Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, says his vehicles will be self-driving in as little as two years. Meanwhile, Google’s self-driving cars have logged over 1.4 million miles on the road without a human behind the wheel since testing began in 2009. Other auto manufacturers like General Motors and Ford are starting to reveal their plans for driverless cars, reinforcing the fact that self-driving cars are definitely going to be a part of our future.
Self-driving cars also have the support of government officials who hope this new technology will help reduce traffic deaths. But as with any new innovation, the question of regulation and legal responsibility comes into play.
According to research from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), evidence suggests that a self-driving car’s accident risk is less than that of a car driven by a human.
The study found that cars driven by people were involved in 4.2 severe crashes for every million miles driven while auto-driven cars were only involved in 3.2 severe crashes at the same distance. This was determined to be a “statistically significant” difference in the number of crashes.
The human body is a holistic machine with incredibly complex and systemic makeup. Oftentimes, injuries involving one area of the body impact and affect many other areas and organ systems – even if there is no obvious or apparent connection between the injury and resulting adverse symptom. This is often the case with car accident symptoms.
In the aftermath of a serious car accident, many injuries are apparent from the outset (e.g., broken bones or lacerations). However, victims may also experience the onset of serious injuries weeks or months later – and it is not always clear whether the symptom is related to the impact of the collision. The following are some of the lesser-known symptoms of physical injuries related to auto accidents and represent a small sampling of the wide array of possible afflictions an auto accident victim may face.
1) Tingling in the Extremities: Tingling or burning sensations in the hands or feet could indicate possible nerve damage, which is not uncommon in the event of a severe auto accident. In the event of blunt trauma, the ligaments, facets, and disc joints may become inflamed or damaged. Moreover, tingling in the extremities – a condition known as peripheral nephropathy, a condition affecting up to 20 million Americans – could ultimately result in disability or a loss of mobility if left untreated.
2) Stiffness or Slowed Reflexes: Whiplash is a soft-tissue injury that often occurs as the result of an auto accident. Also known as a “soft tissue injury,” whiplash is caused by the rapid movement of the neck either backward-forward or side-to-side. In addition to stiffness and slowed reflexes, whiplash can also manifest as:
- Neck pain and/or loss of range of motion in the neck
- Headaches starting at the base of the skull
- Shoulder tenderness
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Ringing in the ears
- Sleep disturbances
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory difficulty
- Depression
3) Concussion Symptoms: A concussion occurs as a result of a traumatic injury causing the brain to strike the inside of the skull. Unfortunately, the symptoms of a concussion are not always immediately apparent, and often mimic other symptoms. In the days following an auto accident, concussion symptoms may manifest as:
- Blurred vision
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Loss of balance
- Confusion
- Disorientation
- Amnesia
4) Mental health: Mental and emotional health is a serious consideration in the aftermath of a severe accident, particularly if the accident involved egregious injuries or fatalities. In some cases, victims may develop the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) without realizing it, which may manifest as anxiety, depression, misplaced panic, and disruptions of one’s typical personality. As well, the symptoms of PTSD or a related mental health condition do not necessarily appear until weeks or months after the accident.
A herniated disc injury refers to an injury to one of the discs that make up the spinal column. A disc can suffer damage if subjected to blunt force, twisted quickly, or if a person lifts something heavy – the first two often occur in car accidents, which is why car accidents are a common cause of herniated disc injuries. If you have suffered a herniated disc from a car accident in Dallas, the following provides information about what you need to know about symptoms, treatment, and recovering compensation.
When an individual suffers from spinal nerve compression from a car accident, he may need spinal decompression surgery. However, spinal decompression surgery – an overarching term that refers to a wide range of surgical interventions performed to alleviate pressure on spinal nerves – can be expensive, and insurance may not cover all the costs of the surgery. If you need to recover compensation for a spinal injury, a car accident lawyer can help you to negotiate for a fair settlement amount.
After a car accident, most people suffer from pain and yet, as time goes on, struggle to be able to describe what they went through, how it felt, or even how long it lasted with any sort of certainty. Car accident attorney Julie Johnson recommends that you keep a detailed car accident pain journal of not only the facts surrounding your accident, but also your ongoing medical treatment, any tests that are done, and your pain and suffering.
Especially because many car accidents involve back and neck injuries where costs can be extremely high, recovery can take months or years, and the long-term impact indefinite, it is important to be able to refer back to the beginning of your recovery.
The most important thing to remember is accuracy. This record will be useful to both your attorney in evaluating your case and making sure that all potential issues are considered and to your doctor in prescribing treatment and diagnosing problems. So being forthright and accurate is absolutely critical.
Before a car accident in Dallas, you were healthy, happy, and active. However, your accident caused a vertebral fracture or herniated disc and now your doctor is recommending spinal fusion surgery. Car accident lawyer Julie Johnson can help you recover compensation for your injuries and medical bills.
Back pain following an auto accident is not uncommon, however, it can be somewhat difficult to diagnose using common imaging tools. Fortunately, skilled primary care physicians and orthopedic specialists can work with an injury victim to determine the precise underlying cause of lower back pain – which can be especially useful when mounting a claim against the responsible party for compensation. The following are some of the most frequently asked questions about lower back pain following an auto accident, followed by advice about the best steps to take in the aftermath of a harrowing car accident.
There are a number of causes of cervical radiculopathy, and a car accident is definitely one of them. Typically, cervical radiculopathy, also known as a pinched nerve, can be caused by disc herniation in a car accident. A disc herniation occurs when the nucleus of the intervertebral disc tears through the disc’s outer ring called the annulus. This can result in pinching of the nerve root. A pinched nerve can also be associated with whiplash.
In a car accident, such as a rear impact, there can be an immense force on the neck, and sometimes discs are unable to take this kind of impact. The result is a disc herniation. The herniated disc can place severe pressure on the pinched nerve, resulting in radiating pain.