While rollovers are a less common type of accident, they are also more likely to involve fatalities or catastrophic injuries that may completely change a person’s life. If you or a family member were seriously harmed in an accident where a car tipped over, an attorney can assist in your financial recovery as you focus on your physical health.
Factors That Lead to a Rollover Crash
Before pursuing any kind of compensation from the liable party, you first need to know how and why the accident occurred. Just about any vehicle with wheels can potentially tip over under the right conditions.
Overloaded 18-wheelers are notorious for landing on their sides in highway crashes, while taller sport utility vehicles are susceptible to flipping during sharp turns. Car and truck rollover accidents in Louisiana most often take place due to:
- Aggressive driving.
- Being struck by another vehicle, particularly in cases of T-bone crashes.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol, legal prescription drugs that inhibit driving ability, or illegal narcotics.
- Poor road conditions. Rollovers frequently take place on rural roads without guard rails or on unpaved roads. Running into uneven pavement or sharp curbs can also lead to a rollover.
- Speed. The faster a vehicle is going, the more likely it will tip over from other factors.
- Swerving to avoid an obstacle on the road.
- Vehicle type. Taller vehicles with a higher center of gravity, like an SUV, truck, or van, are more likely to roll over if the driver loses control.
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(504) 500-1111Rollover Accident Injuries and Pursuing Compensation
Unfortunately, it only takes a few brief moments in a rollover for both you and your vehicle to sustain extreme damage. Head and neck injuries are common when a wreck involves a car that lands upside down or on its side. Injuries that are specifically concerning for survivors of a rollover accident include:
- Bone fractures
- Bruises or cuts when the seat belt digs into the skin throughout the collision (or a period afterwards while your vehicle is upside down)
- Head wounds like traumatic brain injury, eye damage, or skull fractures
- Lacerations from broken glass
- Neck trauma and spinal cord injuries
- Nerve damage
- Soft tissue damage like sprains, strains, and tears to ligaments, joints, and muscle
Of course, your recovery process after any of these injuries isn’t just a medical issue, but also a financial problem. Lost income and inability to work are frequent concerns for rollover accident victims. Bills are going to keep arriving on schedule, whether you can go back to work yet or not. Income lost due to the rollover should be a component of any settlement offer or court judgment, but it isn’t your only cost to consider.
Direct medical expenses for yourself (or a child or other loved one), as well as out-of-pocket expenses while seeking treatment, should both be elements of any compensation. Your damages may also include estimated future medical expenses if the rollover injury will require more treatment in the future, such as additional surgeries, physical therapy, etc.
Non-economic damages for your suffering could additionally play a role if the accident caused you significant emotional or physical pain. Finally, you can also pursue compensation for wrongful death if a close loved one died in the accident.
For the best chance at recovering the full compensation you deserve, it’s important to work with an attorney who can investigate the crash. That process can tell you who is specifically liable for your costs associated with the injury. Your lawyer’s investigation may uncover that the best source of compensation could be an:
- At-fault driver engaging in distracted, drowsy, drunk, or reckless driving
- Establishment that over-served a driver
- Loading crew who improperly loaded cargo in a delivery truck that tipped or rolled over
- Insurance company that denied your rollover accident injury claim in bad faith
- Vehicle manufacturer who produced a faulty part
Talk to a New Orleans Car Accident Attorney if You Were Harmed in a Rollover
Are you ready to hold the at-fault party accountable for your physical injuries and their monetary impact? Schedule a consultation with the Scott Vicknair law firm today to discuss your case. We want to help you find the best way towards a full financial recovery after a rollover. Call us at 504-500-1111 or get in touch via our online contact form.
