Rear End Shunt Accidents in New Hampshire
A “rear end shunt” accident, simply defined, is an incident in which a vehicle impacts the rear of another, and “shunts” it forward. Sometimes the collision is confined to just the first two vehicles, but can also possibly involve two or more other vehicles in a chain reaction event called a “concertina collision” incident. Rear end shunt accidents can be brought about by several factors including brake defects, distracted, drunk or impaired driving, or incidents of road rage. Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable to very serious injury in a shunt collision as they have nothing surrounding them to absorb the force of the impact. The experienced New Hampshire motorcycle accident attorneys of Peter Thompson & Associates can offer sound counsel and assertive advocacy if you are hurt in a rear end shunt accident.
Injury and Damages in Rear End Shunt Accidents
Whiplash and soft tissue back injuries are the most commonly reported by victims of rear end accidents even in cases of nominal impact. Whiplash can be defined as a neck injury caused by the motorist’s head being moved back and forth. The muscles and ligaments of the neck are abruptly forced outside their normal range of motion causing injury. The painful effects of whiplash can either be short lived, or can prove to be the source of chronically debilitating, and ongoing pain. The lack of crash protection normally found in other motor vehicles inherently leaves the motorcyclist vulnerable to more severe injuries including fractures and traumatic head injuries.
When Multiple Drivers Cause an Accident (“A Pile Up”)
Take, for example, a scenario where the motorcyclist is first at a red light, and is then rear ended in a concertina collision, he or she may be able to hold any of the other drivers responsible whose negligence may have proximately caused the accident. An example would be in a case where the motorist was following the motorcycle too closely, and was then struck from behind by another, which in turn caused him to shunt the motorcyclist. In that example, we would pursue claims against all responsible parties: the driver who following our driver too closely as well as the driver who ran into them and pushed the vehicle in front into our client.
As you might expect, very often there is a dispute over who was at fault when a pile-up occurs. Our experienced team of attorneys know how to properly investigate an accident scene to determine who is to blame and how much responsibility each party bears. We frequently employ expert consultants who specialize in reconstructing how an accident occurred. The information and data provided by our consultants is then combined with both aerial and ground-level photography, measurements of the accident scene, pictures/measurements of skid marks, and witness accounts to accurately determine how an accident happened and who was at fault. The ability to hold all responsible parties accountable can be particularly crucial in cases where limited insurance in available to compensate our client for their injuries. Our attorneys are experts in not only gathering evidence to hold all responsible parties accountable, but also in locating and utilizing all available insurance coverage for our clients’ benefit.
An Experienced New Hampshire Motorcycle Accident Attorney Can Help
A rear end shunt accident can leave a motorcyclist in significant pain, requiring him or her to take time off work, take pain medications, undergo physical therapy and more. Contact the knowledgeable New Hampshire motorcycle injury attorneys of Peter Thompson & Associates at 800.804.2004 or via our online form. We can evaluate the causes of an accident, determine which parties should be held accountable for your injuries, and locate available insurance coverage that, many times, our clients did not even know existed.