Columbia Rollover Accident Lawyers
A rollover accident terrifies most drivers who experience it. It’s a dangerous and precarious moment in anyone’s life. Maybe your vehicle has a design flaw that makes it more likely to roll in a crash. Maybe you were the victim of an aggressive driver. Or perhaps weather or road conditions beyond your control caused your car to roll over.
Whatever the reason, if you’ve been injured in a rollover accident, you need an attorney who understands vehicle accident physics as well as applicable South Carolina accident law. The Columbia car accident lawyers at Goings Law Firm, LLC have significant experience in this area and we can make sure your right to compensation is protected. Call us as soon as possible at (803) 350-9230 for your free consultation.
Why You Need A Lawyer To Represent You In A Rollover Case
The kinds of car crashes in which a driver experiences a rollover are often violent and destructive events. Passengers experience painful and sometimes life-altering injuries, and the damage to the vehicles involved can be significant. The larger the vehicle, the more damage it causes. If the design of the vehicle contributed to the rollover, the manufacturer may be liable for a large part of the damages. Settlements or judgments for these cases can sometimes reach millions of dollars.
A good accident attorney can investigate the circumstances of the accident, researching known design flaws in the tires or in the structure of the vehicle itself. Our lawyers can determine whether the other driver acted irresponsibly or made a fatal error that caused the crash to occur. We can speak to insurance companies on your behalf so that you don’t put your case in jeopardy, and organize medical records and witness statements to present the best possible case for your compensation.
Why Hire Goings Law Firm, LLC?
For many years, the Goings Law Firm, LLC accident lawyers have been helping South Carolinians recover compensation for their injuries. Our seasoned advocates have decades of experience fighting for the rights of clients facing the same legal battles as you. U.S. News and World Report has listed us among its Best Law Firms of 2020, but most importantly, we have won the trust of the clients we serve. When you choose our firm, we work tirelessly to make sure you get the results you deserve.
Common Causes Of Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents tend to be rare among all car crashes — slightly more than 2 percent. That statistic is concerning, however, when you consider that rollover accidents account for 35 percent of deaths from passenger vehicle crashes.
These accidents fall into a couple of different categories:
- Tripped rollovers – These occur when the vehicle “trips” over an obstacle or road feature like a guardrail, soft soil, or a steep slope. A heavy force applied to the tires, as well as over-steering in an attempt to right the vehicle, can cause it to lose balance and turn over. Most rollover accidents—95 percent—result from tripping.
- Un-tripped rollovers – This crashes account for less than 5 percent of rollovers. They often occur when a top-heavy vehicle like a truck or SUV attempts a high-speed turn or similar maneuver that throws the vehicle off-balance. These crashes can be caused by a driver attempting to avoid an obstacle in the road at high speed, or even by improper load balancing in a truck’s cargo.
There are a number of factors that can lead to a rollover and/or a fatal crash:
- Speed – Exceeding the speed limit often leads to fatalities in roadway accidents, and about 40 percent of fatal rollovers include excessive speeding. Taking a turn too quickly can throw off the vehicle’s balance and cause it to turn over.
- Drunk driving – Almost half of fatal rollover accidents include alcohol consumption as a factor. A driver impaired by alcohol has slower reactions and may make the wrong decision, including turning too sharply in the seconds before a crash occurs. This increases the chances of a rollover.
- Rural roads – Fatal rollover accidents occur more frequently on country roads than on city streets. Country roads often lack barriers and lane dividers. Rollover deaths frequently occur in rural areas with a speed limit above 55 miles per hour.
- Tire defects – Uneven tire pressure and worn treads can lead to a rollover accident because of the uneven weight distribution of the vehicle. More than that, however, any problems that could cause the tires to blow out, especially at highway speeds, could force the vehicle to trip and roll over.
Top-heavy vehicles such as buses, cargo trucks, and sport utility vehicles are most susceptible to rollover. The majority of these accidents involve only a single vehicle, but any other vehicles on the roadway face serious danger of being hit or crushed during a rollover accident.
Typical Injuries Sustained In Rollover Accidents
Accidents involving a rollover tend to cause major violence and destruction, both to the vehicles themselves and the passengers. Unfortunately, death and severe injury are common. Some of the injuries that typically occur in a rollover accident include:
- External and internal bruising from blunt force impacts
- Blood loss from lacerations sustained from jagged metal and glass
- Broken bones from heavy impacts within the vehicle
- Spinal cord injuries, sometimes leading to partial or full paralysis
- Fractured skull and head injuries, sometimes leading to permanent brain damage
- Internal bleeding and punctured organs, from sharp debris as well as bone fragments
- Severed or heavily damaged limbs
- Post-traumatic stress or other mental or emotional conditions
- Severe burns from fire or chemicals
- Damaged nerves leading to long-term sensory or motor function disorders
Many of these injuries can cause problems for years or decades – if the victim survives. The medical and rehabilitation bills could be exorbitant, which is why it’s so important to have an experienced and knowledgeable accident attorney on your side.
Rollover Accident Frequently Asked Questions
If you’ve been through the traumatic experience of a rollover accident, you undoubtedly have questions about your case, such as proving who is at fault, the amount of compensation you can expect to receive, and other concerns. We can dive deeper into these issues when we discuss your case with you, but here are a few answers to common client questions.
Who Is Liable In A Rollover Accident?
The liable party and the level of responsibility they have for the accident depends on a number of important details. How many vehicles were involved in the crash? According to data from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, 85 percent of rollover accidents involve only one vehicle. Some large trucks and SUVs have a high center of gravity and are more prone to tipping over. In these cases, there may be liability on the part of the vehicle manufacturer for a safety-related design flaw. If there was another driver involved, their driving practices may be to blame, whether they were under the influence of drugs or alcohol, driving aggressively, or made a poor decision at a critical moment before the crash.
If I Don’t Feel Injured, Do I Really Need To See A Doctor?
Yes, you absolutely must seek medical care. Even if you feel fine, you could be suffering from unseen or hidden wounds, including internal lacerations, concussion, or soft-tissue damage, which can be masked by an increase in adrenaline directly following the crash. Some of these injuries, seemingly minor at first, can become major or even life-threatening problems if not treated properly. Also, if you refuse medical attention or fail to follow up with a doctor, you may forfeit compensation later on.
What Can I Expect To Be Compensated For?
Every case is different, and the complex nature of a rollover accident means that the amount and type of compensation will depend on the details of your accident and the severity of your injuries, among other factors. Some of the typical ways an accident victim may be compensated include:
- Payment for pain and suffering related to the accident
- Medical and hospitalization reimbursement
- Coverage for prescription drugs and painkillers
- Wage replacement for inability to work
- Costs of physical rehabilitation and long-term care
- Psychological and emotional care costs
- Replacement of damaged or destroyed property
- Payments for loss of primary income/wage-earner
- Coverage for funeral or burial expenses, and payment for wrongful death
You will need to discuss with your lawyer all the ways the accident has affected your life to determine how much compensation we will seek for your injuries.
Speak With A Columbia Rollover Accident Specialist Today
If you’ve been through the traumatic experience of a rollover accident, the last thing you want to worry about is your legal representation. The devastating nature of this type of accident requires that you have the best advocates available. We know how devastating and frustrating it can be to recover from a rollover accident.
We represent clients facing the same circumstances every day. If you’ve been through a rollover accident, call the South Carolina accident lawyers Goings Law Firm, LLC right away at (803) 350-9230 or fill out our contact form today. The first consultation is free of charge.
