Rochester Personal Injury Law Blog

When people consider the consequences that are associated with motor vehicle wrecks, many think about injuries such as broken bones, brain trauma or other physical problems people face following a crash. Some people lose their lives in these collisions and people are also aware of the financial consequences that may result from a traffic accident, such as expensive hospital bills and losing the ability to earn a living temporarily or permanently. However, there are other ways these crashes shatter a person’s life. For some car accident victims, the emotional toll of an accident can be overwhelming.

Some people who are involved in a crash may have nightmares or experience high levels of anxiety as a result of the collision. Other emotional challenges include depression and, in some cases, anger. For example, a car crash victim may be upset that someone chose to drive drunk and cause an accident which claimed their loved one’s life or caused them to experience significant challenges. Even after physical wounds have healed and financial problems have been resolved, these emotional difficulties may remain.

With the arrival of spring, many people begin to focus on lawn maintenance, from homeowners to those who run outdoor maintenance companies. Often, people use riding lawn mowers to maintain a lawn. Unfortunately, these riding mowers can be especially risky for a number of reasons. Aside from rollovers which can leave the operator pinned under the mower, other risks may be present, such as the risk of being hit by a vehicle.

Someone may be struck by a car or truck in various ways while operating a riding lawn mower. For example, someone may be heading down a long driveway and lose control of their vehicle or strike someone riding a mower while they are going around a turn. In other instances, someone on a riding mower may be hit by a car as they try to cross the road to mow grass on the other side of the road. Another way in which a person could be injured or killed while using a riding mower involves reckless drivers, such as those who are drunk, distracted or fatigued. Such a driver may veer off the road and onto someone's lawn, colliding with a person who is on a riding mower.

Motor vehicle collisions occur frequently and have a plethora of causes. For example, a crash may be the result of driver fatigue, resulting in drowsiness behind the wheel that can prove deadly. Or, a motor vehicle collision may occur due to a driver becoming distracted or extremely stressed out. In fact, college exams can cause all of these problems and increase the likelihood of a crash, which is why college students should be especially vigilant if they are feeling stressed out, tired, or distracted behind the wheel.

When a motor vehicle collision occurs, those involved often have their lives thrown off-course in a variety of ways. Beyond the immediate physical consequences of a wreck, such as a broken bone or another injury, emotional and financial obstacles can be challenging for months and years down the road. Unfortunately, even those who do not have to worry about college exams may become involved in an accident as a result of these hurdles when they are struck by a student.

Let us say that a vehicle strikes your car from behind at low speed as you sit at a light. You appear to have no injuries other than frazzled nerves.

Fortunately, you see a doctor promptly, and much to your astonishment, tests indicate mild brain trauma. How could this have happened?