Rollover accidents are among the most catastrophic kinds of motor vehicle crashes. The occupants of a vehicle that rolls over tend to suffer serious or life-altering injuries and may be ejected from the vehicle if not wearing seatbelts. The injuries may leave an accident victim permanently disabled. If you have been injured in a rollover accident that was not your fault, you need an experienced rollover accident lawyer in Las Vegas standing up for you.
At Sam & Ash Injury Law, attorneys Sam Mirejovsky and Ash Watkins fight for justice and just compensation for our clients. When you turn to Sam & Ash Injury Law for help after a rollover crash, you can expect a knowledgeable and compassionate attorney to be by your side throughout the claims process and be available when you have questions. We take the time to get to know you so that we can craft a legal strategy to serve your needs and seek full compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, physical pain, and emotional distress.
If you have been injured in a vehicle rollover that was caused by someone else, reach out to Sam & Ash Injury Law today for a free case consultation. We will review the details of your rollover accident in Las Vegas and explain your legal options. When you’ve been hurt through no fault of your own, you deserve What’s Right.
What Is a Rollover Accident?
A rollover accident refers to an automobile crash in which a vehicle tips onto its side or rolls onto its roof. In more violent crashes, a vehicle can flip over multiple times. While rollover accidents represent only about 3 percent of motor vehicle crashes, they comprise a disproportionately large share of highway deaths. They account for about a third of all motor vehicle accident fatalities.
Rollover accidents come in one of two general types.
- Tripped rollovers occur when something causes a vehicle to flip over. This might include a vehicle hitting a fixed object such as a curb or median, a vehicle dropping off a road shoulder, or an impact from another vehicle.
- Untripped rollovers are a much less common type of accident, in which a rollover is triggered by a driver sharply turning the steering wheel, to avoid a collision or some other hazard in the road. Untripped rollovers occur most frequently to top-heavy vehicles, such as trucks or SUVs, or in slick road conditions.
Rollover Collision Statistics
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in a recent year, approximately 6,358 passenger vehicle occupant fatalities occurred in rollover accidents. They represented about 28 percent of all passenger vehicle deaths.
The proportion of deaths was higher in single-vehicle rollover accidents. About half of the single-vehicle rollover accidents involved a death compared to 12 percent of multiple-vehicle rollover accidents.
About 20 percent of all car passenger deaths occurred in rollover accidents. About 40 percent of fatal pickup truck and SUV crashes involved rollover accidents. These percentages highlight the greater risk of rollovers for vehicles with higher centers of gravity, such as SUVs and trucks.
Common Causes of Car Rollover Accidents
Some of the most frequent causes of rollover accidents include:
- Speeding or driving too fast for road/weather conditions
- Drowsy or fatigued driving
- Distracted driving, including texting while driving, talking on the phone, interacting with passengers, or adjusting the radio
- Drunk or drugged driving
- Aggressive or reckless driving
- Oversteering, such as turning the wheel too sharply during an avoidance maneuver
- Driver inexperience
- Lack of familiarity with a road, including stretches of road with uneven pavement or steep shoulders
- Unsafe loading of cargo, including overloading or failing to balance cargo
- Vehicle defects, including tire and brake defects
- Poor road conditions, such as debris, broken pavement, or potholes
Common Rollover Accident Injuries
Some recently introduced safety features such as electronic stability control and roll stability control are designed to reduce the frequency of rollover accidents. A vehicle’s roof may collapse or be crushed into the passenger compartment when a vehicle overturns. Rollover accidents tend to cause much more serious head injuries and life-threatening injuries than other kinds of motor vehicle crashes. Injuries commonly suffered in rollover crashes include:
- Facial injuries, including eye injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck and back injuries, including whiplash, spinal disc herniations, or compression fractures of vertebrate
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue injuries, including ligament sprains, or dislocated joints
- Crush injuries
- Internal organ injuries and internal bleeding
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Traumatic amputation
Who Is at Fault in a Rollover Crash?
Whether a rollover crash involves only a single vehicle or multiple vehicles, many parties may potentially have liability for the accident and the injuries suffered in a rollover accident. Those who may be at fault for a rollover crash include:
- The driver of the vehicle that turned over – In many rollover accidents, the driver of the vehicle that flipped over may have made a driving error that triggered a rollover crash such as turning the steering wheel too sharply, braking hard, and causing a car to skid out of control, driving too fast for road conditions, or driving while distracted. A driver also may have liability for a rollover accident if the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Another driver in the collision – Some rollover accidents happen when a vehicle is struck by another vehicle. If another driver caused a rollover accident, that driver may be held financially liabile for the injuries suffered by the occupants of the overturned vehicle.
- The vehicle’s manufacturer – Many rollover accidents are caused by a vehicle defect, such as:
- A defect in the tires that makes them more susceptible to a blowout or tread separation
- Defects in the braking system that can cause a wheel’s brake to engage without the driver pressing the brake pedal
- A defective vehicle design that made the vehicle more prone to a rollover accident.
The types of evidence that may be used by police, insurance adjusters, accident reconstruction specialists, and attorneys to determine how a rollover accident occurred include:
- Accident scene photos, including shots of vehicle damage, property damage, skid marks on the road, and traffic controls at the scene
- Police accident reports
- Surveillance camera, traffic camera, or dashcam footage
- Eyewitness statements
- Post-accident vehicle inspections
What To Do After a Rollover Crash?
If you have been involved in a rollover accident, the steps you need to take to protect your legal rights and options to pursue a financial recovery include:
- Gathering evidence at the scene – If you are physically able to do so, take photos or video of the accident scene with your cell phone to document details of the crash.
- Seeing a doctor – Have a medical evaluation as soon as possible to diagnose any injuries you may have sustained in the crash. Take photographs of your injuries. Follow your doctor’s treatment instructions and recommendations and keep follow-up appointments.
- Tracking your accident expenses – Keep records of your medical expenses, vehicle repairs, and lost wages or income from missed work.
- Charting your recovery – Keep a daily journal to document the pain, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life that you experience during your recovery from your injuries. This can help support a claim for compensation for non-financial losses you have incurred such as emotional anguish.
- Avoiding social media – Don’t post any comments about the accident, your injuries, or your legal claim on social media. Don’t post photos or videos of yourself while you are still undergoing treatment for your injuries. Insurance companies may try to use your social media posts to challenge or undercut the credibility of your rollover accident claim.
Speak to a car crash attorney with Sam & Ash Injury Law to understand your legal options for pursuing compensation.
Contact a Las Vegas Rollover Accident Lawyer for Assistance
After you have been involved in a rollover accident in Las Vegas, contact Sam & Ash Injury Law for a free, no-obligation consultation with a seasoned rollover accident attorney. Let us talk to you about how we can help you seek the financial compensation and justice that you need to put your life back together.
At Sam & Ash Injury Law, we believe that personal injury lawyers who really care about their clients get better results. We have recovered more than $400 million for our clients in Nevada and California. Let us discuss how we may help you.
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