North Carolina Rollover Car Accident Lawyers
A rollover is an auto accident where a vehicle has tipped over onto its side or the roof. These accidents are divided into two categories: tripped and un-tripped.
- Tripped rollover accidents are caused by another object striking the vehicle, usually another car in a T-bone accident. The force of the collision causes the car to slide sideways until it runs into an object such as a guardrail or curb. This causes it to flip.
- Un-tripped rollover accidents are rare and are usually due to a top-heavy vehicle and collision avoidance maneuvers. In either type, victims of these rollover accidents may be able to collect compensation from the at-fault driver and possibly the car manufacturer, as well.
Our team of North Carolina car accident lawyers at the law offices of Riddle & Brantley has experience filing, negotiating, and litigating both personal injury and product liability lawsuits for these types of car accidents.
Rollover car accident cases are often complex. Our attorneys will investigate to determine who is liable for your injuries and damages. We proudly offer FREE consultations to assess the merits of your car accident claim. Let’s review your rollover accident claim.
The consultation is free and we don’t get paid unless you do. Let an experienced rollover accident lawyer at Riddle & Brantley review your case for free.
What Causes a Rollover Accident?
Depending on the circumstances, any vehicle may overturn in a car crash. However, vehicles with auto defects — like those with a center of gravity that is too high for a narrow axle track —are more susceptible to rollover accidents. As noted, these vehicles can easily overturn, especially at high speeds — and can include commercial trucks and delivery vans, certain SUVs, and pickup trucks. Modified vehicles, including Jeep four-wheel drives, that have aftermarket suspensions and much larger wheels, may also be more susceptible to a rollover accident.
What Is Tripping?
Even if a vehicle has no design defects, a rollover is still possible, especially if it is “tripped.” A tripping hazard is any obstacle or object that collides with a car or truck, causing it to overturn. Usually, tripping hazards are low to the ground, like a curb, throwing the vehicle off-balance during the collision.
Factors That May Increase the Likelihood of a Rollover Crash
Some common factors that may cause or contribute to rollover accidents include:
- Auto defects
- Curbs
- Texting while driving
- Driver distraction
- Drunk driving
- Excessive steering maneuvers
- Guardrails
- Higher center of gravity
- Overcompensating to avoid hazards
- Overloaded vehicle
- Slippery road conditions caused by debris, sand, or ice
- Speeding
- Driving recklessly
- Tire blowouts
- Turning at high speeds
- Uneven roadway surface
- Running off the road and then over-correcting
Injuries Commonly Associated with Rollover Accidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that rollovers account for only 2.1 percent of all motor vehicle accidents. However, almost 35 percent of all fatal accidents are rollovers. There is a high risk of head trauma and serious brain injuries when a vehicle overturns.
In addition, if a vehicle has additional auto defects that make the roof and its supports unstable, this risk increases. If a roof fails during a rollover, then vehicle occupants may be crushed under its weight.
Some common injuries caused by rollover accidents include:
- Airbag injuries
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Disfigurement
- Dislocated joints
- Facial injuries
- Lacerations
- Loss of limb
- Neck injuries
- Seat belt injuries
- Skull fractures
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Whiplash injuries
- Wrist injuries
How to Avoid a Rollover Crash
While you may be unable to prevent motor vehicle accidents caused by auto defects, you can take steps to minimize your risk. Often, factors like speeding and driver negligence contribute to these kinds of collisions.
Precautions drivers can take to avoid overturning their vehicle include:
- Abide by all traffic laws and rules of the road
- Do not over-correct when steering your vehicle
- Be cautious on rural roads
- Follow the speed limit
- Load your automobile properly
- Maintain your tires
- Slow your speed in bad weather
- Take curves slowly
“How Do I Know Who Is Liable for My Rollover Accident?”
Rollover accidents are often complex because you may be able to file a personal injury claim against several different parties. If a negligent driver caused a truck accident that resulted in a rollover, then you may have an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit against that driver. Additionally, if auto defects, such as an unstable design or weak roof, caused or contributed to your accident, you may have a product liability claim against the manufacturer.
