Rear-End Collision Injuries and How You Can Recover

Attorneys of Chicago | April 9, 2025 | Car Accident

Rear-end collisions are the most common types of car accidents in the country. They can occur for a variety of reasons, from distracted driving to speeding, and they can result in many kinds of injuries that could leave you with mounting medical bills. 

Rear-end crashes occur when the front of one car hits the back of another. The injuries that you may sustain will depend on many factors, including how fast the vehicles were traveling at the moment of impact. 

If the injuries you sustained occurred because of another party’s conduct, can you file a claim? Learn more about rear-end collision injuries and what your options are for recovery of your losses. 

Whiplash 

When another vehicle rear-ends your car, your head moves forward and backward in a whip-like motion. This can lead your neck muscles to strain, resulting in one of the most common car accident injuries: whiplash. Whiplash can be extremely painful and can potentially limit how much you can move your neck for days after the crash. 

Chest Injuries

Your body can jerk forward during a rear-end collision, causing your seat belt to tighten around you. At the same time, the airbag can deploy with significant force. If the car is traveling fast enough, you can suffer bruising to your ribs and chest. Sometimes, airbags can even break rib bones, which could put you at risk of suffering internal damage. 

Facial Injuries

During a rear-end collision, you may hit your head on the airbag, steering wheel, dashboard, or any other surface. That could result in a broken nose and even scarring that could require reconstructive procedures. 

Back Injuries

Back injuries can be severe in accidents that occur at high speeds. These injuries could be anything from herniated discs to spinal cord injuries. 

Head Injuries

If you hit your head during the crash hard enough for your brain to move in your skull, you could suffer a traumatic brain injury like a concussion. Head trauma could leave you with lasting cognitive issues.

How To Recover Compensation 

After being in a rear-end collision that leaves you with injuries, you may be entitled to file a claim against the other party. Because Illinois is a state that follows fault-based traffic accident laws, you must demonstrate that the other person caused the collision. 

Proving that negligence occurred means proving that the defendant did not behave with the care that others would have shown in the same situation. This means that the other party had a responsibility toward you that they failed to live up to, resulting in your injuries. 

Sometimes, these requirements are easy to prove. If the other party was intoxicated while driving, for example, fault can be established without too much issue.

But what if you were partly to blame for the collision? If that’s the case, you may still be able to recover losses as long as you don’t bear the majority of the fault. However, it’s vital that you hire representation to help you. 

Seek Legal Help After a Rear-End Collision

If another party’s conduct resulted in a crash that led you to suffer injuries, you may be entitled to file a claim for compensation. Without a lawyer, insurance companies can try to place more of the blame on you than you deserve. This could prevent you from recovering anything. With a lawyer by your side, you can fight for your rights. 

Contact Our Chicago Car Accident Law Firm For Help Today

If you’ve been injured in an accident in Chicago, Illinois, and need legal help, contact our experienced car accident lawyers at Attorneys of Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation today.

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