A rear-end collision is often considered to be a minor type of car accident, especially when compared to a head-on collision or other high-speed accidents. However, rear-end accidents can still be very harmful to the occupants of a vehicle, while also causing extensive damage to a vehicle or other property. Drivers or passengers who suffer injuries can work with an attorney to determine how they can receive compensation from the driver who caused an accident.

Common Injuries in Rear-End Collisions

Even when collisions occur at low speeds, they are likely to place a great deal of stress on a person’s body, which can lead to serious injuries. Passenger vehicles weigh thousands of pounds, and the momentum of a vehicle that strikes another vehicle from behind will be transferred to the vehicle being struck and the people inside it. This can cause a person’s body to be jerked backwards and forwards, leading to injuries such as:

• Whiplash - A collision may cause a person’s head to snap back and forth suddenly. This can put strain on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the neck, and it may damage the cervical vertebrae or the spinal cord. This type of injury can cause pain and stiffness in the neck, shoulders, and arms, as well as headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Damage to the spinal cord or the vertebrae in the neck may also cause chronic pain, numbness, or paralysis in different parts of the body, and a person may require surgery or ongoing physical therapy.

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It may seem like a slip and fall accident would only result in minor injuries. Even in serious cases, most people would expect a victim’s injuries to be limited to issues such as broken bones or dislocated joints that can be painful and debilitating but not permanent. However, situations where these types of accidents lead to fatal injuries are much more common than most people would expect. In fact, falls account for around 23 percent of all preventable deaths in the United States, adding up to almost 40,000 wrongful deaths each year. When fatal slip and fall accidents occur when a person was on someone else’s property, the property owner may be held liable for any form of negligence that led to the accident.

Causes of Fatal Slip and Fall Accidents

A fall accident can be fatal if it causes a person to strike their head on the ground or another object. This can result in traumatic brain injuries, and depending on the force of the blow, these types of injuries can be severe enough to cause permanent, irreparable brain damage. If a person’s skull is fractured, pieces of bone or foreign objects may penetrate the skull and damage brain tissue. If brain damage is severe, it may cause a person to fall into a coma or permanently lose consciousness, or brain function may cease altogether, leading to death. Head injuries may also cause hemorrhaging of blood inside the cranium, placing pressure on the brain that may lead to death.

While fatal brain injuries can occur in any type of slip and fall accident, they are more likely if a person falls from a significant height. These types of accidents can occur on stairways or in stairwells at buildings such as malls or department stores, and a person may fall due to damaged steps, broken handrails, or inadequate lighting. A person may also fall from an upper level to a lower level due to missing or damaged railings, and head or neck injuries in these cases can be fatal.

Americans expect to be protected from products that could be harmful to their health. Unfortunately, there are many ways that people can become exposed to toxic chemicals and other dangerous substances. In many cases, exposure to these types of chemicals occurs because of the pesticides and herbicides used on crops. Recently, issues related to chlorpyrifos, a commonly-used pesticide, were brought to light when the federal government took steps to ban the use of this chemical on crops used for food. Those who may have been exposed to this dangerous product will want to understand its potential effects and their options for addressing the injuries they have suffered.

Dangers of Chlorpyrifos

Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide that has been in use since 1965. It has been used on multiple different types of crops, including apples, strawberries, citrus fruits, peaches, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, and soybeans. Until 2000, it was also used as a household pesticide to kill insects such as cockroaches, ants, or mosquitos.

Health advocates have been fighting against the use of chlorpyrifos for decades, and in August of 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a ruling banning the use of this pesticide on all crops used as food. The EPA stated that it was implementing this ban in order to protect the safety of children, farmworkers, and others who may be exposed to the product. The chemical had previously been banned or restricted in multiple states, including California, Oregon, New York, Maryland, and Hawaii, as well as in Canada and the European Union. 

Modern medical technology has accomplished some amazing things, and it has helped patients address many serious diseases and health conditions while improving people’s quality of life. Unfortunately, not every advancement has been beneficial, and there are some cases where treatments or devices used by medical professionals have caused harm to patients without adequately addressing their medical conditions. Defective hip replacements are one type of device that has resulted in injuries for a large number of patients. Those who have had hip replacement surgery should be sure to understand the potential risks they may face, and know that an attorney can help these patients determine their legal options.

Problems With Degrading Hip Implants

Hip replacements may be beneficial for patients who have experienced deterioration of bones or cartilage in the hip joints, injuries such as broken bones, or inflammation of tissue. Ideally, a hip replacement will provide a patient with increased mobility while reducing the pain and stiffness they experience.

As with any foreign objects that are implanted into the body, hip implants can degrade over time. The friction between the ball and socket of an artificial hip joint may cause particles to break off and affect the tissues surrounding the joint. This is a major concern for implants that use metal on metal components. When these components rub together, filings or small pieces of metal can be released, and they may enter the bloodstream and affect other parts of the body.

While nursing homes can provide much-needed care and assistance for elderly people who are unable to fully care for themselves, nursing home residents are at risk of serious harm due to abuse and neglect. Patients can suffer multiple different types of injuries because of negligence by a nursing home and its staff members. Bedsores are some of the most serious health conditions that can occur. Family members should be aware of the ways that bedsores can affect a loved one in a nursing home. By working with a personal injury attorney, they can determine whether a facility can be held responsible for these types of injuries.

Types of Bedsores

Bedsores are also referred to as pressure ulcers, and they can occur when constant pressure is placed on certain parts of the body. This can cut off blood flow, resulting in damage to the skin, as well as the underlying tissues. Nursing home residents are at risk of bedsores if they are bedridden or if they stay in the same position for extended periods of time. Bedsores can form on the areas of the body that are in constant contact with a bed or other surface, such as the hips, buttocks, shoulder blades, or heels.

Bedsores progress through different stages: