The Types of Injuries You May End Up With if a Driver Pulls Out In Front of You
Someone suddenly pulling out in front of you in traffic can be shocking and frustrating. It often leads to rear-end collisions because you have less chance to react.
So, are you at fault if someone pulls out in front of you?
Most people assume that the rear driver is always to blame, but this isn’t entirely true. Hiring an attorney will help you file a claim and establish fault. Determining the at-fault party is essential when a crash happens and leaves you nursing injuries.
Read on to discover the injuries you may sustain after a driver pulls out in front of you.
Concussion
A concussion is a mild TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) caused by a head impact. You may hit your head on the window after a driver pulls out in front of you due to braking suddenly.
Some of the symptoms of concussions are:
- Headaches
- Poor vision
- Memory loss
- Nausea and vomiting
- Drowsiness
- Ringing in the ears
Not all concussions lead to losing consciousness. It is essential to get checked by an EMT, even if you’re not showing the above symptoms.
Soft Tissue Injury
This is the damage to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Most soft tissue injuries result in bleeding muscles, leading to bruising, swelling, or discoloration.
The sudden movement of your neck muscles in a rear collision could lead to whiplash.
Seatbelt Burns
After an airbag deploys due to impact, a sensor forces your seatbelt to lock itself. This mechanism prevents you from moving, thus minimizing injury. However, the seatbelt could cause friction to your skin, resulting in a burn.
A burn can lead to hematoma because blood collects under the skin, causing bruising, blistering, and infection.
Facial Injuries
You could also get facial injuries after a driver pulls out in front of you. The force of an airbag being deployed can leave you with minor abrasions and bruising.
Other types of facial injuries include:
- Broken nose and jaws
- Fractured cheekbones
- Nosebleeds
- Swelling
- Laceration
- Contusions
Some injuries may require plastic surgery. Failure to seek treatment leads to infections.
Penetrating Injuries
Loose objects in the car fly around after an impact or slamming brakes. A foreign object could puncture your body, causing organ damage in some cases. Blunt force trauma also causes organ damage.
If you get a penetrating injury, avoid pulling out the object. Since EMTs can’t evaluate these injuries on the scene, victims are moved to a hospital for further evaluation.
Emotional Distress and PTSD
Apart from physical injuries, you may end up with anxiety, fear, embarrassment, and flashbacks. It is common for drivers to feel guilty and blame themselves, especially if someone pulling out in front of them leads to a rear collision.
All these feelings could develop into PTSD. It is best to go for counseling if you notice any behavioral changes after a traffic incident.
Conclusion
A driver pulling out in front of you in traffic could have dire consequences and injuries. Despite how minor the injury is, it is best to seek medical help. Also, consult a lawyer to help you determine the at-fault party and get a fair settlement.
