It is estimated that over 6,000 people die in rollover crashes every year, and although these collisions only amount to a small percentage of all car accidents nationwide, they still result in one-third of all occupant deaths. So why are these numbers so high when it comes to rollover accidents? In this blog post, we will help to explain why.
What Exactly is a Rollover Accident?
Typically, a motor vehicle is said to have been involved in a rollover collision when it tips over to the side or rolls over onto its roof following a crash. These accidents often result in a partial or complete ejection of the vehicle occupants, increasing the potential for fatal and often catastrophic injuries.
How Do Rollover Accidents Differ From Other Types of Motor Vehicle Accidents?
Rollover car or truck accidents are often considered some of the deadliest traffic crashes on the road. One of the main reasons for this is that rollover accidents cause all the energy from the car’s crash to toss the motor vehicle over, leading to more catastrophic injuries than other types of crashes.
In addition, depending on the circumstances of the collision, there may also be what is known as cabin intrusion, which happens when the structural integrity of the car folds inward, making it appear as if the car is crumbling.
How Do These Rollover Accidents Occur?
Even though rollover accidents can happen for a number of reasons, many of them involve human error and the vehicle losing its balance. Generally, this imbalance is due to an outside force, such as the car hitting an object or going around a curve too fast. But it can also be caused by some of the following driving behaviors:
- Driving while intoxicated
- Distracted driving such as texting and driving or eating and driving
- Excessive speeding
- Reckless driving
- Improper lane changes
- Fatigued driving
- Not yielding to the right of way
- Overloading cargo
- High winds
- Sharp turns
- Dangerous road conditions
Although any motor vehicle can experience a rollover accident, narrow or tall vehicles are more likely to be involved in this devastating collision. That is why rollovers are often seen following a van accident, SUV accident, or trucking accident.
Common Injuries Resulting From a Rollover Accident
Although the extent of your harm following a rollover crash will often depend on the specifics of the collision, the more common injuries that tend to result from this traumatizing accident include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Loss of a limb
- Internal bleeding or organ damage
- Spinal cord trauma
- Severe back and neck injuries
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue injuries
- Lacerations
- Permanent disability
- Wrongful death
What To Do After a Rollover Accident
The scene following a rollover accident is often chaotic and stressful. Yet, as a victim of this collision, you must take action fast. These steps can not only protect your health and safety but your legal rights as well:
Call 911
Make sure you reach out to the authorities and request emergency medical services immediately after the accident. Once the police arrive, they can also investigate the incident and collect information regarding what happened in their police report, which can be valuable if you decide to pursue a legal claim.
See a Doctor
Even if your injuries are not readily apparent, you need to get to a doctor. Postponing medical attention may increase your chance of the condition becoming deadly, or you can lose out on the compensation you need from your legal claim.
Gather Evidence
If possible, try to collect as much evidence from the scene as you can. This should include pictures and videos of the cars involved, their placement on the road, your visible injuries, the weather conditions, traffic signals near the area, skid marks, and anything else that can show what happened.
Talk to Witnesses
If there were people present at the scene, get their names and numbers. These individuals can often provide you with valuable details regarding the accident and help substantiate your claim.
Contact an Experienced Car Accident Attorney Immediately
To bring a successful legal claim following a rollover accident, you need to provide relevant evidence and solid legal arguments proving your case. However, following this catastrophic collision, this is probably the last thing on your mind. Thankfully, with a skilled car accident lawyer on your side, these attorneys can do this hard work for you while you focus on what matters most — your healing and recovery.
Once you retain one of these lawyers, they can promptly get to work, investigating your case, gathering the evidence required to prove what happened and who was at fault for your injuries and losses and go after the maximum damages you deserve. For these reasons, do not wait any longer to secure the legal help you need. Instead, contact a knowledgeable car crash lawyer today to schedule a consultation.
