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Low speed road accidents
Compensation for low speed road accident claims
Low Speed Impact Car Accidents
Road traffic accidents are becoming more and more complex. What were once open and shut cases have become complex due to common low speed impact argument raised by defendants. Low Speed impacts are those that take pace at speeds under 10mph. The defendants argue that the impact was of such a low speed that no injury could have been suffered. Often in these cases there is very little damage to the vehicle. If there is little damage to the bumper the defendant’s then argue that no injury could have been sustained following the car accident. Bumpers are rigid structures. They are built to avoid property damage not prevent whiplash. Due to the rigid structure, the energy is transferred to the occupants of the vehicle. Therefore the car may look in tact even though there has been a serious impact. This is because the force of the impact has passed through the car which the injured part was sat in.
Car accidents effect individuals in different ways
Other factors to take into account are the occupant’s age, gender and body mass. Moreover the position of the occupant when the vehicle was struck is of significance. For example if an occupant is not expecting an impact they do not have chance to brace themselves. With regards to body mass tall people are at greater risk of “Whiplash”. This is due to the fact that they are most likely to have head rests which are too low to be of any help at impact. Moreover occupants with less muscle mass have a greater chance of being injured. Due to the fact that there are so many variables every case is different and it may well be that expert engineer evidence is required. Therefore in conclusion accidents at low speed impacts can cause injury in particular whiplash injuries. Following an accident it is prudent to seek medical attention if you are suffering symptoms. Moreover there may well be damage to your vehicle which is not apparent on a cursory glance.
