Any type of car accident can have serious consequences for occupants. In fact, even collisions that are considered minor fender benders can result in whiplash, head injuries, and broken bones, all of which can be both painful and expensive to treat. There are certain types of accidents, however, that tend to have particularly devastating consequences for occupants. Rollover accidents, for instance, are notorious for the significant property damage and physical injuries that they cause. In fact, last week, five Iowa residents were injured in a single-vehicle crash (resulting from mechanical failure), in which the vehicle rolled into a ditch, eventually coming to rest on its roof. In this particular crash, two occupants were ejected from the vehicle and one was pinned beneath it.
Unfortunately, determining the cause of a rollover accident can be difficult, as there are often multiple factors at play in these collisions, including potential mechanical failure, driver negligence, poor road conditions, and improper road design. For help determining who is responsible for your own rollover crash, please contact our experienced auto accident legal team today.
Rollover Accident Causes
Rollover accidents can and do have a number of different causes. For instance, the majority of rollover accidents are attributed to tire blowouts and tread separation, which can cause a driver to lose control of his or her vehicle. Tripping, which occurs when a vehicle’s tire strikes a curb or other object and then lurches sideways, has also been linked to thousands of rollover accidents every year. Tripping is particularly common in situations where roads are improperly maintained or poorly designed.
Vehicle defects are another common cause of rollover accidents and include everything from defective tires and brakes to problematic suspensions and steering wheel problems. When these defects can be linked to an improper design or a defect in the production process, the manufacturer in question could be held at least partially liable for the resulting accident. If, on the other hand, a defect was the result of damage suffered during transit or while on a car dealer’s lot, the shipping company and dealership could also be required to compensate injured parties for their losses.
Are Rollover Accidents Serious?
While some car crash victims are fortunate enough to walk away from a collision with minor injuries, motorists who are involved in rollover accidents are rarely so fortunate. In fact, rollover accidents are notorious for resulting in particularly serious injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injury;
- Crushed and broken bones;
- Severe lacerations and amputations;
- Internal injuries; and
- Spinal cord damage.
Rollover accidents are especially dangerous to motorists who are at a higher risk of being ejected from the vehicle, crushed beneath the car, or trapped in the vehicle itself. The latter is particularly common in situations where a vehicle rolled a significant distance, as this tends to cause serious vehicular damage, often leaving a vehicle’s doors so crumpled and dented that they are no longer functional. In many cases, as in the recent southwestern Iowa rollover accident previously mentioned, the affected vehicle could even come to rest on its roof, which can make it difficult, if not impossible, for injured parties to escape without the help of emergency personnel.
Because the injuries sustained in rollover accidents tend to have such devastating consequences, it is critical for Iowa residents who are involved in these types of crashes to seek compensation from the at-fault parties who caused the accident. This could include everyone from a negligent driver or vehicle manufacturer to a careless road maintenance crew or negligent mechanic, all of whom could be required to compensate the injured party for accident-related losses, including medical bills, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. To learn more about seeking compensation from the person or entity who is responsible for your own rollover accident, please contact our legal team today.
Experienced Iowa Car Accident Attorneys
If you or a loved one suffered an injury in a rollover accident, you could be entitled to compensation. Please call the Telpner Peterson Law Firm, LLP at 712-309-3738 to learn more.