A driver and a passenger from Chicago were injured last Wednesday in a car accident when they were hit from behind by another vehicle. The car crash happened on the South Side at 95th and State Street. They were stopped at a red light when a car insured by State Farm slammed into the rear of their vehicle.
The driver was treated at University of Chicago Hospital Emergency Room for low back injuries. The passenger, a student at Chicago State University, was treated for back and neck injuries at Holy Cross Hospital. The accident happened on the way to campus for class.
Both the driver and the passenger are still experiencing significant back and neck pain several days after the accident, and they are both following up with Chicago area orthopaedic doctors for further treatment.
The Chicago Police Department handled the accident investigation. While there is no explanation as to why the at fault driver failed to stop for the light, there is no indication that drugs or alcohol were a factor in the accident.
Most of the time injuries like the kind described above end up being soft tissue in nature, and they resolve over time with conservative therapy. However, sometimes the injuries can be more serious.
For example, a couple weeks ago our law firm started a new case where our client was rear-ended at a red light and he was having was he described as moderate neck pain. Over the next 10 days his pain increased dramatically. He has since had an MRI, he has been diagnosed with a herniated cervical disc, and he will have to undergo surgery. He is going to have a disc fusion in his cervical spine over the coming month.