All vehicle accidents have the potential to be catastrophic. However, certain types of vehicle accidents are deadlier. An accident is more likely to be catastrophic if a driver was moving at high speed when it occurred. Understanding the different types of catastrophic vehicle accidents make you more alert and aware of your driving habits and could save your life. The injuries suffered in catastrophic vehicle accidents are often severe, life-changing, or even fatal. Catastrophic car accidents are among the leading causes of death in the United States. These accidents have a vast destructive potential when it comes to property damage.

Several types of accidents are associated with extensive dangers and destruction. People who face these types of accidents suffer severe injuries and have to deal with massive medical costs, pain, and suffering, and lost wages for the time spent away from work. The common types of catastrophic vehicle accidents are:

Pile-up Vehicle Accidents

Pile-up vehicle accidents are not as common as other types of car accidents. However, when they occur, they are often catastrophic, resulting in extensive injuries. A pile-up vehicle accident is any accident that involves more than two vehicles. If you are involved in a pile-up vehicle accident, your car may end up being hit by many other vehicles. It is hard to escape from a pile-up vehicle accident unhurt. You can still be involved in a pile-up vehicle accident even when you are extremely careful. If you suffer injuries in a pile-up accident because of another person’s negligence, you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney to help you seek compensation.

When vehicles are involved in an accident on a busy highway, there is a high chance that other cars will join in the collision creating a chain reaction. For instance, when a vehicle strikes the vehicle in front, the struck vehicle then strikes the one in front of it, and the chain continues. The vehicles involved in the initial collision suffer the most damage as other vehicles slam them. There is a higher risk of flying debris, explosions, and fires in a pile-up vehicle accident, which further adds to the damages.

Head-On Collisions

These accidents occur when two vehicles hit each other head-on. Rear-end collisions are among the most catastrophic types of vehicle accidents judging by the number of fatalities that result from the accidents. Even at low speeds, head-on collisions result in extensive damages because they involve intense force and momentum. Vehicle occupants often experience an abrupt stop or reversal in their forward momentum, resulting in severe injuries, mainly whiplash injuries. A significant percentage of deaths resulting from vehicle accidents in the US occur due to head-on collisions. These accidents contribute to almost a quarter of all road fatalities in the United States, even if they are less common than rear-end collisions.

Mainly, head-on collisions occur due to the negligence of one vehicle driver. A head-on collision can occur if a driver swerves into oncoming traffic or gets into the wrong lane. The other leading causes of head-on collisions include drunk driving, driver fatigue, and distracted driving. When a driver is distracted, they can easily drift into the oncoming traffic lane.

The injuries sustained in a head-on collision are often catastrophic because when the accident occurs, the people in the front seats absorb the full force of the accident. If vehicles are traveling at 40mph and collide, the impact will be almost similar to that of cars moving at 80mph, given Newton’s Third Law. Because the driver gets the full force of the impact, head-on collisions often result in fatalities. The driver is likely to hit the windshield if they are not wearing a seatbelt. Even if the driver is wearing a seatbelt, the impact will still be significant.

Side-Impact Collisions

A side-impact collision, also known as a T-bone accident or broadside accident, occurs when a vehicle hits the side of another vehicle, forming a T figure. A T-bone accident is catastrophic because the car's sides do not offer ample protection to the vehicle occupants. Vehicles are complete with bumper systems and bumper zones, which protect vehicle occupants in a front or rear car collision. However, the side door is flimsy and does not provide much protection to the car occupants. When a side-impact collision occurs, the striking vehicle hits the other with its bumper. The occupants of the striking vehicle will have the protection of the bumper and the crumple zone. The same does not apply to the impacted vehicle. The occupants of the broadsided car will suffer more extensive injuries and have a higher risk of fatalities.

Side-impact collisions are the second most deadly type of accident after head-on collisions. Side-impact collisions can occur at intersections, parking lots, or on multi-lane roads. Given the frequency of side-impact collisions, many vehicle manufacturers ate equipping their vehicles with additional features like side-curtain airbags to minimize impact in case of a side-impact collision. When purchasing a car, it is essential to ensure that you consider NHTSA's side-impact rating or its IIHS rating for side impact.

