Rear-End Collisions
Denver attorney R. Mack Babcock and associates passionately help car accident victims obtain compensation for damages and injuries
Our Denver car accident attorneys have extensive experience handling injury cases. It doesn’t matter if you have a minor scrape or a major collision, we are here for you.
One day you’re sitting at an intersection in Denver, Littleton, Aurora, Colorado Springs or any number of towns across our beautiful state, and all of a sudden – whammo – a car hits you from behind. Even if the vehicle was moving at a slow speed when they hit you, your body is still violently jolted forward, then back again.
Rear-end collisions like the situation described above are in fact the most common type of car accident – according to figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 2.5 million of the approximately 6 million car accidents that occur annually in the United States are rear-end collisions.
In fact, a rear-end collision occurs once every 8-seconds in the U.S.
Most of these car accidents occur at low speeds under 10 mph. While this may seem pretty minor, rear-end collisions often lead to some pretty serious injury. Whiplash, or a sudden jerking motion of the head, is the most common injury in a rear-end collision. This is precisely why rear-end collisions are often referred to as “whiplash car accidents.”
Other injuries commonly seen in rear-end collisions include – spinal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, facial injuries, and even knee injuries if the force of the collision caused your knees to be violently slammed into the steering wheel or dash.
Under Colorado law, the driver who hit the car in front of them is considered to be at-fault for the collision
While there are a few exceptions to this, the following driver is most often times at-fault for the collision.
Perhaps they were texting or speaking on their phone and got distracted. Or, maybe they were looking at their GPS or changing radio stations. If the accident occurred on a busy highway like I-25, they may have been following too closely and the car in front had to make an abrupt stop.
Regardless, drivers have an obligation to maintain their focus on the road in front of them and allow enough time and distance to stop safely.
Even though Colorado laws regarding rear-end collisions are clear, you still must prove the degree of the other driver’s fault and the extent of damages
This is where a Colorado attorney experienced in rear-end collision car accidents comes in. Often times, insurance companies will base a settlement on the amount of property damage. They’ll often times dispute your injuries, especially if the damage to your vehicle is relatively minor.
Just because the damage to your vehicle is minor doesn’t mean damage to you is…in fact, one research study found that a collision at 8-mph may result in a 2-g force acceleration acting on the impacted vehicle but a 5-g force acceleration acting on the occupant(s). Meaning, the head and neck sustain much higher g-forces than the car, especially in low-speed collisions.
Besides taking pictures, getting contact information from witnesses and keeping careful records of all medical treatment, expenses and lost time from work, hiring a car accident attorney can help ensure you prove fault and obtain the compensation you’re entitled to under the law.
R. Mack Babcock and associates at the Babcock Law Firm possess extensive experience helping accident victims obtain this compensation for injuries and damages. As a former representative for insurance firms, Mack Babcock possesses unique insights into how insurance companies operate. This experience allows him to bring the strongest case possible on your behalf.
If you’ve been in a rear-end collision, discuss your case with a Denver car accident attorney at the Babcock Law Firm today.