Lastly, if a tripping hazard resulted in your vehicle overturning, you may even have a claim against the person or entity responsible for it. For example, you may be able to collect compensation from the government organization in charge of road maintenance.
Contact a North Carolina Rollover Accident Lawyer Today
With this in mind, you should know your rights before you settle or execute a release of your claim. If you do, you might also release other claims you have against other parties without realizing it. Our best advice is not to sign a release until your attorney has reviewed all of your claims.
Damages Available in Rollover Car Accident Settlements
If you are injured in a rollover accident, there are several different economic and non-economic damages that you may be eligible to pursue. Economic damages encompass your tangible past and future out-of-pocket expenses. Non-economic damages consist of intangible harms caused by this accident.
Examples of both economic and non-economic damages include:
- Medical bills: This could include a variety of expenses such as ambulance costs, hospital visits, surgeries and procedures, doctors’ visits, assistive devices, physical therapy, occupational therapy, in-home care, prescription medications, and modifications to your home that are necessitated by your injuries.
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity: If you are seriously injured in a rollover accident, you will likely miss work for an extended time. You could recover financially for this, which is known as compensation for lost wages. Lost earning capacity comes into play when you can return to the workforce at some point, however, due to your physical, mental, or psychological injuries, you cannot perform the job you held before the accident. Therefore, you must settle for a lesser-paying position. For example, if you made $60,000 per year working manual labor in a warehouse before the crash, your injuries suffered in the accident may render you incapable of doing this. If you have to take a lower-paying administrative job at a salary of $35,000, then your lost earning capacity is $25,000 per year.
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering: This is a type of non-economic damages, and while it is difficult to quantify, the legal system still enables rollover accident victims to recover financially from it. Courts will generally award you more for pain and suffering the more serious and long-lasting that your injuries are, such as permanent chronic pain, paralysis, amputations, or disfigurement. Your crash may also cause you to suffer from depression, anxiety, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and compensation may be available for this emotional trauma and distress.
- Loss of consortium and loss of enjoyment of life: This is another non-economic damage. The more physically or psychologically debilitating your injuries are, the more likely they will significantly impact your quality of life moving forward. The legal system attempts to award you financially for this non-economic harm.
Delays Can Be Costly
Our attorneys at Riddle & Brantley strongly urge rollover accident victims to hire an experienced attorney to represent them as soon as possible following the crash. Please note that the law limits your time to file a claim, and if you miss this deadline, you could lose all legal rights. This is known as the statute of limitations.
Here in North Carolina, you have three years from the date of the crash in which to file a lawsuit and two years to file your claim with a wrongful death lawyer if the accident resulted in a fatality. By hiring an experienced lawyer, you can ensure that all deadlines are met.
Experienced and Results-Oriented
At Riddle & Brantley, our attorneys have more than 220+ years of combined experience representing injured clients. We’ve recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our deserving clients over the years (see disclaimer below).
One of our clients was seriously injured in a car accident and had no source of income for the foreseeable future. We were able to secure a $1 million settlement on her behalf before even filing a lawsuit (see disclaimer below).
“We are very happy with the justice and help we received.”
-Jessica F., Riddle & Brantley client
To read more about what our clients are saying about working with our attorneys and staff, check out our client testimonials.
We Are Always Here to Help You
If you or a loved one have been injured in a rollover accident here in North Carolina, contact our attorneys at Riddle & Brantley for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Justice Counts. You are not alone, and we would love to help however we can. You will not be charged any attorney fees unless you win and you receive compensation.
Let’s review your rollover accident claim today!
Disclaimer: The results mentioned are intended to illustrate the type of cases handled by the firm. These results do not guarantee a similar outcome, and they should not be construed to constitute a promise or guarantee of a particular result in any particular case. Every case is different, and the outcome of any case depends upon a variety of factors unique to that case.