Rollover accidents are among the most dangerous and catastrophic types of vehicle crashes, often resulting in severe injuries or fatalities. These accidents can occur due to various factors, including high speeds, sudden maneuvers, vehicle design flaws, and hazardous road conditions. Victims of rollover accidents may face life-altering consequences, from traumatic brain injuries to spinal damages, mounting medical bills, and lost earnings. Understanding your legal rights is vital to securing the compensation you deserve if you or a loved one has been involved in a rollover accident.
Do not let a rollover accident disrupt your life without seeking justice. You may be entitled to compensation if you have suffered injuries due to someone else’s negligence, defective vehicle design, or dangerous road conditions. Contact an experienced personal injury attorney today to discuss your case and take the first step toward recovery. Time is limited to file a claim- act now to protect your rights and future.
How Common Are Rollover Accidents?
Rollover accidents are less common than other types of crashes but are among the most dangerous and deadly. Here are some statistics regarding rollover accidents.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, only two percent of crashes nationwide are considered rollover accidents. Despite representing such a small number of accidents overall, rollover accidents account for almost 35 percent of all vehicle fatalities.
Rollover accidents represent almost 85 percent of all single-vehicle accidents, with the driver losing control after speeding or traveling more than 55 miles per hour.
Because of their size and shape, certain types of vehicles, such as SUVs, pickup trucks, and vans, are more prone to rollover accidents.
Why Are Rollover Accidents So Deadly?
Rollover accidents are among the most deadly types of traffic crashes. What makes them so deadly? Here are some of the most common reasons that rollover accidents end in fatalities:
Multiple Impacts
Unlike other types of traffic crashes, rollover accidents bring with them the risk of multiple impacts. Rollover accidents often involve repeated blows to the vehicle and occupants.
Roof Collapse
Because of the type of crash, a rollover accident will result in a roof collapse. The force of a rollover can crush the vehicle’s roof, leading to severe head and spinal injuries.
Ejection Risk
Rollover accidents carry a significant risk of ejection. Many people are killed annually in rollover accidents after being ejected from a vehicle, typically after choosing not to wear a seatbelt.
Common Injuries After a Rollover Accident
Rollover accidents often result in serious and life-threatening injuries due to the violent nature of the crash. Common injuries include:
Head and Traumatic Brain Injuries
Head injuries are among the most serious types of injuries that can result from a rollover accident. Examples of brain and head injuries can include concussions, skull fractures, brain swelling or bleeding, or long-term cognitive impairment.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can leave the victim with permanent effects. Examples of spinal cord injuries can include paralysis, herniated or fractured vertebrae, and nerve damage leading to chronic pain.
Neck and Back Injuries
Neck and back injuries have significant impacts on the victim, their bodies, and their lives. Common examples of neck and back injuries can include whiplash, spinal misalignment, and torn ligaments and muscle strains.
Broken Bones and Fractures
In a rollover accident, broken bones and fractures can easily happen. Victims might face broken arms, legs, ribs, collarbone fractures, pelvic fractures, and crushed or shattered bones which might require surgery.
Internal Organ Damage
Internal organ damage like punctured lungs, liver, kidney, or spleen damage, or internal bleeding can happen from broken ribs or blunt force trauma from the accident. The risk of internal organ damage or internal bleeding is one of the many reasons that you should see medical care right after an accident.
Cuts and Burns
Cuts and burns might not seem like a severe kind of injury, but they are compensable. An accident victim might suffer deep wounds from shattered glass or metal debris or burns from fire or explosions in high-impact crashes.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries can seriously impact the quality of the victim’s life. Examples of soft tissue injuries can include torn ligaments and tendons, severe bruising and contusions, or muscle strains that affect mobility.
Psychological Trauma
Rollover accident victims are entitled to recover from the psychological trauma of a crash. After surviving a rollover accident, a victim might suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, or phobias related to driving or riding in a vehicle.
Death
Rollover accidents are serious and can cause fatal injuries. If you have lost a loved one in a rollover injury, contact a wrongful death attorney to determine if you have a viable claim against a defendant.
An attorney can help you get what you deserve after a rollover accident. Speak to a qualified and experienced personal injury attorney to start your journey toward full and fair compensation after a crash.
Even if your injuries are not immediately apparent, you should seek medical care after a rollover accident. Some injuries cannot be detected until you receive a medical evaluation.
Common Issues With Insurance Companies
Insurance companies are not on your side, even if you are their insured. Contacting an attorney before beginning negotiations or discussions with an insurance company is wise. Insurance companies often use bad faith tactics to avoid making payments to protect their bottom line. An attorney can help you avoid these issues.
Here are some common bad-faith tactics that insurance companies use to avoid making payments to injured people:
Disputing Medical Treatment
Insurance companies are notorious for disputing medical treatment for injured people after a rollover accident. Delaying or denying medical treatment can prolong the resolution process. Taking an unreasonably long time to investigate or process your claim or repeatedly requesting unnecessary documents to stall payments can frustrate the individual and cause them to be more vulnerable to settling quickly to end the process.
