A fender bender is a minor motor vehicle collision. There is nothing that separates accidents from fender benders. Instead, a fender bender is a type of accident.
Fender benders are typically defined by the minimal amount of damage to the vehicles involved. And at first glance, an accident being no more serious than a fender bender may seem like a blessing. You just check that the other driver is ok and go about your business. No need to make a fuss.
But just because your car seems to have only suffered minor scratches or dents does not mean a fender bender cannot do serious harm to your body. Some of the injuries you may suffer because of a fender bender include:
External and Internal Bleeding
Everyone is familiar with external bleeding. Even if you have gone this far in life without bleeding, you know someone that has. And it is obvious to everyone when external bleeding is serious, and when it is not so much.
Internal bleeding, on the other hand, is something many people are not familiar with at all. Internal bleeding can usually go unnoticed until more serious symptoms manifest. Those can include, but are not limited to, weakness or numbness or tingling in a particular part of your body, sever headaches, and the feeling of pressure on your internal organs. Because it is not visible like normal external bleeding, it is possible to go without noticing that you have internal bleeding for such a time that you may experience dangerous and costly complications.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI), Including Concussions.
There is no question that head injuries, particularly brain injuries, are incredibly dangerous. Our brains are fragile organs that cannot withstand very much rapid movement or impacts. And while immediate treatment may be costly, the long-term effects and costs can be even greater. And while severity may differ by person and incident, immediate diagnosis and treatment is best for mitigating those effects and costs. It is possible to suffer a TBI and not know or notice. Do not hesitate to seek medical attention just because you were in a “minor fender bender”.
Whiplash and Other Head and Neck Injuries
The most common symptom of whiplash is neck pain. But symptoms can also include restricted movement, dizziness, fatigue, and headaches. Severe whiplash can cause tinnitus (a constant ringing in the ears) lack of sleep, and irritability. Untreated whiplash can cause chronic neck and back pain and permanent restricted movement. And whiplash can be cause by a rear ending as slow as 8 mph. That is incredibly slow and can cause an incredible amount of physical damage.
Damage to Your Internal Organs, Including Bruising and Bleeding.
We already discussed the dangers of internal bleeding and why you should immediately seek medical attention after a fender bender. But internal bruising, particularly to your internal organs can be just as, if not far more, dangerous as internal bleeding.
This might seem counter intuitive. After all, external bruising, why possibly more painful, if generally thought of as less dangerous than external bleeding. However, a bruise on your skin or your muscle in nothing compared to a bruise on a vital internal organ. Bruises can interfere with the function of a vital organ and cause serious complications if allowed to go untreated. Do not assume that the internal pain you feel after a “minor fender bender” will go away and not cause any problems.
Damage to Your Bones and Muscles, Including Bruising and Contusions
Muscle and bone bruising can be incredibly limiting to your movement. This can present a major problem if your job or lifestyle includes any amount of physical movement. Any bone or muscle bruising could result in loss of wages and a diminished quality of life (compensated through pain and suffering damages).
Broken Bones
Broken bones are painful. They require medical attention and limit your movement far more than bone and muscle bruising. Likewise, they can result in loss of wages, pain and suffering, and will usually include medical expenses for x-ray’s, casts, and medications. All of this will cost you in some form or another. And all of this can be compensated for when you hire an attorney with experience in motor vehicle accidents.
Facial Injuries, Including Bruising, Cuts, Broken Bones, and Scarring.
Just as relatively slow fender benders can cause whiplash, even the slowest fender benders can cause facial injuries, especially if your airbags deploy. Facial injuries can range in severity, but all of them can leave long lasting effects, such as scarring. Broken noses, bruised eyes, and broken jaws are all possible when a multi-ton vehicle hits your vehicle, regardless of how slow it may be moving.
Broken and Lost Teeth.
Dental work can be incredibly expensive. And your teeth and mouth area are generally very sensitive to pain. The damages from a tooth injury, or even worse if multiple teeth are broken or loss, are a combination of the costs to fix or replace your teeth as well as the enormous amount of pain that you are likely to suffer as a result. A tooth injury can lead to a lot of pain from what a lot of people consider to be a minor accident.
Fender benders may generally be considered as minor accidents, but they can lead to a lot of pain and suffering for which you deserve compensation.
It may take some time after a fender bender to notice that you have been physically injured. And in that time, you may decide that there is no need to get the other drivers’ information or contact the police about the accident. But know that fender benders can be as harmful as large wrecks.
Medical expenses for fender benders can wind up being so much more than you would have thought at the time of the accident. And to make sure the responsible party pays for your medical treatment, you need to hire an experienced personal injury lawyer that has served the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas for years. The personal injury attorneys at Kenny Perez law will fight to see you recover from your accident and have the responsible party cover your medical expenses.
If you were in in a fender bender, do not wait before seeking medical attention and contacting a lawyer. Any time between injury and treatment can lead to aggravations, more intense pain, and long-lasting effects. Seek medical attention, then contact Kenny Perez Law to get started with your claim and hold the other party responsible for your injuries. When you need a lawyer that fights for you, when you need a Brownsville lawyer, you need Kenny Perez Law—a law firm you can trust.
