The loss of control in a rollover accident puts a driver and the passengers inside that vehicle at risk for critical and even life-threatening injuries. If someone else’s negligent behavior caused a rollover accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Contacting an experienced Moncks Corner car accident lawyer could be the first step on your path to recovery after a rollover. We at West Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers have experience helping injured victims recover compensation after a rollover accident. Schedule a consultation to begin.
Why Do Rollover Accidents Happen?
While some rollover accidents only involve one vehicle and happen when that driver loses control of the car, they can also happen when someone else strikes your car and the vehicle loses its center of balance. When the vehicle loses its center of gravity, it can roll over and cause additional injuries.
Rollover car accidents can occur anytime a vehicle tips over onto its roof or its sides. Rollover accidents may also include multiple vehicle rotations, especially if the accident occurred with cars traveling at higher speeds. Striking other objects or vehicles can pose additional injury risk for passengers inside.
Rollovers pose a significant potential for severe and fatal injuries when compared with other car accidents. Some of the most common causes of rollover accidents include:
- Other drivers traveling at excessive speed
- Other drivers operating their vehicle erratically, such as making dangerous passes or sharp turns
- Driving while intoxicated
- Distracted driving
- Drowsy driving
- Someone swerving/attempting to avoid a collision with a driver
- Trying to merge without clearance to do so
Rollover accidents can also happen when a tractor-trailer or commercial truck loses control and rolls over. That vehicle can then strike other vehicles and tip them over as well.
In any rollover car accident, an investigation may be necessary to determine what happened and who is liable for the resulting injuries. Most rollover accident survivors must devote their full attention to getting treatment for their injuries, making it hard to handle the legal aspects of a claim.
Injuries In Rollover Accidents
More than 10,000 people suffer fatal injuries in rollover accidents every single year. One major reason for this is because of the lack of control as the car tips and rolls. Most traditional vehicles are built to sustain impact from the front and rear but not from the sides or top. Some of the most common traumatic injuries affecting people in rollover accidents include:
- Internal organ damage, like chest injuries, internal bleeding and abdominal bleeding
- Cuts such as contact with pavement, broken glass or metal inside the car
- Broken bones due to the force of the accident
- Head trauma, like a traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury.
Many of these injuries come with substantial medical costs and may affect a victim for many years to come.
What To Do as a Rollover Accident Survivor
Get medical attention as soon as possible after the accident occurs. It’s a good idea to call the authorities to the scene to get a police report and to bring the paramedics there to help transport those people with significant injuries.
If you’re unsure whether or not you have major injuries from the accident, it’s better to err on the side of caution and get screened by a doctor. Some people don’t experience symptoms right away or find that the shock of the rollover shields them from what turns out to be very serious pain.
The moments and days following a rollover accident can be harrowing for a survivor. It can be very difficult to determine what to do next, but it is also very important to protect your legal right to recover compensation. If you can show that another party’s actions or inactions caused your rollover accident injuries, you may be eligible to recover compensation.
Once you arrive home or have a better idea of the medical conditions facing you as a rollover accident victim, you also need to communicate the accident with your insurance company and notify a personal injury lawyer.
You’ll need to notify your car insurance company about the accident even if you’re not yet sure what happened or who caused the crash. Continue to attend all your medical appointments and keep track of what your doctor recommends and your daily pain, too. This information may prove helpful in your injury claim.
How Can a Rollover Accident Attorney in Moncks Corner Help You?
It can be very difficult to determine the cause of the accident at the scene itself, especially if you suffered serious injuries and were removed from the crash site quickly.
Your lawyer can help you by performing a comprehensive investigation and collecting necessary evidence, identifying all potentially liable parties, handling all communications and negotiations with the insurance company, and keeping you updated as your case unfolds.
When you suspect that another person’s behavior caused your vehicle to roll over, you have a limited period of time in which to take action. Having a lawyer in Moncks Corner with experience in rollover accident claims at your side is crucial. Talk to the West Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers now to get the process started for your accident recovery.