After being involved in any type of car crash, you’ll most likely be advised to visit your nearest emergency room as soon as possible. Even if you are not in pain and do not notice any injuries right away, you’ll be advised to seek medical attention regardless. This advice is given as a precaution due to the fact that many symptoms from car accident injuries appear in a delayed manner.

Why are car accident injury symptoms often delayed? The answer to this question has to do with the trauma of being in a car accident and the toll that trauma takes on our bodies. Everyone reacts differently during traumatic experiences and being involved in a car accident is one such example of a traumatic event. We can never prepare 100% for a car accident so being in one is inherently traumatic and comes as a shock.

There were almost 8,000 truck crashes in the state of Kentucky alone in 2013. Over 2,000 of those accidents resulted in injuries or fatalities. After looking at these numbers, there’s no denying the fact that semi and commercial truck accidents cause a lot of devastation on Kentucky’s roadways.

Many of the deadliest trucking accidents are crashes involving the underride of a semi-truck. These collisions happen when a passenger vehicle strikes a tractor trailer from the side. In worst-case scenarios, the top of the car becomes sheared off, often instantaneously decapitating the passengers inside. It’s estimated that at least 200 people are killed every year in the U.S. from underride crashes.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 70,000 pedestrian accidents happen every year in the United States.  Nearly 5,000 of these accidents are fatal.  Pedestrians are 1.5 times more likely to be killed in a vehicle collision than a vehicle passenger.  Additionally, thousands of pedestrians are injured every year due to poor parking lot maintenance, sidewalk defects, and construction debris.

Whether the accident involves a vehicle or a property defect, injured pedestrians may recover damages if someone else’s negligence caused the accident to occur.  This money can be used to help pay for medical expenses, lost wages, and emotional suffering.

From the second you first notice brake lights flashing and tires squealing as a car crash happens before your eyes, your heart begins to race. You may frantically slam on your brakes or swerve to get out of the way of a tumbling passenger car or semi-truck. You may fumble for your phone, say a few prayers, or just close your eyes and wait for it to be over. There’s one thing you’re doing for certain at the onset of an accident if you have children, however. You’re going to do everything you can to keep them safe.

Here are 3 ways to protect your children during a car accident:

Get Off the Road

If you have room to maneuver the vehicle safely, turn off the road if possible or merge into other available lanes. If you see an out-of-control car heading your way, a quick swerve in the right direction can save the lives of everyone in your vehicle. Even if you’re clear of the crash itself, you may want to change lanes or get off the road immediately regardless. You never know when a piece of debris will head in your direction.

Personal injury law allows an injured person to be financially compensated when someone else’s negligent or intentional behavior caused them harm.  There are many types of personal injury cases involving many types of injuries.  Here are a few of the most common:

Car, truck, or motorcycle accidents are the most common personal injury case in the United States.  This is because these accidents are often the result of an at fault driver who was not following the rules of the road or was driving recklessly.  Careless drivers legally can be held financially responsible for injuries that result from an accident that their behavior caused.

Riding a bicycle is a fun and healthy form of transportation. It is a great way to get exercise and help the environment by reducing the amount of toxic motor vehicle emissions released into the air.  But riding a bicycle can be dangerous because there is nothing to protect you if you crash.  Practicing good habits when you ride can help make riding a bicycle a safe and enjoyable way for you to travel.

Wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet.  A helmet is your most important protection and best defense in an accident.  A properly fitted helmet can protect your brain from the dangerous impact of hitting the hard ground.  Bicycle helmets have been estimated to reduce the odds of head injury by 50 percent and the odds of head, face, and neck injury by 33 percent.  Should you find yourself in a crash, a helmet can sav

Simple physics dictates that a crash between a large object and small object will result in greater damage to the small object.  The size of semi trucks makes them extremely dangerous when they are involved in an accident with a smaller vehicle.  Big trucks are substantially heavier than cars.  The average passenger car weighs 3,500 pounds.  The average pickup truck weighs 8,500 pounds.  And the maximum weight in the United States is 80,000 pounds over 18 wheels.  That differential is often the difference between life and death in a crash between a car and a semi truck.

Semi trucks are also much longer than cars.  The length of an 18-wheeler means it takes longer for a passenger car to pass it, increasing the risk of accident.  Some even pull two trailers, further increasing their length and weight.  These double semi trucks have a 11 to 15% higher crash rate than single trailer semi trucks.

Truck accidents are different from regular car accidents because the truck driver and the company that employs the driver can both be held liable.  Truck drivers are required to follow company policies for safe driving and protocol for how to handle accidents when they occur.  Failure to do so can leave them and their employer liable for damages.  Knowing what to do after a truck accident can help you avoid making key mistakes that hurt your case.

Do not skip getting a police report.  A police report is an important part of your case.  An initial evaluation of the accident may appear as though little to no damage has been done.  And it may seem excessive to keep everyone involved waiting at the scene for an officer to arrive.  Even if it seems unnecessary, it is better to take the time to file an official report.  This provides official documentation of the crash, when and how it occurred, and will certainly be useful later in court.

Wrongful death law applies when the defendant’s actions have resulted in the death of the victim, leaving behind surviving family members and dependents whose lives will suffer because of the victim’s absence. The purpose of these laws is to compensate the survivors, not the deceased victim.

Early American courts did not acknowledge wrongful death law. Instead, they followed a rule that said when the victim died the right to bring a case died with them. Lawmakers have come to realize the injustice of this rule and wrongdoers can no longer escape liability simply because their actions were severe enough to cause death of the victim. All fifty states now have some form of wrongful death law.

Over the last decade, social media has transformed the way the world communicates.  According to the Pew Research Center, 79% of adults today have a social media profile.  Social media allows people to share thoughts, ideas, interests, and images on the internet with anyone they choose.

With people sharing so much personal information online, it would seem natural to post and share the details of a life changing accident.  But making this private information public in the months following an accident can be detrimental to a personal injury claim.

Individuals making personal injury claims are typically seeking compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.  They want to be financially compensated for the reduction in their quality of life.  The task for the prosecution is to prove that lingering pain is preventing the victim from doing activities that they would normally have been able to enjoy.