Can Fender Benders Result in Serious Injuries?

Many dismiss fender benders as minor accidents with no real consequences. However, they can still result in serious injuries that affect the victims’ health, well-being, and financial stability.

If you or a loved one has been in a fender bender, you can hold the responsible parties accountable. Learn the risks of being involved in these accidents, what steps you should take to protect yourself, and why you may need a Syracuse car accident lawyer.

What Is a Fender Bender?

A fender bender is a low-speed collision that often occurs in parking lots, at stop signs, or during slow-moving traffic. Some of the most common causes of fender benders include:

• Tailgating: When another driver follows too closely behind you, they may lack the distance needed to react to your braking or slowing down. This increases the risk of causing a rear-end collision with your vehicle.

• Speeding: Driving too fast, particularly in inclement weather, reduces reaction time and increases the vehicle’s stopping distance. A reckless driver going over the speed limit may not be able to avoid hitting your vehicle.

• Distracted Driving: Using a phone, eating, or engaging in other distractions can cause a driver to fail to react in time, resulting in a fender bender.

• Poor Weather Conditions: Rain, snow, and ice reduce traction, meaning vehicles need longer distances to stop when braking. A driver failing to consider the weather may brake too late and hit your vehicle, especially in stop-and-go traffic or at intersections.

Even at low speeds, these accidents can still cause serious harm. The sudden impact can jolt your body, leading to injuries that may not appear immediately but can have lasting effects.

Common Injuries From Fender Benders

Your body can be injured in many ways after any collision, even seemingly minor ones like fender benders. Here are some of the most common injuries accident victims may face and how they can affect daily life:

• Whiplash: A rear-end collision can snap your head forward and back like a whip, straining the muscles and ligaments in your neck. This can lead to chronic pain, stiffness, headaches, and even dizziness, making everyday tasks like driving, working, or even sleeping difficult.

• Spinal Cord Injuries: The force of impact often compresses the spine, leading to herniated discs, chronic back pain, or even nerve damage. In severe cases, this can cause limited mobility or weakness in the arms and legs, making it difficult to stand, sit for long periods, or carry out daily activities.

• Concussion: If your head strikes the steering wheel, dashboard, or even the headrest, you could suffer a concussion. Symptoms may not appear right away, but dizziness, nausea, memory problems, and confusion can develop hours or even days later, affecting your ability to focus at work or perform simple tasks.

• Soft Tissue Injuries: A sudden jolt in a fender bender can stretch or tear muscles, tendons, and ligaments, causing lingering pain, swelling, and mobility issues. These injuries might not seem serious initially, but they can make lifting objects, bending, or even turning your head painful for weeks or months.

Steps to Take After a Fender Bender

Many injuries, especially soft tissue damage, concussions, and spinal injuries, don’t present symptoms immediately but can worsen over time. Adrenaline and shock often mask pain, making it easy to overlook an underlying issue until hours or even days later.

Failing to seek medical care right away could delay your recovery and give insurance companies a reason to downplay your claim. To protect your health and your legal rights, follow these steps:

• Call 911: Call the police after any collision. Even in a minor accident, law enforcement will create an official report.

• Exchange Information: Get the other driver’s contact details, insurance information, and vehicle description. If witnesses are present, collect their statements and contact information.

• Document the Scene: Take photos of vehicle damage, road conditions, and visible injuries. This evidence can help support your case if symptoms develop later.

• Seek Medical Attention Immediately: Even if you don’t feel hurt, schedule a medical evaluation as soon as possible. Conditions like whiplash, concussions, and back injuries can lead to chronic pain and long-term complications if left untreated.
  
• Report the Accident: If anyone involved was injured, or if the crash resulted in more than $1,000 of property damage, the law requires you to report the accident to the New York Department of Motor Vehicles (NY DMV).

• Consult a Lawyer: Once you’ve received medical care, talk to a Syracuse car accident lawyer about your legal options. An attorney can help you manage your insurance claim and pursue compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Work With Experienced Syracuse Car Accident Lawyers

Don’t underestimate a fender bender’s impact on your health, finances, and well-being. An irresponsible driver hitting your vehicle at low speeds can cause costly injuries, disrupting your daily life and ability to work.

In situations like these, you need an experienced advocate to protect your rights and help you secure the compensation you need to recover. The Syracuse car accident lawyers at Catalano Law have represented the interests of accident victims in New York for more than three decades.

Contact our law offices for a free consultation.