Jason Stephens | July 7, 2021 | Car Accidents

A rollover accident is one of the most dangerous types of car accidents. During a rollover accident, your body may be thrown around the vehicle’s interior if you are not wearing a seat belt. You may sustain multiple broken bones, chest injuries, and back injuries.

You could also be thrown through a windshield or open door. Alternatively, you could be partially ejected through a window. When you are ejected, the vehicle could crush you or throw you against another object.

Also, the roof and sides of the vehicle may crush into the vehicle (cabin intrusion). The vehicle’s metal frame, steering wheel, and dashboard can cause extensive damage as you are pinned between the objects.

Lastly, the items in your vehicle may become projectiles, causing blunt force trauma as they slam into your head and body. An item flying through the vehicle could create a penetrating injury, which could cause severe injuries to the brain, spinal cord, internal organs, and blood vessels, depending on where the object enters your body.

In most cases, a rollover accident results in life-threatening conditions and catastrophic injuries. Internal organ failure, amputations, paralysis, and severe scarring are also injuries associated with rollover crashes.

What Causes Rollover Accidents?

Rollover accidents account for a small percentage of traffic accidents. However, these traffic accidents are responsible for about 30 percent of all traffic fatalities each year — making rollover crashes one of the deadliest types of car crashes.

The most common cause of rollover accidents is a “tripping” event, where the vehicle’s tires hit an object that causes the vehicle to “trip” and roll over. A common example would be a vehicle hitting a curb and rolling over on its side.

A vehicle may also hit an object head-on, causing the vehicle to roll over end-to-end. Or, rollover accidents may occur when vehicles leave the road and travel down an embankment or hillside.

Speed is often a factor in rollover crashes. The faster a vehicle travels, the more chance that it can roll over when it goes around sharp curves or collides with another vehicle or object.

Also, the type of vehicle may factor in the risk of a rollover accident. For example, SUVs, pickup trucks, commercial trucks, and other top-heavy vehicles have a higher risk of rolling over during an accident. 

Who is Liable for Damages Caused by a Rollover Accident?

Many rollover crashes are single-car accidents. In these cases, the passengers in the vehicle might have a claim against the driver if the driver’s negligence or wrongdoing caused the crash.

When two or more vehicles are involved in an accident, the driver who caused the collision is liable for victims’ injuries and damages. In a small number of rollover cases, you could have a vehicle manufacturer or government entity named as a defendant if a defective product or defective road designs contributed to the cause of the rollover crash.

The types of damages you might recover for a rollover accident claim may include:

  • The cost of treating your injuries, including medical bills, therapy costs, medications, and medical equipment
  • The loss of income, including wages, benefits, salaries, and other forms of income
  • The cost of household help and personal care
  • Physical, emotional, and mental pain and suffering
  • Impairments, disfigurement, and disabilities
  • The loss of enjoyment of life or quality of life
  • Psychological injuries, including PTSD and depression

Determining the value of your damages can be difficult, especially if you sustained permanent impairments. Medical experts and financial experts may be needed to determine the extent of your injuries and the value of your financial losses and other damages. 

Settling your claim before you complete medical treatment or talk with an accident attorney is inadvisable. You cannot know the extent of your damages and the value of your case until your doctor releases you and gives you a prognosis. 

Act Now to Preserve Your Right to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit

If you have questions about a personal injury claim, do not delay in contacting an attorney. The Texas statute of limitations restricts the amount of time you have to file a personal injury lawsuit for a car crash. Missing the deadline means giving up your right to hold the other party liable for your damages.

A rollover accident attorney can determine the deadline claims related to the car crash. Your attorney monitors the deadlines while investigating the car accident and gathering evidence to prove your claim. You do not need to worry about anything other than healing from your injuries. 

Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in Fort Worth, TX

If you’ve been injured in an accident in Fort Worth and need legal help, contact our Fort Worth car accident lawyers at Stephens Law Personal Injury | Wrongful Death | Truck Accidents to schedule a free consultation.

Stephens Law Personal Injury | Wrongful Death | Truck Accidents
1300 S University Dr # 300
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(817) 420-7000