There are countless trajectories a vehicle may take upon impact in a car accident, but a rollover is certainly among the most catastrophic. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that rollover crashes are responsible for more fatalities than other types of accidents, with about 10,000 victims killed every year. An accident is considered a rollover any time the vehicle flips over onto its roof or side, and many of these incidents involve a single car that flips over. However, there are many other accidents that are the result of negligence, so an injured victim may be able to recover compensation for his or her losses. If you were hurt in a rollover collision in Baltimore County, MD, an experienced car accident attorney can tell you more about your options.
Factors in Rollover Accidents
Many of the same factors are at play when comparing rollover accidents to other types of crashes, but certain issues make a vehicle more likely to flip.
- Vehicle Design: Sports utility vehicles and lightweight trucks are more susceptible to a rollover because the center of gravity can be up to several feet higher than cars. When a driver encounters slippery road conditions, a soft shoulder, uneven surfaces, or other obstacles, a top-heavy vehicle is at risk of flipping.
- Vehicle Tripping: Rollovers are common where the car’s tire hits a curb or bump, a phenomenon termed “tripping.” The impact disrupts the vehicle’s forward motion, causing it to roll sideways or forward.
Common Injuries in Rollover Accidents
When a vehicle rolls, the motion can often lead to a driver or passenger being ejected; another common effect is the roof of the vehicle collapsing when it comes to rest upside-down. In both incidents, victims can suffer extremely serious injuries. There are five primary areas of the body that are affected:
- Head and neck;
- Torso;
- Abdomen;
- Upper extremities; and,
- Lower extremities.
When these parts of the body sustain trauma, there are a number of short term injuries, including brain trauma and spinal cord injuries, bone fractures, whiplash, contusions, lacerations, and damage to internal organs. In the long term, a victim may suffer from:
- Issues with motor skills, including speech, vision, memory, and emotional control;
- Blindness or other vision problems;
- Chronic back pain;
- Disruption of normal organ functioning;
- Nerve damage; and,
- Many other conditions.
In severe rollover crashes, a victim may be killed instantly or sustain life-threatening injuries that ultimately result in death.
Rollover accidents are serious and, unfortunately, they are all too common. If you are injured in this type of collision due to someone else’s careless driving, you should speak with an experienced car accident lawyer right away. A lawyer can represent your interests when filing a claim with an insurance company, and during settlement negotiations. For more information on car accident cases in Maryland, please contact attorney Michael A. Freedman. Our legal team can answer your questions or schedule an initial consultation to discuss your case.
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