Let’s talk briefly about some motor vehicle accidents our offices handle frequently. Several types of auto accidents can happen, and if you’re reading this, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve been involved in one of them. Unfortunately, every year there are 6 million car accidents. To familiarize yourself with the occurrences involving motor vehicle collisions, check out our list below, featuring the common varieties of motor vehicle accidents.

Rear-end accidents are almost always caused by a driver not paying attention to the road. Inattentiveness and distraction are what lead to this accident. It’s always amazing that so much time can elapse between when the front car stops and when the rear car plows into it. The driver in the rear often feels tired, using a cell phone or eating while driving.

Most of these accidents are clear regarding liability, though occasionally, an at-fault driver states the car in front “suddenly stopped.”

Indeed, cameras catching the accident live are more frequent than ever, but often, officials seek witnesses for their own accounts of the event. In most cases, the insurance for the at-fault driver will admit responsibility but then try to weasel out of paying by stating the accident could not have “caused” the injury to the extent the injured party claims.

In the good old days, people would own up to responsibility, but it’s always a fight with insurance companies.

In California, insurance companies refer to accidents with less than $2,000 in car damage as MIST CASES or Minor Impact Soft Tissue cases. Despite overwhelming medical evidence that an individual can be hurt at speeds of less than 3 mph, the insurance companies will fight these cases tooth and nail. They often hire defense “hired gun” doctors who confuse the jury and state that someone could not have been injured in such a crash.

In such cases, experienced car accident attorneys may need to hire a biomechanic to testify and animate precisely how such an injury may occur. Every low-impact collision case is complicated, and an experienced car accident lawyer can tell you how best to proceed.

Often, front-end or head-on crashes cause the most severe bodily injuries. Occasionally, people have time to brace, which may give the body time to prepare for impact. Sometimes, a braced body can help absorb the shock. More often, there just isn’t time to react.

Front-end impacts can occur with other vehicles or deer, animals, trees, or obstructions on the road. Also, these impacts can result in severe injuries, including brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, fractured ribs, and cardiac contusions if the airbags go off, lung damage, or, frequently, death. Front-end impacts at 40 mph or over almost always result in catastrophic injuries.

Intersection accidents can also be catastrophic, as seen above. This usually happens when a driver tries to beat a yellow light or fails to stop at a stop sign. Another factor that can cause this is the intersection’s poor design; for this, the county or Cal Trans may be partially or fully at fault. 

The above video shows what is so very dangerous about a side impact. Typically, the impact may throw the driver or passenger’s head to the side and even break the windshield glass. Very few cars have side airbags that might otherwise deploy, mitigating the injury to the occupants. Because the head often strikes the side window or door, injuries in these accidents are typically severe, with a concussion, brain injury, and upper extremity fractures joint.

This accident mostly takes place on highways and other busy roads. What makes this type of motor vehicle accident very dangerous is that it can involve many cars. Not only will you be injured, but trauma can also be in the picture right after you experience this accident. The number of possible fatalities can be horrifying, so it’s best to check your insurance coverage and claims immediately.

Another terrifying type of auto accident is the rollover. This is the situation wherein your vehicle rolls over to the other side. Head injuries are the most typical cases in this type of accident. Cars with a high center of gravity are likely unstable, especially with high speed. Take note of this if you ever own an SUV and the like.

Get to understand more about motor vehicle accidents by watching this video from the IIHS channel:

Defensive driving is the key to avoiding car accidents. If you’ve read and understood the list above, this must be your crucial takeaway. If you or a family member experiences any of the motor mentioned above vehicle accidents, please call our injury lawyers for free, friendly advice at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. See our past cases on our Verdicts and Settlements page.

^{Editor’s Note: updated for accuracy and relevancy [cha 6.28.23] Photo by Depositphotos.com}