Rollover Car Accident Lawyers

All auto accidents have a possibility of serious injury, but one of the most serious is a rollover accident. A rollover car accident can be hazardous for many reasons, including the possibility of occupants being tossed violently in the cabin or thrown from the vehicle.

Anyone hurt recently in a rollover accident should not hesitate to speak to a personal injury attorney about legal options. If the other driver caused the accident, a Nix Patterson rollover car accident attorney could help you receive compensation for your medical bills and more.

What Is a Rollover Accident?

A rollover accident is when a motor vehicle tips onto the side or roof during an accident. Depending on the force of the accident, the vehicle could roll once or several times before coming to a rest. Rollover crashes can involve one or more motor vehicles but are most common in single-vehicle accidents.

Any vehicle can roll over, but SUVs, trucks, and vans with a higher center of gravity are more prone to these incidents. However, many auto manufacturers have redesigned models more prone to rollovers to reduce the risk.

Common Causes of Rollover Car Accidents

Rollover accidents usually occur because, for some reason, the driver loses control of their vehicle. A rollover auto accident can happen more often with SUVs because they have a higher center of gravity.

There are two significant types of rollover accidents – tripped and untripped rollovers. Tripped rollover accidents happen when an external force or condition hits your tires. Tripped rollovers can happen by striking a curb, smashing into a guardrail, or hitting another vehicle. If another driver hits you a certain way, it could cause a rollover accident.

On the other hand, an untripped rollover accident means the vehicle rolled because you attempted to avoid something on the road. Or, the vehicle could have a defective design contributing to the rollover. Other causes of rollover accidents are:

• Speeding. When drivers speed around curves, the tires may lose grip, leading to a rollover accident.
• Crashing. If you are in an accident with another vehicle and the force is sufficient, it can tip or roll your vehicle.
• Bad weather. When roads are slick with rain, snow, or ice, it is easier to lose control of the vehicle, run into the ditch, and roll over.

Depending on the case circumstances, whether the rollover was tripped or untripped, another party or entity could be at fault for the accident. Nix Patterson’s car accident team will review the accident evidence to determine the cause. If another party is at fault, they will be held accountable for your damages in a claim or lawsuit.

Injuries from Rollover Car Accidents

Rollover accidents can cause severe, life-threatening, or even fatal injuries. If the person survives the violence of a rollover accident, they could be saddled with long-term or permanent injuries. The most common ones are:

• Crushed or broken bones: In many rollover accidents, it is easy for bones to be crushed in the violence of the incident. Some accident victims smash their limbs on the inside of the vehicle, causing multiple broken bones.
• Traumatic brain injuries. TBIs can be caused in rollover accidents by a blow to the head or a penetration injury. Sometimes, just the violence of the rollover can cause the brain to hit the inside of the skull, leading to a concussion.
• Spinal cord injuries. Fractured vertebrae, ruptured and herniated discs, and spinal cord damage are possible in these accidents.
• Burns. During a rollover crash, the fuel tanks could rupture, causing fires and burn injuries to victims.

Damages from Rollover Accidents

Many rollover accidents cause severe injuries, so hiring a personal injury attorney at Nix Patterson is vital to recover the most compensation for your damages. You will probably need ample funds to cover your current and future medical needs and ensure your financial stability as you get better.

Your attorney will attempt to negotiate a settlement with the at-fault party’s insurance company. However, many insurance companies will try to give you less than you deserve for your injuries. If that is the case in your accident, your attorney may take the case to trial. Some of the compensation you could receive in a rollover claim or lawsuit are:

• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Physical pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium
• Lost earnings
• Lost earning capacity
• Future medical costs
• Loss of work benefits
• Loss of household services
• Disfigurement

Product Liability Claims And Rollover Accidents

Some types of vehicles are more prone to rollover accidents than others. Many people purchase SUVs and trucks because they are larger and heavier, and they think they are safer. However, a bigger vehicle is not always safer. SUVs have a high center of gravity, making them more likely to tip over in an accident.

A minor alteration of the SUV’s tire pressure can cause the vehicle even more prone to rolling. There have been so many SUV rollover accidents in the past that the US government devised an entire set of rollover tests for them. This happened after many blowout incidents with Firestone tires on Ford Explorers in the 1990s, contributing to many severe and fatal rollover accidents. Congress passed the TREAD Act of 2000, which mandated that the NHTSA design a test to check a vehicle’s tendency to roll over.

Automotive manufacturers that design and make vehicles and parts are responsible for making them safely. If the designers and manufacturers produce vehicles and products that are unsafe and injure people, they should pay for injured parties’ medical expenses, lost earnings, and pain and suffering. But they will not do that alone – if you want compensation in a rollover product liability accident, you need a skilled personal injury attorney.

SUV and other vehicle rollover accidents that are because of product defects are potential product liability claims. Product liability law says that companies have a legal duty to produce safe products when used correctly. The manufacturer should warn of preventable hazards and should pay when negligence leads to deaths and injuries.

Your Nix Patterson rollover accident attorney will review the accident to determine if any possible product defect contributed to the accident. If so, legal action could be taken against the vehicle or part manufacturer. Some of the vehicles as of 2016 that had a higher tendency to roll over because of their design were:

• Dodge Durango
• GMC Yukon
• Cadillac Escalade
• Ford Expedition
• Jeep Renegade
• Chevrolet Suburban
• Jeep Grand Cherokee
• Jeep Patriot
• Lincoln Navigator
• Chevrolet Tahoe
• Toyota 4Runner

How To Avoid Rollover Accidents

Sometimes, rollover accidents cannot be avoided, especially if another vehicle hits yours. But there are many times that the following tips might reduce the chances of a rollover crash:

• Purchase or lease a vehicle with advanced safety features. Before buying another vehicle, learn about safety features that can keep you safe. For example, advanced electronic stability control on many new vehicles is helpful to keep the vehicle stable and prevent rollover accidents.
• Maintain the tires. The only part of the vehicle that contacts the road is your tires, so be sure they are in excellent condition. This means checking they are correctly inflated, balanced, and tread sufficiently.
• Do not overload the vehicle. When your car gets too heavy, it loses stability. Do not pack more weight into the car than the manufacturer recommends. You can find the maximum weight limit in your vehicle manual. Also, do not put heavy items on the roof because it increases the chances of a rollover accident.
• Drive the speed limit. Speeding makes it harder to control the vehicle in an emergency.

Speak to a Nix Patterson Rollover Car Accident Attorney Today

If you or a loved one were in a rollover accident, you don’t have to handle the case alone. With legal representation from one of Nix Patterson’s rollover car accident attorneys, you can get the answers, advice, and support you need to move forward. For a free consultation, contact one of our car accident attorneys today.