Have you ever wondered why people occupying the same car in an accident can have different injuries, or no injuries at all while, someone else in the car suffers life altering injuries?

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An example of this is an accident which happened in Pomona, California on Saturday night, January 23, 2016.  This accident happened at the intersection of Mission Boulevard and East End Avenue.  From this car crash, there were ten people injured, one of which sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to an emergency room, while the others in the cars had only minor injuries.  At the time of this post, there was no available information about how the accident happened, so I use that accident to merely show the basis for the idea that people can respond differently when in the same accident.

Here are some of the reasons why people can have different injuries in the same accident:

    1)    The Location of the Impact.  A person sitting nearest to the impact point may suffer greater injuries due to the magnitude of the force on that person.  In some instances, the impact crushes into the occupant at the impact point, resulting in far more serious injuries than those suffered by others in the car.  

    2)    The Position of the Body.  A person’s body position at the moment of impact is critical to the degree of injury.  Most car seats are designed to reduce injury in certain collisions when a person is sitting perfectly straight and proper in their seat.  Unfortunately, passengers and even drivers are not always sitting perfectly straight.  As a result turned hips, shoulders, neck or head, can significantly alter the bodily injury of one passenger over another.

    3)    Seatbelt Use.  Using a seatbelt generally reduces injuries, especially in serious collisions.  Those who are restrained in a serious collision, while they may suffer injuries, routinely will avoid ejection from the vehicle and death as a result of their body being catapulted within, or without, the car.

    4)    Physical Condition of the Occupants.  An older person or a person with a pre-existing injury is more likely to suffer injuries in a smaller accident than a healthy individual.  Also, the recovery time for an older or previously injured person tends to be longer than one who was healthy before the accident.  

    5)    Impact With Objects.  Sometimes, one person will hit their head against the interior of the car, or a side window, and that impact is experienced by only one person in the accident.  So that person’s experience is different from the other occupants, and the injuries differ.

These are just five of many reasons for people to suffer differently when involved in the same accident as others.  If you have any experiences with multiple people having different injuries in the same accident, share your experience with others so they do not feel like they are going through this experience alone.

[Related: Do I Need a Personal Injury Attorney]

Contact Our Car Accident Attorneys Today

If you need assistance with an injury claim due to the negligence of another, call the experienced law firm of the Inland Empire Law Group to get the legal help you need to obtain the financial recovery you need from your accident. Contact our experienced personal injury lawyer online or give us a call at 909-481-0100 for a fair and honest review of your injury claim.  

David Ricks
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Rancho Cucamonga Personal Injury Lawyer Serving the Inland Empire Community