Car Damage vs. Injury

It has been a wide held belief that the amount of damage that occurs in a motor vehicle collision (MVC) directly  correlates to the severity of injury that can be sustained by an occupant of the vehicle. In other words, if the crash was a low speed crash that didn't result in much visible damage to the car, the occupant could not suffer much injury, or if the damage to the car was significant, then significant injury could occur.

Unfortunately this belief gains wide acceptance from many professionals including medical professionals but more importantly insurance company claim adjuster and it is a claim that has very little basis in fact.


First of all, vehicle standards have determined how much impact a vehicle should be able to sustain and absorb by the use of bumpers. Many people mistakenly think that the bumper is used to limit the amount of force that occurs in an MVC and therefore protects the passengers. This is not the case. According to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards the purpose of the bumper is to be a special designed shock absorber that are designed to reduce the amount of property damage to the vehicle in the case of a MVC. Studies have shown that bumpers do not appreciably reduce the incident of injuries in MVC.

In 2005 Dr. Arther C. Croft conducted and published a study called "Correlating Crash Severity with Injury Risk, Injury Severity, and Long-term Symptoms in Low Velocity Motor Vehicle Collisions" which showed that there was very limited correlation between crash severity and injury claims.

If you were involved in an auto accident, it's important to get an examination performed regardless of the amount of damage that occurred with the vehicle. It's also recommended to consult with an attorney that handles personal injury claims to protect your rights.