Rollover accidents are one of the most dangerous types of accidents. As your car rolls, you will be tossed around the car, making contact with various objects before coming to a rest. Your body is at the mercy of elements outside of your control.
During a rollover accident, you will go wherever the car goes. It is especially dangerous if you neglect to wear a seat belt. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rollover accidents cause over 10,000 deaths every year.
Skull Fractures, Internal Organ Injuries Are Among the Injuries Rollover Crashes Can Cause
While rollover crashes do not always cause serious bodily harm, the potential for destruction is higher. In some cases, when a driver or passenger does not wear a seat belt, someone can be at risk of suffering severe injuries if they are ejected from the vehicle through a door or window. Between loose objects inside the car and the sheer force of the impact itself, people in the car may suffer common but life-threatening injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Head injuries
- Neck injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Internal bleeding
- Blood loss
- Broken bones
- Shoulder injuries
- Chest injuries
- Blunt force trauma
- Cuts or lacerations
- Loss of limb
- Permanent disability
- Chronic pain
With modern safety features, the effects on the human body can be less if the airbags deploy, as they should in an accident of this magnitude.
Unfortunately, sometimes important automotive safety features fail. A car accident attorney in New Orleans, LA, can review the facts of your case to determine if your rollover crash was caused by defective parts. An auto parts manufacturer may be responsible for your injuries and other accident-related losses.
For a free legal consultation, call 800-537-8185
How Rollover Accidents Differ from Other Car Accidents
Alongside head-on collisions, rollover accidents can be among the deadliest traffic crashes. Normally, your car’s energy buildup may be affected by factors, including:
- The speed at which you are driving
- How effectively you can hit your brakes
- Road conditions
Vehicles are built with safety features like crumple zones that allow energy to be displaced safely during an accident. However, a rollover accident causes all the energy of your vehicle’s crash to toss the vehicle over and about. This can have devastating effects on the human body.
Depending on the crash’s severity, there may also be what is known as cabin intrusion, which occurs when the structural integrity of the car folds inward, like a sort of crumpling effect. In the past, this could have been a death sentence, especially before the widespread implementation of seatbelt laws. Luckily, modern vehicles can stand strong in rollover car crashes.
What Can Cause Rollover Accidents?
Rollover accidents have many causes, but they typically take place when a car’s balance is thrown off by an outside force or by a displacement of energy—such as changing directions too quickly. When a rollover car wreck happens in a single-car crash, it may have something to do with the speed at which the individual was traveling.
Other factors can include:
- Overloaded or improperly loaded cargo
- Hazardous road conditions
- High winds
- Steep inclines
- Sharp turns
Any vehicle can experience a rollover accident. However, taller or narrower vehicles are more likely to be involved in rollover car accidents. This includes vehicles such as SUVs, vans, and pickup trucks. Even commercial trucks are at risk of rollover accidents.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), driver error is the main reason trucks roll over. This driving behavior causes more than 78 percent of rollover truck accidents in the U.S., the federal agency reports.
When it concerns large trucks and other heavy vehicles, speeding on curvy roads and improper turning can increase the likelihood of a rollover crash.
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How to Avoid a Rollover Accident
Many times, these accidents can be avoided by maintaining a safe speed and exercising caution when road conditions worsen. Always exercise proper safety measures when driving, such as:
- Wearing your seatbel
- Obeying the posted speed limit
- Paying attention to the condition of the road and weather conditions
- Avoiding drowsy or distracted driving
- Practicing defensive driving
- Using a designated driver when drinking alcohol
- Asking a mechanic to inspect your airbags
- Making sure your tires have the proper tread and inflation
Commercial vehicle operators should receive training to be aware of their surroundings and how to maneuver their vehicles properly to avoid rollover accidents and keep themselves and everyone on the road safe.
However, there will always be unexpected accidents in life. Between reckless drivers and falling debris, many things can cause a car to roll over. Avoid keeping heavy, unsecured objects in the back seat of your car in case you are involved in a rollover car accident.
We Can Help You With Recovery After a Rollover Accident
Devastating injuries affecting the entire body can happen after a rollover accident. People injured in these accidents suffer wounds that could leave them at home or in the hospital recovering for a long time.
If you or a loved one is recovering from such an accident in the Gulf South area, the personal injury attorneys at the Morris Bart law office are ready to represent you and seek financial compensation for impaired quality of life, mental, emotional, and physical pain and suffering, lost income, medical expenses, and other losses.
As a result of your injuries, our accident lawyers will file a claim for compensation against the insurance company on your behalf. If we cannot settle your case, we can file an injury lawsuit for compensation for your physical and psychological injuries, such as mental anguish and emotional distress.Accident victims can recover from severe trauma for months or years.
Call the Morris Bart Office Today
If you or a loved one is a rollover accident victim, you don’t have to struggle through this challenging time alone or without recourse to protect your legal rights and interests and hold the liable party accountable. Call our law office near you today to get started on your rollover auto accident case.
Questions?Call 800-537-8185
to find a Morris Bart office near you.