When Rear-End Auto Collisions Cause Injuries, Turn to our Sevier County Auto Accident Lawyers 

We have been protecting the rights of individuals and families in and around Sevierville, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge for more than twenty years

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),”28 percent of automobile crashes are rear-end collisions.” This makes them the largest single cause, with a slim three-percentage point lead over “loss of control” crashes. Despite all the safety equipment in new cars – headrests, seatbelts, airbags, anti-lock braking systems, and collision avoidance computers – rear-end collisions continue to cause serious, sometimes permanent injuries.

If you or a loved one was injured in a rear-end collision caused by another’s negligence, you should seek the guidance of an experienced Sevierville auto accident lawyer at Delius & McKenzie, PLLC as soon as possible. We have more than twenty years’ experience helping individuals and families in and around Sevierville, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge when negligent drivers injured them. A rear-end collision injury is no small matter. Let us put our years of experience to work for you.

What happens during a rear-end collision?

When a moving vehicle strikes the rear end of a stationary vehicle, its kinetic energy is transferred to the standing vehicle, causing it to suddenly jump forward. If the standing vehicle is behind other standing vehicles, it may be pushed into the one in front of it, and that into the one in front of it, and so on, in a kind of chain reaction. Although the kinetic energy of the original car soon dissipates, its size and speed may have given it enough kinetic energy to damage two or more vehicles ahead and cause injuries to their occupants

The typical injury to a driver whose car is struck in a rear-end collision is called “whiplash.” This is a straining of the muscles of the neck and the cervical vertebrae of the spinal column, which occurs when a rear impact causes a driver or passenger’s head to slam back into the headrest of their seat, and then rebound forward beyond the normal range of movement. Since 1968, headrests have been standard equipment on all American-built vehicles and imports, in order to restrict the head’s backward movement in case of a rear-end collision.

How serious are whiplash injuries?

A whiplash injury may cause nothing more than a stiff neck for a few days, or it may cause damage to the cervical spine and spinal cord, severe and lasting neck pain and headache, restricted head and neck motion, or even paralysis. For that reason, a medical evaluation is necessary to determine the nature and extent of any injury, and to ensure that there is no imminent danger of its becoming worse.

How a Sevier County auto accident lawyer can help you

Tennessee is a “tort liability” state, which means that someone injured in a car accident may have to sue the at-fault driver and prove his or her responsibility in order to be compensated for his or her losses. Although it is customary in some places for the rearmost driver in a chain, rear-end collision to be declared at fault, in Tennessee the plaintiff(s) still need to prove that the driver was operating his or her vehicle negligently by driving distractedly, texting, or being otherwise inattentive. Since these kinds of accidents can become complicated, you should seek the guidance of an experienced Sevierville auto accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Our lawyers help auto accident victims seek fair compensation for their losses

If you or a loved one has been injured in a rear-end collision, please do not fail to consult an experienced Sevierville auto accident attorney at Delius & McKenzie, PLLC. We offer the personal and professional attention you deserve. Contact us as soon as possible and let us begin helping you protect your rights. To schedule a no-obligation consultation with a Sevierville, Gatlinburg, or Pigeon Forge auto accident lawyer, please call 865-428-8780 or fill out our contact form.