Although any accident can result in catastrophic injuries, rollover crashes are among the most dangerous accidents, accounting for 16 percent of occupant deaths in cars, 30 percent of occupant deaths in pickups, and 29 percent of occupant deaths in SUVs, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
However, if you suffered harm or lost a loved one in a car rollover accident due to the wrongful actions of another person, you should not deal with these horrifying consequences and trauma on your own.
Thankfully, you will not have to with an experienced car accident attorney on your side. Instead, these attorneys can handle this legal claim on your behalf, hold all the parties at fault for your accident accountable for your losses, and fight for the compensation and justice you deserve.
What Are Car Rollover Accidents?
A rollover refers to an accident where the motor vehicle flips or tips over onto its side or roof. While any car can roll over, trucks, vans, and SUVs often experience the most rollovers because of their high center of gravity.
These accidents can also lead to cabin intrusion, which occurs when the motor vehicle’s structural integrity folds inward, making it look as if the motor vehicle is crumbling.
The Main Causes of Rollover Accidents
Although there are many reasons why a motor vehicle can roll over, including the type of vehicle involved, other factors can contribute to these accidents, such as the road conditions, road design, driver error, and equipment failure.
In fact, some of the more common causes of these rollover accidents include:
- Turning too quickly
- Going over an object such as a guardrail or curb
- A side-impact crash
- Design flaws such as improper airbag deployment or electronic stability control failure
- Oversteering
- Reckless driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Distracted driving or inattention
- Fatigued driving
- Improperly loaded cars and trucks or overloaded cargo
- Driving at excessive speeds
- Dangerous road conditions
However, this list does not contain every reason that can cause these devastating collisions. If you sustained injuries in a rollover accident due to another person’s wrongful actions, you should reach out to an experienced car rollover accident attorney as soon as possible. These legal professionals can review the facts of your accident, determine if you have a valid legal case, and go after the compensation you deserve.
Common Injuries Resulting From a Motor Vehicle Rollover Accident
A rollover accident may eject vehicle occupants from the vehicle, leading to debilitating injuries and tragic consequences.
Yet, while the extent of this harm often depends on the specifics of the collision, some of the more common injuries that result from these accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Internal bleeding or organ damage
- Limb loss
- Spinal cord damage
- Extensive back and neck injuries
- Fractured bones
- Soft tissue injuries
- Permanent disability
- Significant lacerations
- Wrongful death
Protecting Yourself and Your Rights Following a Motor Vehicle Rollover Accident
Following a rollover accident, you may not immediately think about a legal claim.
Nevertheless, following a motor vehicle rollover accident, you should:
#1. Contact the Authorities Immediately
After the accident, you need to reach out to the authorities immediately. If you cannot call 911 yourself, have someone else at the scene do this for you. Not only is this the quickest way to get the accident on record, but it is also the best way to alert the police and emergency medical personnel of the accident and your injuries.
Plus, once the police prepare a police report of their findings, this report can provide you and your attorney with valuable evidence that can help your legal claim if you decide to pursue legal action against the wrongful party.
#2. Get Medical Attention
Even if the harm sustained is not readily apparent, you should still get examined by a medical professional. Postponing this medical treatment can increase your chance of a serious condition becoming fatal or you losing out on the financial recovery that you deserve. For instance, by not getting this medical treatment after a rollover accident, the insurance company may argue that your injuries are not that severe or result of a subsequent event.
Fortunately, when you get to a doctor after the crash, these medical professionals can create a medical report documenting your injuries and providing evidence of a direct link between your car rollover accident and the harm you suffered.
#3. Gather Evidence From the Scene
If you can do so, you should try to collect as much evidence from the accident scene with your cell phone as you can. Take pictures and videos of the motor vehicle accidents involved in the crash, the placement of these vehicles on the road, your visible injuries, the weather conditions at the time of the collision, traffic signs and signals near the area, skid marks on the street, road defects, and anything else that can help show what happened.
