Lake Charles Rollover Collision Accident Attorneys
Rollover accidents are among the most dangerous types of motor vehicle accidents. When you’ve been in a rollover crash, you’ll no doubt feel frightened, shocked, and overwhelmed. And in the aftermath, you may be concerned about treating your injuries and be unable to work. Pretty soon the medical bills are adding stress to the fears you already have about how you’re going to cover your living expenses when you can’t work. You need help, and you know it.
If you were injured in a rollover accident caused by someone else’s reckless or negligent behavior, you may be entitled to compensation. Call the Lake Charles car accident attorneys of Veron Bice, LLC today at 337-310-1600 for a free consultation. Our team is committed to tenaciously and aggressively seeking fair compensation for your accident-related financial, physical, and mental injuries.
What Is a Rollover Accident?
Rollover accidents account for 17.6 percent of passenger deaths that occurred in 2019. A crash is considered a rollover when the vehicle tips, either onto its side or onto the roof during the crash. Even if the vehicle ends up on all four wheels at the end of the crash, if it rolled at any point, it is considered a rollover crash.
While most accidents are traumatic and frightening, rollover crashes can be terrifying. The passenger or driver may be thrown from the vehicle or trapped inside. There is a high fatality rate, especially for drivers and passengers who are not restrained at the time of the crash. In most cases, the car rolls horizontally and only flips end-to-end in approximately two percent of all rollover crashes.
What Causes a Rollover Accident?
There are two types of rollover accidents. In a tripped rollover accident, there are external factors that caused the car to flip or roll. This can be when the vehicle comes in contact with a curb, guardrail, pothole, or another vehicle. In an untripped rollover, there are no external factors that are responsible for the car rolling. In this case, it can happen if the vehicle is top-heavy or unbalanced.
Understanding the causes of a rollover accident helps to determine who is at fault and can help prevent future accidents. Some of the most common causes are:
High center of gravity: Taller vehicles have a higher center of gravity. They are more likely to be affected by wind and external factors, such as colliding with another vehicle.
Speed: When drivers are trying to negotiate turns at high speed, a rollover accident can be the result. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, speed is an important factor in rollover crashes, with a higher incidence occurring on roads where the limits are 55 miles an hour or greater. Roughly 40 percent of fatal rollover crashes involve speeding, and this factor tends to decrease as people age. The rate of speed as a factor was highest in drivers of passenger vehicles, and not pickup trucks or SUVs.
Alcohol: Roughly 50 percent of all traffic accidents involve drugs or alcohol. As with speeding, drivers are unable to react as quickly to changing conditions, which increases the risk. During an accident, drivers under the influence are also more likely to leave the roadway, which can trigger a rollover accident.
Road conditions: Bad weather, spills, and slick roads increase the risk that swerving or taking a turn too quickly can result in a rollover accident. Country and rural roads are also not equipped with the same safety features you find on highways. Without barriers, cars are more likely to leave the road, which can result in a rollover accident.
Vehicle maintenance: Faulty suspension, failing brakes, defective steering, and poor tire treads can trigger an accident. Tire blowouts can lead to an accident when the driver overcorrects while trying to get control of the vehicle.
Distracted driving: Drivers who are texting, eating, or otherwise not focused on the task of driving can lose control of the vehicle and cause a tripped rollover accident.
Types of Injuries Associated With a Rollover Accident
If a driver or passenger was thrown from the vehicle or thrown around the vehicle, serious injuries can result. In addition to broken bones, soft tissue injuries, and lacerations, injuries associated with a rollover accident include:
- Traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury
- Head and back injuries
- Paralysis
- Whiplash
- Internal organ damage
- Dental and facial injuries
- Post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD
- Depression and anxiety
- Death
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit?
If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident, there is a statutory deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit in Louisiana. This is called the statute of limitations and in Louisiana, it is one year from the date the injury or damage was sustained.
The first step to recovering damages is to file an insurance claim and potentially negotiate with the at-fault party’s insurance company. This can take time. If negotiations are unsuccessful, you have the option of filing a personal injury lawsuit, but it must be filed within one year of the date of your injury.
Since investigating and gathering evidence to support your claim is a time-consuming process, it is essential that you contact a Lake Charles rollover collision accident attorney as soon as possible after your accident. The one-year statute of limitations in Louisiana does not allow you to recover damages in court if you file a lawsuit after one year has passed.
What Type of Compensation May Be Available?
Significant injury can result in high medical expenses. If you’ve been injured because of another person’s negligence, you may be eligible to recover damages. These damages, which is another word for compensation, can include:
Medical expenses: All medical bills related to your injury are considered for compensation. This can include medical specialists, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and prescription medications.
Lost wages: If you were forced to miss work because of injuries related to the accident, you may be entitled to compensation that replaces your wages.
Property damage: Property damage during a motor vehicle accident can include anything of value in the car or on your person, as well as the vehicle itself.
Wrongful death: No amount of money can replace the loss of a loved one. Unfortunately, rollover accident injuries are often significant and sometimes result in death. You may be eligible to recover compensation to help pay for medical expenses and funeral costs.
Pain and suffering: The law allows for an individual to recover compensation for pain and suffering that’s associated with an injury caused by someone else’s negligence.
Call an Experienced Lake Charles Rollover Accident Attorney
If you were injured in an accident that was not your fault, you may be entitled to compensation that helps cover your costs. The Lake Charles car accident attorneys of Veron Bice, LLC understand the financial, emotional, and physical burden that happens after a severe injury. Our legal team has the experience and tenacity to protect your rights and fight for fair compensation. Call us at 337-310-1600 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation.
