In this article, we focus on Liability Claim Handling.

Lane change, backing and rear-end accidents at slow speeds often result in outrageous injury claims. A treating doctor hears only from the patient/claimant how the accident occurred ("A big rig slammed into my car") and the resulting diagnosis is attributed to your low speed collision.

A tactic that Carom has employed with great results is to measure the force into the claimant vehicle (cost is less than $400). The Force Analysis is shared immediately with the claimant, attorney-if any, and the treating physician. The Report is accompanied by our cover letter and photos which together describes the minimal force and the fact that the impact was insufficient to have caused an injury according to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards Section 208.

We have seen doctors immediately pronounce the claimant as healed when this information is presented but the key - for the low speed impact cases - is to quickly gather all relevant documents to allow for the analysis of force and present the findings before a diagnosis of surgery is recommended or performed.

Lastly, lane change accidents are included in low speed impacts since the speed at which the vehicles are traveling at impact-not forward but sideways-results in minimal force.