#4. Speak to Witnesses Following the Accident
Get contact information and the names of those present at the accident scene who saw what happened. These individuals can often provide your attorney with further helpful information about the accident and offer testimony that can help validate your case.
#5. Watch What You Say to Others
Watch what you say as you speak to others following the accident. This means not apologizing for what happened or taking the blame for what occurred, as these comments can hurt your case and impact the amount of money you can receive.
Filing a Lawsuit Following a Car Rollover Accident, How Much Time Do You Have?
If a car rollover accident injured you, you have a limited time to file your case. The statute of limitations is a law that dictates the amount of time you have to pursue legal action following an alleged offense. If you do not file your case within this statutory period, you cannot collect compensation for the harm you endured.
For instance, in Florida, the statute of limitations to file a legal claim following a rollover accident is four years from the accident. However, this deadline can change depending on the case. That is why, following your car rollover accident, do not wait to reach out to a knowledgeable car accident attorney.
These attorneys can review the circumstances of your accident and determine how much time you have to file your case. They can also ensure your legal documents, motions, and files are prepared and submitted to the proper court before time runs out.
Types of Compensation You Can Pursue Following a Car Rollover Accident
You may be entitled to compensation if you suffered harm in a motor vehicle rollover accident due to another person’s wrongful, negligent, or intentional actions. In general, this compensation falls into the following categories of monetary damages:
Economic Damages
These financial damages refer to the actual losses that result from an accident.
They include losses related to:
- Current and past medical expenses such as surgeries, doctor visits, hospital stays, emergency room visits, prescription medications, and other medical treatments
- Ongoing medical care and treatment
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Personal property damages, including replacement services and car repair expenses
- Rehabilitative therapy, such as physical therapy and occupational therapy
- Domestic replacement services (grocery shopping services, child care services, and cleaning services)
- Other costs related to the accident
Non-Economic Damages
These damages refer to the more subjective losses that result from an accident.
They include losses related to:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment or quality of life
- Inconvenience
- Reputation loss
- Humiliation
- Disfigurement
The Worth of a Rollover Car Accident Case
Even though a rollover accident attorney can help you pursue certain financial damages following your motor vehicle accident, they cannot tell you exactly how much money you can obtain for your injuries and losses.
Too many factors can affect your legal case and the amount of money that you can receive, including:
- The severity of the injuries you sustained
- The type of medical treatments you will require now and in the future
- The ability to take part in everyday activities and work following the accident
- The extent of your lost wages from not being able to work after the accident
- The defendant’s culpability
- The credibility of the evidence presented
- The extent of your pain and suffering
However, even though your attorney cannot guarantee you compensation following your accident, a skilled legal team can determine what factors apply to your case, prepare the strongest arguments in response to them, and go after the maximum compensation you deserve.
How Can an Experienced Car Rollover Accident Lawyer Help You Secure the Money and Justice You Need?
While no amount of money will ever erase the hurt, pain, and losses you suffered from a car rollover accident, obtaining just compensation can pay for the medical treatments you need, assist you as you start rebuilding your life, and give you the peace of mind that justice has been obtained.
More importantly, when you work with a skilled car rollover accident attorney, you will not have to take on the complex legal battle on your own. Instead, you can focus on your recovery while these attorneys get to work going after the money you need.
To get you these results, your lawyers can:
- Go over your car rollover accident with you in detail, figure out if you have a viable legal case, and determine what course of action you should pursue.
- Provide you with the legal help you need during this challenging time and answer all your questions and concerns regarding the case and the legal process.
- Investigate your accident and gather the evidence needed to show what happened, who was at fault, and the extent of your damages.
- Hire experts, such as accident reconstructionists, doctors, and financial specialists, to substantiate your legal case.
- Fight for a fair settlement offer.
- Take your case to trial if the other side refuses to provide you with the money you require and go after maximum financial recovery.
If you or a loved one suffered significant injuries in a car rollover accident due to the wrongful actions of another, do not wait to secure the legal help you need.