Minimal or low impact accidents generally leave your vehicle with minor to no damage. If you have ever been involved in a low impact accident you will probably recall feeling a sense of relief that it wasn’t worse. Which, true, it very well could have been; however, don’t let that breathe of relief fool you into thinking that you are physically fine just because your vehicle is hardly damaged!
Humans and vehicles
You and your vehicle are not comparable or equal and what doesn’t affect your vehicle can definitely affect you!
Minimal impact accidents still involves some sort of impact and can still cause your body to get jolted or moved around. Your head can still be whipped back resulting in whiplash injuries.
If you’re like most people, you look for a car that is built to sustain the force of an accident and to hopefully come out with minimal damage. That sounds like a safe and reliable car doesn’t it?
One thing most people don’t realize is that the force of the impact still has to go somewhere and if your vehicle has only absorbed some of the force, guess who absorbs the rest?? You!! You who is made up of soft tissues and bones; whereas your vehicle has been built with steel and suspension to withstand force and, even when force has been applied, to resist damage!
So even if you have no apparent injuries and your vehicle has minimal to no damage, you could still have suffered whiplash or other serious soft tissue injuries.
Always seek medical attention
Always, always seek medical attention after any kind of accident, including a low impact accident.
You may have people or your insurance company discouraging you from getting medical attention and telling you that you couldn’t possibly have been injured when that car tapped your car in the parking lot; however, don’t listen to them- get yourself medical attention as soon as possible.
Get your vehicle checked out too
It should be noted that even if your vehicle looks fine on the outside it could have sustained damage that you can’t see, even if the accident was only a low impact accident. So make sure you get your vehicle checked out as well to see if there is any damage under the hood and to make sure that it is safe to drive.
This article is considered general information only; please consult a medical professional concerning your specific condition