Any time you are involved in a Virginia car wreck, serious injuries can occur. However, some types of crashes are statistically more dangerous than others. One of the most serious types of wrecks is called a “head-on collision”, which happens when the front of one car smashes into the front of another car.
Since these accidents typically happen when vehicles traveling in opposite directions collide, the results can be deadly. When vehicles hit head-on, the force of the impact on vehicle occupants is equal to the combined speed they were traveling. For example, if two cars collide head on and both were traveling 40 miles per hour, the occupants in each vehicle will experience a crash that feels like they were going 80 miles per hour.
How are head on collisions caused? Most of the time head on crashes happen when a driver veers out of their lane into oncoming traffic and strikes an oncoming vehicle. This can happen if the driver is drunk, distracted, or sleepy.
Head on collisions often result in debilitating injuries
The injuries that happen in head-on collisions are made worse when vehicle occupants are not wearing their seat belts. The very strong force put on an occupant in this type of crash means that without a seat belt, occupants are likely to be thrown from the car. The chance of serious injury or fatality goes up dramatically if a vehicle occupant is thrown from the car, as they have absolutely no protection against outside obstacles or other vehicles.
Injuries from head-on collisions can include traumatic brain injury (TBI), skull fractures, head trauma, spinal cord damage, fractures (especially of the feet, ankles, legs, or hips if the lower body is crushed in a crash), contusions, paralysis, limb loss, disfigurement, and more. In bad wrecks one or more vehicle occupants may die from their injuries or be disabled for life.
Protect yourself: please seek legal help after a serious wreck
When serious injuries happen in a Virginia car wreck, it is in the victim’s best interest to seek help from a skilled auto accident attorney. Since these cases involved high monetary compensation, insurance companies will often push back – hard. In addition, victims must ensure that they have thought about their future and the type of care they will need long term, as well as the type of work they may or may not be able to do going forward.
Please contact us today to speak with an experienced Virginia car wreck lawyer in Culpeper or Warrenton who will help you get the compensation that you need to recover after a tragic car accident.
DULANEY, LAUER & THOMAS, LLP
Warrenton Office
98 Alexandria Pike, Suite 11
Warrenton, VA 20186
Toll Free: 888.907.2631
Local: 540.349.2631
Culpeper Office
209 N. West Street
Culpeper, VA 22701
Toll Free: 800.741.1012
Local: 540.825.6046