Rollover Vehicle Accidents

There are several reasons why a rollover car accident can occur. For instance, an accident can happen if you turn your vehicle too hard to avoid a collision. Only a tiny percentage of vehicle accident fatalities are attributed to rollover accidents, but this is mainly due to their rarity. Compared to other types of accidents, rollover accidents are relatively uncommon. If these accidents occurred more often, they would contribute to many severe injuries and fatalities.

In a rollover accident, the vehicle occupants are often ejected fully or partially from the vehicle. The occupants may suffer severe injuries when they hit the asphalt. Some passengers also end up being trapped in the cars. Cars with a higher center of gravity are more prone to rollover accidents. Therefore, the accidents often involve narrow, tall, and weighty vehicles.

The leading causes of rollover accidents are:

  • Speeding — Speeding makes it harder for a driver to control their vehicle in case of an emergency, often resulting in a rollover accident. While driving at high speed, a driver will have less time between perceiving a hazard and coming to a stop. This could result in a sudden swerve or an over-reaction, causing a rollover accident. In the majority of rollover accidents, speeding is a factor.
  • An accident may also occur due to too much tire grip, resulting in excessive sideways forces. This is particularly common in Pickup trucks and SUVs fitted with sporty tires that provide more grip.
  • Excessively worn-out tires that do not provide ample grip could also lead to a rollover accident. Worn out tires reduce a vehicle’s ability to grip the road, resulting in skidding.
  • Overloading a vehicle puts a strain on the tires, making it harder for a car to maneuver, and this could make a vehicle tip over, especially if the load shifts during transport.
  • Exit ramps and curved roads could also lead to rollover vehicle accidents.
  • Fatigue could make a driver drive off the road, increasing the chances of a rollover accident.
  • Wet and icy roads are also leading causes of rollover vehicle accidents in California.

Common Injuries In Catastrophic Vehicle Accidents

Catastrophic vehicle accidents are violent accidents that often result in severe injuries. The severity of the damages will vary depending on the type of accident. The injuries will also vary depending on whether the vehicle occupants were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the collision. For example, failure to wear a seatbelt may result in a person being ejected from the vehicle in a rollover accident. The safety features in a car will also determine the extent of injuries suffered in a catastrophic accident. The typical injuries sustained in a catastrophic accident are:

Severe Burns

Severe burns are some of the injuries that you can sustain in a catastrophic vehicle accident. Burns can be life-threatening, especially if you suffer third or fourth-degree burns covering large parts of the body. These burns will affect the layers on your skin and the tissues beneath. Treatment for severe burns includes plastic surgery, skin grafts, and rehabilitation. Even after treatment, severe burns could lead to permanent nerve injuries. The victims might suffer permanent scarring and disfigurement. In some instances, severe burns could lead to a lifetime of chronic pain and loss of motion.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

The brain is susceptible to injury, and the intense force that results from a catastrophic vehicle injury could lead to swelling and brain hemorrhage. Whenever the brain suffers an injury, it bleeds and swells, damaging the healthy brain tissues. Traumatic brain injuries can be fatal if they are not treated appropriately and on time. A traumatic car accident could cause traumatic brain injuries in several ways. For instance, the victim’s head could slam on the window, the dashboard, or against the headrest, resulting in bleeding. In other cases, a vehicle part might detach from the wreckage and strike a victim's head, causing traumatic brain injuries. Even if a victim does not experience any of the outlined scenarios, they might still suffer severe brain injuries.

Brain injuries are complicated to diagnose. After an accident, you may not even know that you have suffered a brain injury. After involvement in a severe vehicle accident, it is essential to ensure that you undergo a thorough medical evaluation to determine the extent of your injuries. You may not feel any pain in the aftermath of an accident because you will still be numb and in shock. A time medical evaluation will enable the doctor to determine whether you have signs of traumatic brain injury to help you start timely treatment. A thorough medical examination will provide you with the evidence you need to seek compensation for the injuries suffered in a catastrophic vehicle accident.

Severe Bone Fractures

Bones can fracture when they are exposed to high impact and stress. Severe bone fractures are among the most common injuries in catastrophic vehicle accidents. There are different types of bone fractures, classified by their level of severity. The most severe type of fracture is known as a compound bone fracture that causes the bone to puncture the skin. The treatment for compound bone fractures includes surgery to enable the surgeon to clean out the bone material and position the bone correctly.