Using Surveillance or Social Media Against You
Being careful with social media if you suffer an injury and seeking compensation is important. An insurance company will monitor your activities to argue that you are not as injured as you claim to be or that you have done something to make your injuries worse. Insurance companies might take social media posts out of context to dispute your injuries.
Ignoring or Avoiding Communication
Lack of communication and ignoring you is another common bad-faith insurance company tactic. Insurance companies might try to frustrate you after an accident by not promptly responding to your calls or emails or refusing to provide written explanations for their decisions.
Blaming You for the Accident
Insurance companies love to shift the blame away from them and their insureds. An insurance company might allege that you were the cause of the accident, even if the evidence suggests otherwise. Be careful if an insurance company asks you to give a written or recorded statement. An insurance company might use statements that you made to minimize their liability.
Misrepresenting Policy Terms
It is not uncommon for an insurance company to misrepresent the terms of a policy to minimize their liability exposure. Providing misleading information about what is covered under your policy or wrongfully stating that you do not qualify for certain benefits can leave you without the financial compensation you deserve after a rollover accident.
Denying a Valid Claim Without Explanation
Sometimes, insurance companies deny valid claims without explanation. An insurance company might claim that your injuries are not severe enough or were not caused by the accident. An adjuster might cite a vague policy exclusion to avoid making a payment. A rollover accident lawyer can help protect you from this underhanded insurance company tactic.
Lowball Settlement Offers
Insurance companies present lowball settlement offers to exhaust the accident victim and make them more vulnerable to accepting a settlement that does not fully compensate them. Offering a quick, undervalued settlement that does not cover medical bills, lost earnings, or future damages can be avoided by trusting an attorney to help you properly evaluate the viability of the offer.
Delaying the Claims Process
Insurance companies often delay injury claims. An insurance company might take unreasonably long to investigate or process your claim. Repeatedly requesting an unnecessary document to stall payments is one-way insurance companies abuse their position in settlement resolution.
An experienced attorney is the best way to protect yourself after an accident. Contact an attorney immediately if you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a rollover accident. You can fight back by documenting everything, including communications and medical treatment, knowing the terms of your policy and allowing an attorney to review its terms, and hiring a personal injury attorney. An experienced lawyer can challenge bad faith tactics and ensure you get fair compensation.
How Can An Attorney Help Me After a Rollover Accident?
Having a personal injury lawyer working for you after a rollover accident can make all the difference as you work toward financial recovery after an accident. An attorney can use their experience and skill to help you get the full and fair compensation you deserve after an accident. Here are practical ways an attorney can help you get what you deserve after a crash.
Legal Guidance and Case Evaluation
A lawyer can help by offering legal guidance and a proper case evaluation after a rollover accident.
Investigating the Accident
Insurance companies typically conduct their own investigation to find evidence that they are not responsible for the accident. An attorney will investigate so you are not taken advantage of by the insurance company.
Dealing with Insurance Companies
Dealing with the insurance company after an accident is one of the most frustrating parts of the accident claim process. A rollover accident lawyer can stand in the gap between you and greedy insurance companies.
Calculating Full Compensation
It can be difficult for an accident victim to fully understand the extent of their injuries. Discussing your damages with an attorney will help ensure you do not leave any money on the table, especially if you have not identified all your losses.
Filing Legal Claims and Lawsuits
Filing a claim or lawsuit to collect your deserved compensation can be challenging. Having an attorney is like having a teammate working for you to get you the full and fair compensation you deserve.
Personal injury claims have a statute of limitations. An attorney will file your case promptly, protecting your chance of recovering damages. If a fair settlement cannot be reached, your attorney will take your case to trial, presenting a compelling argument and seeking the best possible outcome.
Providing Emotional Support
Attorneys offer their clients emotional support to their clients. Pursuing compensation after a rollover accident is emotional. The entire process can take a toll. An attorney will help guide you through the process and relieve some of the emotional burden you might be carrying.
Pursuing Multiple Sources of Compensation
An attorney will help you pursue all potentially responsible parties. If multiple parties are involved in an accident, like the driver, a vehicle manufacturer, or a government entity, for example, an attorney can help you pursue compensation from all potential defendants.
Having an attorney on your side ensures that you have competent representation, preventing you from being taken advantage of by insurance companies and maximizing the compensation that you receive.
Contact An Accident Attorney Today!
A rollover accident can turn your life upside down in an instant, leaving you with serious injuries, financial burdens, and emotional distress. While the road to recovery may seem overwhelming, you do not have to navigate it alone. Understanding your rights and taking action can make a significant difference in your future.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a rollover accident, now is the time to seek the justice and compensation you deserve. Do not wait- contact an experienced personal injury attorney today for a free consultation. The sooner you act, the better your chances of securing the financial support you need to rebuild your life. Take the first step toward justice- call now!