A rollover accident results when the tires come off the road and the vehicle flips onto its side, roof, or the whole way around, because of the force of impact. This can cause substantial damage to the vehicle itself as well as catastrophic harm to the occupants of the car. If your car flipped due to another person’s negligent actions, you may have grounds for a civil claim.
An Altoona rollover accident lawyer could review your case and determine if you are eligible to seek financial compensation from the responsible party. If so, an experienced vehicle accident attorney could collect the necessary evidence to build a strong case against the at-fault party.
Rollovers often happen in a T-bone collision. If one vehicle strikes the other on the side, the vehicle that is struck can flip.
Cars can also flip when a vehicle is in the blind spot and gets struck in the back corner while going at a high rate of speed. In these cases, they might fish tail and then roll over. Rollovers can also occur from poor road or weather conditions, such as ice and snow. A knowledgeable lawyer in Altoona could investigate the accident to determine who is responsible for a plaintiff’s vehicle rolling over.
While other vehicle accidents may involve only a single point of impact, rollover accidents have the potential for devastating injuries because the sides and tops of the vehicle are impacted. Unlike the front and back of cars, the sides and roof of a vehicle offer little to no protection for motorists.
When vehicles flip over, people can become entrapped in the vehicle because the doors are immobilized. Occupants can be thrown about the vehicle, striking different parts of their bodies. Drivers and passengers may suffer broken bones, lacerations, traumatic head injuries, spinal cord damage, and even death.
The victim must prove the defendant’s negligent actions directly caused the injuries in order to recover damages. This requires looking at the physical evidence from the vehicles and accident scene, and sometimes even obtaining an accident reconstruction report showing what happened. A lawyer could prove a claimant’s injuries through medical records and opinions from medical providers in the form of expert testimony.
To ensure a plaintiff is fairly compensated, a dedicated lawyer could help quantify the economic losses, including lost wages, future earning capacity, and past and future medical bills. To prove the claimant endured pain and suffering, an attorney could provide evidence that the accident cost the individual the loss of life’s pleasures through the victim’s own testimony and through the testimony of others who observe and see the things the person cannot do.
Preventing rollover accidents requires drivers to be mindful of the other motorists on the roadway and to leave a little extra space between vehicles. Drivers should also be mindful that the other motorists may not yield the right-of-way, follow the speed limit, or maintain their lane of travel.
Other ways to prevent collisions that cause vehicles to flip over include not driving while:
Checking the current weather conditions could also help prevent devastating wrecks. Unfortunately, even if a person is careful, another driver’s negligence could still result in a crash. If another motorist drives negligently or recklessly and comes into another’s lane and makes contact, it can be very difficult to avoid collisions despite taking evasive action.
If your vehicle flipped over, you likely suffered devastating physical and financial losses, and filing a civil suit could be intimidating. That is why enlisting the services of skilled legal counsel is so vital in these cases. An Altoona rollover accident lawyer could handle your legal issues while you focus on your physical recovery. Call Marcus & Mack today and schedule your free case consultation with attorneys you can trust.
