Minor Injuries Reported in State Route 299 Head-On Collision
A two-vehicle head-on collision occurred on July 20 west of Redding that resulted in minor injuries. The accident happened around 2:18 in the afternoon at State Route 299 near State Route 3 near Weaverville, according to the collision report by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). When officers arrived, they discovered that a pickup and 4-door sedan had collided but were not blocking the roadway. The road was closed temporarily while the accident scene was investigated and a spill from one of the vehicles was cleaned up. The cause of the accident is being investigated to determine which driver was at fault.
Head-On Collisions Often Cause Severe Injuries
Traffic accidents involving head-on collisions are among the most dangerous types of crashes. On impact, traumatic injuries and fatalities are often caused by the combined speeds of both vehicles. In the case of two vehicles moving at 55 mph each, their combined speed can reach 110 mph upon impact, which can be devastating to those inside. There are many types of injuries that can happen because of a head-on collision, including:
- Bone fractures: Broken bones are common in most types of traffic accidents, but at a high-speed collision such as a head-on, displaced and compression fractures can occur, which are more serious.
- Traumatic brain injuries: An individual may suffer a traumatic brain injury caused by impacting the vehicle’s interior or windshield as well as being ejected. Traumatic brain injuries at high speeds are often serious and sometimes fatal.
- Abdominal injuries: Airbags or seat restraints can cause abdominal trauma when a head-on collision occurs due to the force of the impact. There may also be internal bleeding and organ damage, which require emergency surgery due to their life-threatening nature.
- Chest injuries: As a result of crashing into the steering wheel or dash as well as the deployment of airbags, it is possible to suffer chest injuries. Ribs may be fractured, or a lung might collapse due to this impact.
- Amputations: Amputation of a digit, arm or leg sometimes happens in a high-speed head-on collision.
- Spinal cord damage: Partial or complete paralysis may result from spinal cord trauma, depending on where the break occurs. People who are paralyzed from the neck down require either full-time care at home or placement in a nursing home.
Obtaining Compensation After a Head-On Collision
Those suffering injuries due to a negligent driver may be able to recover, with the assistance of an accident attorney, the following compensation:
- Medical: A head-on crash can result in a wide range of medical expenses, and these costs can be recovered. Among these are ambulance fees, hospitalizations, medical tests, medications and rehabilitation. Future medical expenses from an ongoing injury are also covered.
- Wages: A person who cannot work due to an injury can recover their lost wages. Injuries that prevent people from working, place them in lower-paying jobs or cause them to become permanently disabled can have those monetary losses factored into their settlement.
- Pain and suffering: The amount of compensation for pain and suffering can depend on the severity of the injuries and the length of time to recover. In addition to the physical pain, compensation can be claimed for the psychological and emotional trauma the accident caused.
Personal Injury Attorneys in Redding
I am Ed Smith, a Redding personal injury attorney. When you’ve suffered injuries in an accident that was someone else’s fault, you may want to think about filing a claim to recover compensation. You can contact us at (530) 392-9400 for free and friendly advice, or phone us at (800) 404-5400. We can be reached online also.
Our injury lawyers have helped many people over the years in recovering fair compensation, as you can see at the links below:
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Photo attribution: Image by Vladyslav Topyekha from Pixabay
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