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Los Angeles Rear-End Collision Attorney

A rear-end collision can happen almost anywhere in Los Angeles, from a minor collision involving only property damage at a traffic light to a multi-vehicle, pileup collision on the 101 or the 405. When a rear-end collision occurs, it is essential to begin working with an experienced Los Angeles car accident attorney who can help to prove that another motorist was at fault and thus should be liable for your injuries. Do not hesitate to reach out to our firm to learn more about filing a rear-end collision claim and seeking financial compensation for your losses.

Learning About Rear-End Collisions in Los Angeles, California

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a rear-end collision is a “crash in which the front of one vehicle collides with the rear of another vehicle,” meaning that “a driver involved in such a crash may be the driver of a striking vehicle, of the struck vehicle, or of the vehicle that both struck and was struck.” To be sure, rear-end accidents are often multi-vehicle collisions or pileups in which a number of vehicles are involved in the crash. These kinds of rear-end and pileup collisions often occur on highways and freeways when one vehicle collides into the car in front of it, and a string of rear-end collisions follow behind that vehicle.

The NHTSA explains that rear-end collisions are one of the most commonly occurring types of motor vehicle crashes. In addition to occurring with frequency, rear-end crashes often result in many different types of injuries. Those injuries can range from mild whiplash to life-threatening head and neck injuries.

Common Injuries in Los Angeles Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end crashes can result in many different types of injuries, including but not limited to the following:

  • Whiplash and other types of neck and head injuries;
  • Traumatic brain injuries;
  • Back injuries;
  • Spinal cord injuries;
  • Bone fractures;
  • Traumatic amputations;
  • Internal bleeding;
  • Organ damage;
  • Facial lacerations and disfiguration; and
  • Scarring.

The Mayo Clinic explains that whiplash is among the most common types of injuries in rear-end car accidents. This particular type of injury is “a neck injury due to forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck, like the cracking of a whip.” While most people who sustain whiplash injuries will recover “within a few weeks,” according to the Mayo Clinic, whiplash requires treatment and a rehabilitation plan from a health care provider. For some people, however, whiplash results in long-term consequences, including chronic pain and complications.

Seeking Damages After a Los Angeles Rear-End Collision

After a rear-end collision, you may be able to seek a variety of damages to compensate you for your losses. Generally speaking, you may be able to seek two kinds of compensatory damages, both of which are intended to compensate for losses: economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages pay for direct, financial losses that a person has suffered or those for which there is an objective monetary loss. Non-economic damages pay for losses that are more subjective in nature and that cannot be easily quantified, like a person’s pain or suffering. Examples of the types of compensatory damages you may be able to seek include, for example:

  • Hospital bills;
  • Property damage;
  • Lost wages;
  • Pain and suffering;
  • Disfigurement;
  • Emotional distress; and
  • Loss of enjoyment of life.

In cases involving motor vehicle collisions, there are no damages caps on economic or non-economic damages in California. In some cases where a rear-end collision results from a motorist’s intentional act or severely reckless behavior, it may be possible to seek punitive damages. Unlike compensatory damages, punitive damages are not designed to compensate a victim (although they can be paid to a victim). Instead, punitive damages are designed to punish a defendant’s particularly harmful behavior and to deter similar behavior in the future.

Contact Our Los Angeles Rear-End Collision Lawyers Today

Rear-end collisions are extremely common in the Los Angeles area, from rear-end collisions that occur at high speeds on freeways to those that occur in typical Los Angeles traffic when a motorist is distracted and collides into the back of another vehicle. Regardless of whether a rear-end collision occurs at relatively low speeds or at high speeds on one of California’s freeways, these accidents can result in serious and fatal injuries. To learn more about filing a claim for financial compensation, you should seek advice from one of our Los Angeles rear-end collision attorneys as soon as you can. Contact Fisher & Talwar to learn more about how we can assist you.