On October 19 of 2013, the career of Indy car driver Dario Franchitti ended due to injuries he sustained in a street circuit event at Reliant Park in Houston. Franchitti’s car rear ended the car being driven by Takuma Sato, became airborne, struck a catch fence, and finally landed back on the track. The 40-year-old driver’s injuries included two cracked vertebrae, a broken ankle, a concussion, and cracked ribs. Thirteen fans and an official also sustained minor injuries.

Most of the time, if a vehicle is rear ended, it’s not quite this spectacular, and the results may not be quite as catastrophic. Franchitti, who has been involved in racing for more than 30 years, was understandably devastated when medical professionals told him that he would be taking far too great a risk with his health and safety if he continued to race. He does expect to continue to participate in some off-track role.

Rear end collisions aren’t all the same. Usually, it’s the person in the vehicle that’s been rear ended who sustains the greater damage. Passengers in the back seat, in particular, tend to get most of the impact and may be among the most seriously hurt. If you’re in the front seat, as driver or passenger, even if the airbags deploy, you can still sustain injuries to your neck and head. Sometimes these injuries do not fully manifest until sometime after the collision.

If you are rear ended and injured to the point where you require compensation to get your life back on track, contact a Kirkendall Dwyer car accident lawyer today. It would be very unwise to agree on a settlement with an insurance company, only to discover later on that your injuries were more severe than you believed. A consultation costs nothing, and can be arranged by phoning 713-522-3529.