Head-on Collisions
Head-On Car Accident Lawyers in Delaware
Experienced personal injury attorneys serving Wilmington, Newark, Seaford, DE and beyond
Head-on crashes or frontal impact auto accidents are, perhaps, one of the deadliest types of car crashes. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), reports that there were 136,000 fatalities frontal impact crashes in 2013 which resulted in 2,808 deaths and 66,000 injuries. The trusted Delaware head-on accident attorneys at the law firm of Silverman, McDonald & Friedman have dedicated their professional lives to offering comprehensive, legal guidance to hard-working people who have sustained serious injury due to the negligence of another. We make sure that every client is familiar with every step in the process of settling their claim, or filing a personal injury lawsuit which will allow them to recover financial compensation for their injuries, property damage and any other losses.
The effects of seatbelts on head-on car crashes
Any discussion about injury suffered in a car crash must take into consideration the difference between the severity of the injury if the occupant was using a seat belt or if they were not. The National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS), which conducts a statistical analysis of The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) data reports that there was 87 percent seat belt use in 2013, which is unchanged from the previous year. The trend toward wearing seat belts has been increasing since 1995, while the percentage of fatalities for unrestrained passenger vehicle occupants has steadily declined. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), wearing a seat belt is the most important safety measure you can take to protect yourself in a crash. In 2012, seat belts saved 12,174 lives, and they reduced the risk of moderate to critical injury by 50 percent.
Injuries from head-on collisions
Of course there is a wide spectrum of injuries you can suffer in a head-on crash from scratches and bruises to paraplegia. Some of the injuries that commonly result from frontal-impact crashes include:
- Bruises, lacerations, and contusions
- Broken bones in the face and jaw and in the hips, knees, feet, and ankles
- Chest injuries from the force of being crushed against the airbag and restrained by the seat belt
- Whiplash caused by the violent forces which cause your neck and head to whip violently in one direction and then in the opposite direction
- Back injuries and spinal cord injuries
Americans depend so much on automobiles for transportation, so there is a constant pursuit of making travel by car safer every year. The Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine conducted a study, Injury Risk Functions in Frontal Impacts Using Data from Crash Pulse Recorders. The purpose of the study was to find out how crash severity influences injury risk in frontal crashes. They would then use this data, taken from 489 frontal impact car crashes where the severity of the crashes was measured with on-board crash recorder computers, to help make passenger vehicles safer. The study also revealed that in the interval between 20 and 20 km/h the neck injury risk in frontal impact crashes increased from approximately 27 percent to 33 percent. The faster a vehicle is traveling, the greater the severity of the injury.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) from head-on auto accidents
Of all of the injuries that an individual might sustain from a frontal impact crash, a traumatic head injury holds the potential to have a lasting impact on the rest of their life. Whether it is a relatively mild brain injury where the individual loses consciousness for a few seconds or minutes, or they were unconscious from a longer period of time following the accident, there can be long lasting consequences after such an injury.
Caused either by a blow to the head, or a penetrating head injury, 2.5 million Americans suffered TBIs in 2010, Motor vehicle accidents are the second leading cause of TBI in the U.S. after falls. Violent assaults and being struck by an object are the other leading contributors to traumatic brain injury according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).
The benefit of hiring an attorney when you have suffered a serious injury in a head-on collision
When you have suffered serious injuries in a car accident, you need time to rest and recover from your injuries, but you are missing time from work while the hospital bills keep coming. When you work with an experienced Delaware car accident attorney from the law firm of Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, you are made to feel as if you are their only client. You receive personalized attention, and you get the services of a skilled attorney who has helped many people before you obtain the compensation they deserve when they have been injured because of someone else’s negligence. We shoulder the burden of investigating the accident, finding out who is at fault and either arranging a settlement or preparing a lawsuit so that you can get compensation that will cover:
- Medical bills now and in the future
- Lost wages from time missed at work
- Diminished earning capacity when your injuries keep you from being able to do the work you did before
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement
- Other losses
We were able to obtain a $638,152 settlement for one client who received injuries to his back, neck and spleen in a car accident, and $1.5 million settlement for another client who was injured in a car crash.
Schedule a free consultation with one of our knowledgeable personal injury attorneys today
If you have suffered an injury in a head-on collision car crash, we can help make sure that the negligent party is held accountable and that you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Contact the attorneys of Silverman, McDonald & Friedman for a free consultation to get legal advice about your case. Please complete our contact form or call us at 302-888-2900 to discuss your case. We have three offices in Delaware, located in Newark, Wilmington, and Seaford.
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