Of the many different types of car accidents, the rear-end collision is one of the most common. It is also one of the most dangerous in terms of the potential for injury. Many victims of rear-end collisions suffer serious soft tissue injuries, which can lead to years of pain and disability. Such a car accident occurred in downtown Billings recently. In this case, all three victims were children.
The accident happened at about 3:15 on a weekday afternoon. The children were passengers in a Ford Taurus sedan, which was rear-ended by a Dodge pickup truck. The children were not seriously injured, but were taken to a local hospital by ambulance to be checked out just in case.
It is not clear from news reports who was at fault in this case. If there is evidence the truck driver was negligent and caused the accident, the children, through their parents or guardians, will have the right to bring a claim for their injuries. Damages that are recoverable include medical expenses and pain and suffering. Claims like this are usually paid by insurance.
One of the problems with the type of soft tissue injuries sustained in an auto accident is that the injuries can take weeks or even months to fully manifest themselves. That’s why it is important not to settle a claim with a negligent driver’s insurance company too soon after the accident. It is a good practice to wait about a year before attempting to resolve the case. After that passage of time, the long term effects of the injury will have become apparent and a medical expert can usually give an opinion as to the permanence of the injury and the likely prognosis going forward.
Source: KTVQ.com, “Mid-afternoon accident in downtown Billings,” July 17, 2013
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