Vehicle Rollovers In Oklahoma City
One of the most catastrophic types of car accidents is a vehicle rollover. A rollover is an accident that causes the vehicle to tip, flip, and roll one or more times. Rollover accidents are more common in taller vehicles such as pickup trucks, SUVs, RVs, and commercial trucks compared to standard family cars.
A rollover accident often causes grave or even fatal injuries, leaving families struggling with pain, medical expenses, and sometimes grieving the loss of a loved one. If you or someone you love has been involved in a rollover crash, an Oklahoma City car accident lawyer can help you understand your legal options and fight for the compensation you deserve.
What Causes Vehicle Rollovers In Oklahoma City?
Any car can roll over under the wrong circumstances, but rollover accidents are far more common in taller vehicles. Because highway lane sizes restrict the width of a car’s wheelbase, vehicle manufacturers cannot widen the wheelbase enough to counterbalance the increased height of taller vehicles, making them more likely to tip or roll. The most common cause of vehicle rollovers in Oklahoma City or elsewhere include the following:
- Speeding—especially around curves
- Sideswipes
- Uneven road surfaces
- Hitting obstacles, curbs, or guardrails
- Steep inclines close to the edge of the road
- Tire blowouts
- Unbalanced or suddenly shifting loads
- Roadway departures
Distracted, aggressive, drowsy, or impaired driving increases the chances of a vehicle rollover accident.
What Types of Injuries Happen In Oklahoma Vehicle Rollover Accidents?
The crash force of an accident puts tremendous strain on the body as the crash propels the motorist forward or to the side before the seatbelt snaps them back against the seat. At the same time, the vehicle’s structure collapses inward at the impact point, causing blunt force trauma to vehicle accidents. In a rollover accident, the vehicle sustains impacts on all sides and the top as it rolls. Rollover accidents often cause life-altering or fatal injuries even to motorists wearing seatbelts. Common injuries in rollover accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Single and multiple fractures
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic amputations
- Internal organ injuries
- Crush injuries
- Burns
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Facial and dental trauma
- Lacerations, abrasions, and contusions
- Wrongful death
Even when the driver of the rolled vehicle is the only involved driver in the accident, often, someone else is at fault for the accident and liable for damages. If a loved one died in a vehicle rollover accident, close family members could recover compensation through an Oklahoma wrongful death claim
Recovering compensation for damages after a rollover requires an investigation to determine the cause of the accident and identify the responsible party. Common liable parties in vehicle rollover accidents include the following:
- A careless, reckless, or intoxicated driver
- A negligent road maintenance agency
- A negligent roadway planning agency
- The manufacturer of a defective tire or auto part
- The manufacturer of a vehicle with an unsafe design
An experienced injury lawyer in Oklahoma City investigates the accident and pursues claims against one or more liable parties to maximize the compensation available to the injury victim after a rollover accident. Proving liability requires showing evidence that the at-fault party owed a duty of care to others on the road, they breached this duty through negligence, their breach of duty caused the accident, and the injury victim suffered damages from the accident.
How Can a Car Accident Victim Help My Case?
Proving liability for a vehicle rollover accident and maximizing the compensation recoverable to the accident victim requires a skilled attorney for optimal results. If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a vehicle rollover, call the rollover car accident lawyers in Oklahoma at Dan Davis Law for a free evaluation of your case.