Portland Auto Injuries

It’s a human trait to minimize our injuries. We don’t want to appear weak or “whining.” Unfortunately, this trait can lead to serious consequences, especially when insurance companies will try to use it to minimize a settlement which ultimately won’t compensate for what are truly significant injuries.

If it was a low-speed crash, does it mean my injuries must be minor?
No. Depending on the seating position, the size and weight of the cars involved, the angle of the seatbelt, the height of the head restraint, the attitude of the steering wheel and other factors, even low-speed collisions can cause serious and sometimes long-lasting injuries.

Does it make a difference if I saw the impact coming?
Studies have shown that in some circumstances “an aware occupant is more adept at withstanding impact than an unaware occupant. However, this protective mechanism may actually serve as an injury mechanism when the muscles contract after relative motion between the head and upper torso has begun.”*

Does it matter if I was turned at the moment of impact?
“The possibility of sustaining a neck injury with long-term consequences (more than three months) showed a significant correlation to the occupant having his head turned to the side at the time of impact.”**

Do pickup trucks offer greater protection than passenger cars?
Actually “the potential for minor to moderate injury when seated in a pickup truck is greater, for any change in velocity, than if seated in the front seats of passenger cars.”***

Do side-impact crash injuries differ from front or rear impact crashes?
“Intervertebral disc hemorrhages occur more frequently in side-impact crashes (55%) than frontal impact crashes (20%).”****

Do seatbelts decrease whiplash injuries?
“A hospital study of 1364 Motor Vehicle Crash patients fount that belted occupants had an approximately 25% increase in the incidence of neck and lumbar sprain injuries.”*****

In the end, whether you choose me or another auto injury attorney, you must have a lawyer to ensure that you receive fair and just compensation for the full extent of your injuries.

*Szabo, TJ, “Influence of Seat Properties on Occupant Kinetics and Injury Potential in Low Speed Rear Impacts,” IOS Press, pp 348-371, 2000
**Jakobssen L, “Analysis of Different Head and Neck Responses in Rear-End Car Collisions Using Humanlike Mathematical Models,” IRCOBI conf. 1994
***Prasad P, “Relationships Between Passenger Car Seat Back Strength and Occupant Injury Severity in Rear-End Collisions; Field and Laboratory Studies,” SAE paper No 973343, 1997
****Kalleris D, “Considerations for Neck Injury Criterion,” SAE Paper 912916, Society of Automotive Engineers, 1991
*****Orsay EM, “Prospective Study of Safety Belts in Motor Vehicle Crashes,” Ann Emerg. Med 19:258-61, 1990

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