Charlotte car accident victims can suffer a wide variety of injuries in an accident. Many people who suffer injuries in car accidents do not have enough savings to cover the costs associated with appropriate treatment after a severe collision. Broken glass injuries are one of the most common and severe injuries car accident victims can suffer. The glass from a broken windshield or windows can break and fly into passengers or drivers’ bodies, causing lacerations of the skin. Broken glass can even fly into a car accident victim’s eyes, causing severe injury, irritation, and possible loss of vision.
Contact an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer Today for Help With Legal ClaimsIf you or a loved one has suffered a broken glass injury in a car accident, the legal professionals at Arnold & Smith, PLLC can help. Under North Carolina law, negligent drivers who cause car accidents are liable for resulting injuries. Our Charlotte personal injury lawyers have helped many clients obtain the compensation they deserve for their injuries. We offer our new potential clients free initial consultations. Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation and learn how we can advocate for your rights.
Injuries Caused by Broken Glass and Windshield Impacts Affect Drivers and PassengersDuring an accident, windshields and windows often break, causing broken shards of glass to fly into a passenger’s or driver’s upper body at high speeds. Many glass-related accidents are caused by the intense forces in a car crash. When two cars hit each other, the windshields of both cars may shatter from the force. Even newer vehicles with specialized glass can see their windshields shatter when they are involved in high-speed collisions. In “T-bone” accidents, one car may crash into the side of another car, often causing the side window to shatter and shards of glass to fly in many different directions. Rear-end collisions often result in a vehicle’s rear window breaking and flying forward, injuring the driver’s and passengers’ heads.
Even victims who are wearing seatbelts and are protected by airbags in their cars can suffer deep lacerations from shards of glass. In serious cases, they can also suffer severed limbs, shock, and death. The severity of injuries caused by broken glass and windshields depends on where, on the human body, the glass shards cut victims. Even in mild car accidents, one shard of glass can cut an artery or cause life-threatening bleeding.
Many victims of lacerations from broken glass and windshields suffer shock after an incident. Shock can result in psychological trauma and intense pain and suffering. Additionally, when car accident victims suffer from deep cuts in vital arteries, they can suffer extreme blood loss than can cause death, or they may require amputation of one or more limbs or digits after bleeding is stanched.
Proving Negligence After a Broken Glass Car Accident is Necessary for Successful ClaimPersons who are injured by broken glass are required to prove that the other driver was liable in order to recover compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. Additionally, if a person plans to make an insurance claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance policy, the injured person will need to prove fault on behalf of the negligent driver.
Negligence claims in North Carolina involve four elements. First, a personal injury plaintiff must prove that an at-fault driver owed a Duty of reasonable care and Breached the duty.
When drivers operate motor vehicles negligently or recklessly, they breach the duty of care they owe other drivers, their passengers, and pedestrians. Negligent driving can include texting while driving, being otherwise distracted while driving, speeding, driving while intoxicated, or making unsafe lane changes.
In addition to Duty and Breach, a personal injury plaintiff must show that the at-fault driver’s breach of a duty Caused one’s injuries. In other words, one must show that the at-fault driver’s reckless driving or movement caused the action that resulted in one’s broken glass injuries.
Finally, even after an injured person proves negligence, the person must prove one’s Damages. The person must come forward with evidence quantifying the losses, or damages, one has suffered as a result of the at-fault driver’s mistakes
Under North Carolina law, a plaintiff can recover economic damages for all of one’s medical bills, property damage, loss of use or enjoyment, mental anguish, and the pain and suffering caused by a car accident. A successful plaintiff can also recover lost income causally related to a crash. The best thing one can do after a broken glass car accident is to contact an experienced lawyer as soon as possible.