful record of all medical treatment and to make sure their doctors perform all necessary testing to get an accurate diagnosis of the full extent of their injuries.
When a whiplash victim is hurt, the victim should be compensated for his medical bills, loss of income, pain and suffering, and other damages if the victim is able to prove another motorist caused his collision to occur. In the case of rear-end accidents, the presumption is the driver who was in the rear vehicle was the one who caused the accident and who should thus be held responsible. This presumption exists because maintaining a safe driving distance is one of the expectations imposed on motorists. If a driver maintains a safe distance, he should usually be able to stop in time to avoid hitting the front car and should thus be able to avoid a rear-end crash.