Syracuse, New York, Broken Windshield & Glass Injuries

Jed Dietrich, Esq., Recognized as a Super Lawyer and American Institute of Trial Lawyers Litigator of the Year, is Committed to Defending the Rights of Car Accident Victims Across Syracuse. If You, or a Loved One, Have Been Injured in a Car Accident That Was Not Your Fault, You Deserve Aggressive Representation and an Attorney Willing to Fight for Your Rights.

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Automotive glass may resemble other types of glass, being transparent, heat-resistant, and able to break upon impact; however, it is built to withstand substantial force and fragment in a way that is less likely to injure vehicle occupants. However, these safety features are not always enough to protect drivers from the risks inherent in a traumatic car accident. If a car window or windshield breaks, the repercussions can be life-altering, leaving survivors struggling to overcome painful physical injuries, disfiguring scars, and intense mental anguish.

The Dietrich Law Firm, P.C., believes that no one should have to pay the price for an accident that was not their fault. Since our founding in 2005, we have helped our clients secure more than $250 million in compensation. We could help you, too. Please send us a message online today, or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to a car crash lawyer near Syracuse, find out how much your case could be worth, and begin exploring your options for rapid legal relief.

Automotive Glass, And Why Safety Features Cannot Always Prevent Injuries

Ordinary glass, such as that found in most mirrors and sliding doors, typically shatters into large shards when broken. However, the windshield and windows of even low-mileage cars are subjected to far more intense forces than almost anything inside a home. At highway speeds, the sort of run-of-the-mill road debris that most drivers never think twice about. Rocks and pebbles, for instance, could easily destroy consumer-grade glass, posing a very real risk of severe injury.

Since engineers must consider the possibility that a vehicle’s windshield could be damaged not only by road debris but also by collision with animals, objects, and other automobiles, the glass installed in most modern cars cannot just shatter and fragment upon impact.

Instead, automotive glass is made from the following two types of glazed glass:

1. Laminated Glass: Laminated glass is used in car windshields. It consists of a fine layer of polyvinyl butyral with two pieces of glass on both sides. The interior layer lets the glass absorb more energy without shattering.
2. Tempered Glass: Tempered glass is used to make car windows as well as the rear window. It is produced by repeatedly heating and cooling glass, making it significantly more flexible than ordinary glass. In a crash, tempered glass windows can break, but they typically fragment into tiny pieces rather than long, sharp shards.

Both types of automotive glass, laminated glass and tempered glass, are made to withstand impact and to either retain their base structure or shatter into tiny pieces. Unfortunately, glass-related injuries are still common. And, in many cases, they defy victims’ expectations of what a glass-related injury should look or feel like.

While making sense of an accident can be difficult, securing compensation for your injuries does not have to be. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s experienced team of attorneys could help you or a loved one secure the settlement you need to begin rebuilding your life after a tragic accident. Please send us a message online or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to speak with a personal injury lawyer and schedule your complimentary consultation.

The Most Common Causes And Types Of Broken Glass Car Crash Injuries

Broken glass and windshield-related injuries can be much more complex than most people imagine.

Types Of Car Crashes That Could Cause Broken Glass Injuries

The complexity of these injuries is due, in part, to the sheer amount of force that is typically required to shatter or break automotive glass: in most cases, glazed glass fragments only in crashes that involve “some strain by frame deformation or body or object contact.” In other words, the collisions that cause car windows to shatter or windshields to collapse are typically very violent.

Examples of such accidents could include:

1. A head-on car crash;
2. A rear-end accident, usually with one of the two vehicles idling or traveling at a much lower speed than the other; and
3. An angle, side-impact, or T-bone collision.

Understanding The Risks Of Broken Glass During And After A Crash

Glass-related injuries can have several different causes and varied outcomes.

The most common causes of glass-related injuries include the following:

1. Accident victims being injured by flying glass during and in the immediate aftermath of a collision;
2. Accident victims who have been ejected from their vehicle are injured by the physical structure of a windshield or side window; and
3. Accident victims who have been involved in a rollover-type crash, sustaining cuts, scrapes, or lacerations while attempting to escape their vehicle.

Why Broken Glass And Windshield Injuries Can Be Much More Complex Than They Seem

Since windshield and glass-related injuries have causes that include both cutting lacerations and blunt force trauma, the resulting injuries do not always coincide with victims’ expectations of what a “broken glass” injury should look or feel like.

The most common types of broken glass and windshield injuries include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Cuts and Lacerations: Cuts and lacerations can be caused by broken glass striking the body, or by victims having to crawl through accident debris when exiting their vehicle. These injuries can be superficial or they can be deep enough to sever prominent veins and arteries, a potentially life-threatening type of injury that could cause oxygen deprivation, hemorrhaging, and place victims at risk for acquired brain injuries.
2. Eye and Facial Injuries: Eye and facial injuries sometimes occur if and when an accident victim is propelled into the windshield. Since laminated glass can shatter but does not typically break apart, survivors may sustain extensive injuries with a spiderweb-like pattern. Broken laminated glass, conversely, can strike the eyes and result in corneal injuries.
3. Blunt Force “Dicing” Injuries: Laminated glass that has shattered can resemble small cubes or pebbles. They are not usually very sharp, but could still provoke blunt force-related “dicing” injuries, especially injuries to the side of the head, the neck, and the face. In some cases, dicing injuries can cause serious bacterial infections.

How The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. Could Help You Secure A Fair Settlement

The consequences of a serious windshield or broken glass-related injury sometimes last a lifetime, but you should never feel bound to bear the financial burden of an accident that was not your fault. Even though no amount of money can soothe pain or make scars fade, the compensation offered by an insurance settlement or court-ordered award could give you a chance to reclaim your independence.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s experienced team of car accident attorneys could help you overcome the legal obstacles on your road to recovery by taking the following steps:

1. Investigating the causes and circumstances of your Syracuse or Onondaga County car accident;
2. Collecting, protecting, and analyzing evidence from the crash site;
3. Consulting accident reconstruction experts to resolve any unanswered questions about liability or fault;
4. Assessing your damages, and ensuring that you have the means to pay your medical bills, recover lost income from work, and live with dignity;
5. Negotiating a settlement with a negligent driver, a defense attorney, or an insurance company—all while ensuring that your case is ready to move to trial if a wrongdoer refuses to admit to their mistake.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has spent decades helping accident victims fight for their rights. A recognized U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firm, we know what it takes to build a compelling and evidence-based case for recompense. Please send us a message online or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

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Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 1-866-529-5334 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Syracuse, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!

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