Rollover accidents can cause serious or even catastrophic injuries. The injuries depend on how the crash happened, the relative size of the vehicles involved, how fast the vehicle was going at the time of the rollover, the sturdiness of the roof and body of the vehicle and whether anything else was hit when the vehicle rolled. If the rollover was the fault of another driver’s negligence, then the injured victims, or their families if a fatality was involved, may decide to sue the driver at fault.
Every rollover is unique, but it is likely that damages sought in a personal injury claim are likely to be some of the highest for any vehicle accident claim because of the likelihood that the injuries were severe. It is important that the injured rollover victim, or their family, seek advice from an experienced personal injury attorney before filing a claim.
Possible Injuries Due to a Rollover Accident
Injuries are likely to be severe, especially if the vehicle rolls more than once, or ends up on the roof and the body is crushed. Typical injuries include:
- traumatic brain injuries
- facial scarring
- neck and back injuries
- damage to organs in the torso and abdomen, especially if a part of the car body penetrates the occupants of the vehicle
- broken bones
- dislocated limbs
- severe cuts
- burns if the vehicle bursts into flames
Damages Sought in a Rollover PI Claim
The scale of the injuries, how difficult they are to treat, the amount of emotional suffering experienced as well as the effect on the ability to earn a living into the future, all have a significant bearing on the damages sought in a personal injury claim. Insurers will also be keen to determine what degree of fault lies with the injured party seeking a settlement. In some states, if insurers can prove that some of the fault lay with the plaintiff, then this may reduce the settlement paid out or even be a reason to deny any settlement at all. Most personal injury attorneys advise their clients not to admit fault in any personal injury claim at the outset, but be prepared to negotiate a fair settlement if a degree of fault is established.
Payments for successful personal injury claims after a rollover accident may be in the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. The more serious the injuries, or the longer they take to heal, the higher the settlement sought.
Why an Attorney with Trial Experience Should be Sought for a Rollover PI Case
It is important to choose an experienced personal injury attorney for help negotiating a settlement after a rollover accident. Although most claims of this type never go to trial it should remain an option if negotiations stall with the at-fault party’s insurer. That is why after a serious accident in which the level of damages sought is substantial that the ability and willingness of an attorney to take the case to trial can be a deciding factor in settling a claim favorably on behalf of the injured plaintiff or their family.
