Recovering from a Motor Vehicle Accident

My first job (straight out of school) was to work for a major insurance company. I worked in the general insurance department which handles motor vehicle claims. My approach to a motor vehicle accident is to avoid them at all costs.

However this may not be an option for you. If you find yourself injured, you may need some professional follow-up. Cars can be fixed (usually), the trigger point for a vehicle write off is fairly low these days given the labour intensive motor vehicle repair industry.

There are different types of insurance:

• Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance. (with your registration)
• Third party property insurance for damage to other people's vehicles and property
• Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your vehicle as well as other people’s vehicles and property.

Know your rights

Never admit fault - get the details of the driver. Below is from Legal Aid Queensland Car Accidents -:

Common Motor Vehicle Accident Injuries

Whiplash

Whiplash is caused by a sudden movement of the neck, forwards, backwards or sideways. Injuries to the tendons, ligaments and muscles occur.
Usually the neck has been pushed past its normal limits.

Symptoms include -:

• tingling in the hands and feet
• headaches
• dizziness (a feeling of being a bit off)
• sore neck

Treatment

Often it is necessary to see a physiotherapist. The problem can be that the small muscles of the neck have received trauma and switched off.
The larger muscles take over, however the problem is these large muscles were not designed to hold the neck up.
Whiplash treatment will often include small movements - refer to our neck pain page.

Concussion and Head Injuries

Even at low speed, the head can strike the window, steering wheel or headrest, or be jolted enough to cause a concussion without any direct impact at all.

Symptoms include -:

• headache
• confusion or difficulty concentrating
• nausea
• sensitivity to light or noise
• memory problems

Any suspected head injury should be checked by a doctor promptly, as symptoms can worsen over the following 24-48 hours.

Fractures and Broken Bones

Higher impact collisions can result in fractures, commonly to the wrists, ribs, collarbone or lower limbs, often from bracing against the wheel or dashboard.

Symptoms include -:

• sharp, localised pain
• swelling or bruising
• visible deformity
• difficulty bearing weight or using the limb

Fractures need to be assessed and imaged at a hospital or medical centre before any rehabilitation begins.

Seatbelt and Airbag Injuries

Seatbelts and airbags prevent far more serious injuries than they cause, but they can still leave their mark - bruising across the chest and shoulder from the belt, and facial or forearm abrasions from airbag deployment.

Symptoms include -:

• chest wall bruising or tenderness
• abrasions or minor burns to the face and arms
• rib soreness, particularly with deep breathing

Most of these injuries settle with rest and time, but chest tenderness after an accident is worth having checked to rule out rib fracture.

Psychological Impact

It's easy to focus only on the physical, but the shock of an accident can linger. Some people go on to develop anxiety around driving, or symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress.

Symptoms include -:

• anxiety or nervousness when driving or as a passenger
• difficulty sleeping
• flashbacks to the accident
• avoidance of driving altogether

A GP referral to a psychologist or counsellor can help, and it's also a claimable expense - see below.

A Note on Delayed Symptoms

Adrenaline can mask pain in the hours immediately after an accident. It's common for whiplash, back pain or concussion symptoms to only become noticeable the next day, or even a few days later. If you were involved in a collision, it's worth getting checked even if you feel fine at the scene.

Can You Claim for Injuries?

If you suspect any sort of injury, see an appropriate health professional. An example would be a chiropractor or physiotherapist. Mention you suspect the injury was caused by a car accident.

Your chiropractor may record the details and recommend you seek a motor vehicle accident lawyer.

What you may be able to claim-:

• Economic Loss (loss of income, time off work, change of occupation etc.);
• Medical and Hospital Expenses (past and future);
• Rehabilitation Expenses (past and future);
• Pharmaceutical Expenses (past and future);
• An amount for care/services provided by family members or professional caregivers;
• An amount for pain and suffering;
• Loss of Superannuation (past and future);
• Home Modification Expenses and Medical Aids (if applicable);
• Interest.

The drivers CTP insurer would normally be responsible for paying compensation to the injured person.

When Accidents Happen

It's a natural question after a collision - was this just bad luck, or is there a pattern? As it turns out, road safety data does show clear patterns in when crashes are most likely, and they don't always match what you'd expect.

1 Weekday afternoons carry the most crashes overall: Across Australia, the highest volume of claims happens between 1pm and 4:30pm, followed by 9:30am to 1pm and then 4:30pm to 8pm. These periods line up with school pickups and the rush to get home, when drivers are tired, impatient, and roads are busiest.

2 Friday is the most common day for a crash: Nationally, Friday accounts for the largest share of claims, with Thursday and Wednesday close behind. Locally, this holds true too - Friday is the most dangerous day for motor vehicle injuries in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast.

3 But Sunday is the deadliest day in Queensland: While Sunday sees fewer crashes overall, it produces significantly more fatalities than any other day - largely put down to fatigue and impairment carrying over from Saturday night.

4 Alcohol doesn't clear out overnight: A big contributor to the Sunday morning risk is drivers who are technically still over the limit from the night before. Alcohol only leaves the body with time, and many people underestimate how long that takes.

The Fatal Five

Queensland's road safety data points to five behaviours behind the majority of serious crashes:

• Speeding
• Drink and drug driving
• Driver fatigue
• Failure to wear a seatbelt
• Driver distraction, including mobile phone use

If you've been in an accident on a weekend morning, particularly a Sunday, it's worth bearing this pattern in mind - and worth noting on record if you suspect the other driver was impaired. This can matter for both the police report and any later claim.