The surgeon may have to use metal plates and screws to join the bone together. Bone fractures will take a significant period to heal. The healing process will depend on the victim’s health status. As a victim of a catastrophic car accident, you are likely to have numerous fractured bones, and this could make it difficult for you to return to work or to carry out your day-to-day activities. The healing process will depend on the specific bone fracture you suffer. For instance, if you break a hip bone, the healing process will be longer. An older person will take longer to recover from a bone fracture than a young person whose bones are still developing.

Internal Organ Damages

Internal organ damages are also common in catastrophic car accidents. Internal organ damage can be life-threatening, just like traumatic brain injuries. It is often challenging to diagnose internal damage immediately after an accident. Internal organs are sensitive and delicate, making them susceptible to damage when exposed to the force of an accident. The typical internal injuries include a rapture kidney or liner. Internal bleeding is also a common aftermath of catastrophic vehicle accidents.

You might end up developing life-threatening conditions when internal bleeding goes on for too long. The majority of accident victims who suffer internal organ damage do not make it to the hospital. Even if you survive internal organ damage, you are likely to be subject to an extended hospital stay and multiple surgeries. Organ damage could also have detrimental effects like permanent impairment and disability.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries have devastating effects and could make you experience paraplegia or quadriplegia, depending on the injury’s location. If you suffer a spinal cord injury around the neck area, you may experience quadriplegia, whereby you cannot move your four limbs. If you suffer a spinal cord injury in your lower back, you may suffer paralysis in your legs. Spinal cord injuries are often excruciating, especially when they are catastrophic and could alter your life forever. One day you might be driving your vehicle to work, and the next day you are bedridden, unable to move your limbs.

Traumatic spinal cord injuries could cost you millions of dollars in your lifetime, especially if the accident happens to a younger person. If you suffer a spinal cord injury in a catastrophic vehicle accident, you should pursue a personal injury lawsuit to help you access the financial resources needed to take care of yourself in the long term.

Compensation Available After A Traumatic Car Accident

A catastrophic car accident creates significant financial damage, especially when you have to take some time away from work to recover from your injuries. If you suffer injuries in a catastrophic car accident caused by another person’s negligence, you are entitled to compensation to provide you with the resources you need to recover and resume your everyday life. A catastrophic car accident will result in payment for the following injuries:

Medical Expenses

This is a reimbursement for the expenses you incur in seeking treatment for the injuries sustained in a catastrophic accident. This will cover the cost of pain medication, physical therapy, and hospital stays. The injuries you suffer may create a need for ongoing medical care. When seeking compensation for medical bills, you should consider the current medical expenses and the expenses you will incur in seeking future treatment for your injuries.

Lost Wages

You may have to spend some time away from work after an accident as you recuperate from your injuries. You are entitled to compensation for the time you spend away from work. You may also seek compensation for loss of earning capacity, especially if you suffer extensive injuries that affect your ability to work in the future.

Pain And Suffering

This is compensation for the physical and mental anguish resulting from suffering injuries in an accident. It is often complicated to express pain and suffering in monetary terms, and this is where an attorney comes in.

Punitive Damages

In cases involving car accidents, punitive damages are relatively rare. The court may award victims punitive damages if they feel that the defendant was particularly negligent or irresponsible. For instance, if the catastrophic accident occurred due to drunk driving, the court may order the drunk driver to pay punitive damages to the victims.

Wrongful Death Compensation

This compensation is available to the victim's dependents or surviving relatives if the victim succumbs to the injuries suffered in the catastrophic accident. People who can file a wrongful death claim to seek compensation include the victim’s children (both biological and adopted), spouse, parent, grandparent, grandchildren, or any other dependent that was relying on the victim.

The victims of catastrophic vehicle accidents can also access compensation for loss of consortium, property damage, and loss of enjoyment in life.

Find a Personal Injury Attorney Near Me

If you suffer injuries in a catastrophic car accident and you are wondering how to go about seeking compensation for your injuries, we invite you to contact the Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney. Our experienced attorneys will evaluate your case, identify liable parties and help you seek compensation. Contact us at 424-231-2013 and speak to one of our attorneys.