It's true; real life is not like Fast and Furious. In the real world, we must obey rules, drive safely, and follow local laws. Participating in illegal races or street fights with your fancy sports car is prohibited.
Real life is more complex than fast and furious; if we decide, we could be done with it in seconds, and there is no way to correct the script and re-record the scene. Although, what is possible is to recover from an eventuality and reinvent yourself over time.
In a rollover accident, we sometimes watch an action scene like that of Vin Diesel, a car spinning in the air and bursting into flames. In real life, these events can be very deadly for everyone involved: drivers, pedestrians, witnesses, and the community.
It is very difficult to survive an accident of this type because of the magnitude of the damage to the vehicle and because of how exposed the drivers are when they receive several impacts against the ground. Even when the necessary safety measures, such as seat belts or airbags, are taken to reach this magnitude of the accident, it is normal for a violent impact to occur first, and it is that impact that can end someone's life instantly.
These accidents can have various causes. They often range from recklessness that could have been avoided to a sudden technical failure such as a brake or engine failure. What should you do in this type of situation? It is a question that is not so easy to answer.
If we look at it from the perspective of those involved, the first thing to check is whether they are still alive. As Queens community members, we can take action to prevent and address these events. This includes sharing information, collaborating with civil groups, local police, authorities, and NGOs, and implementing strategies to keep our community safe.
By joining forces, the prevention message can reach New York drivers. In addition, we could think of dissemination campaigns that also include technical aspects to be taken into account when reviewing our vehicles, thus avoiding any unwanted technical failure.
Our rollover car accident lawyer at The Ward Law Group will develop a comprehensive plan for your case. They will also explain the potential compensation you may receive and provide support throughout your complex situation.
In the following paragraphs, we would like to explore some of the most relevant aspects of these accidents to share valuable information with our community and raise awareness about these events.
Understanding Rollover Accidents
Vehicles can tip over onto their side or roof during a rollover accident, which can happen for various reasons. Serious injuries or even fatalities frequently follow rollover crashes and can be extremely dangerous.
Comprehending rollover accidents' dynamics, common causes, and differences from other collision types is essential to promoting road safety, avoiding pain and suffering, and assisting victims in getting the right legal help.
Common Causes and Factors Contributing to Rollovers
With all the experience accumulated over the years, we have been able to identify the most common causes that could lead to this type of car accident:
- Excessive Speed: Driving at high speeds raises the possibility of losing control during turns, which could result in rollover collisions.
- Sharp Turns: Making sharp turns at high speeds or without sufficient control can cause the car to overturn.
- Sudden Lane Changes: Abrupt lane changes, especially at high speeds, can destabilize the vehicle and trigger a rollover.
- Tire Blowouts: Sudden tire failures, such as blowouts, can lead to loss of control and rollover incidents.
- Overcorrecting Directing Maneuvers: Forcefully overcorrecting the directing in reaction to startling occasions can result in rollovers.
- Vehicle Characteristics: Vehicles with higher centers of gravity, like SUVs and vans, are more inclined to rollovers due to their characteristic instability.
- Street Conditions and Climate: Dangerous streets, uneven surfaces, and unfavorable climate conditions can contribute to rollover accidents.
- Driver Behavior: Careless driving, distracted driving, and impeded driving increment the probability of rollover episodes.
As we can see, these causes can be very varied, some more related to technical aspects or the characteristics of the vehicles, such as the tendency of SUVs to overturn due to some impact due to their dimensions.
However, these events can sometimes be multi-causal, where human error is mixed with technical error. The goal is to minimize accidents by following the preventive measures listed below to prevent negative outcomes.
How Rollover Accidents Differ from Other Collisions
- Vertical Movement: Rollovers include a vertical movement where the vehicle tips over onto its side or roof, causing unique injury patterns.
- Impact force and angle: A rollover produces a different impact force and angle than a frontal or rear-end collision, which affects the type and severity of the injury.
- Unique Injury Patterns: Unlike injuries in other types of crashes, rollovers can cause head, neck, spine, and extremity injuries as a result of the vehicle rolling and rolling.
Drivers and legal experts need to understand the factors that cause rollover accidents and how they differ from other collisions. This understanding is crucial for improving road safety, preventing accidents, and providing effective legal assistance to victims. This knowledge helps improve road safety, prevent accidents, and provide effective legal assistance to victims.
Rollover Accident Trends in Queens
- Recurrence and Predominance: Rollover accidents are a critical concern in Queens, contributing to a notable portion of the borough's accidents. Their recurrence underscores the importance of understanding their causes and implementing preventive measures.
Based on a studio from the Insurance Information Institute, Rollover accidents were linked to around 3 thousand deaths during the last two years. That studio also showed that there has been an increase of 12% regarding this type of accident in the state of New York.
Injuries and Impact of Rollover Accidents
As mentioned above, due to the severity of these types of collisions, the fatality rate can be high. However, when you get out alive from such an event, some injuries may extend in the long term and take some time for complete healing.
We have seen hundreds of cases over the years, allowing us to group the most characteristic types of injuries related to rollover accidents. Our rollover accident attorneys have seen it all, and with their help, we have been able to put together a list that allows you to identify if any of your injuries match the most common ones:
- Head and Brain Injuries: Rollover accidents often result in head injuries due to the violent motion of the vehicle. Head injuries can range from a concussion to traumatic brain injury (TBI), which can have long-term effects on cognition and function.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: The violent impact and twisting motion of a roll can cause spinal injuries, including herniated discs, fractures, and spinal cord injuries. These injuries can lead to chronic pain, limited mobility, and paralysis.
- Fractures and broken bones: When rolling, limbs can be crushed or struck, causing fractures. Such injuries may require surgery, long-term rehabilitation, and permanent disability.
- Internal Organ Damage: Sudden changes in motion during a rollover can cause internal organs to collide, leading to internal bleeding, organ damage, and long-term health complications.
- Cervical Sprains and Soft Tissue Injuries: The violent shock and impact of rolling can cause cervical sprains and soft tissue injuries, resulting in neck, back, and shoulder pain. These injuries may appear minor at first glance, but they can cause chronic pain and discomfort.
- Facial Injuries: Rollover accidents can result in facial injuries, including broken bones, cuts, and bruises, from collisions with the passenger compartment or debris.
- Chest Injuries: The force of a fall can cause chest injuries such as broken ribs, collapsed lungs, and fractured sternum, often from seat belt pressure or impact.
- Crush injuries: Vehicle roofs can collapse during a rollover accident, resulting in the crushing of limbs and body parts and often requiring surgical intervention.
- Burn Injuries: Rollover accidents can result in vehicle fires, leading to burn injuries that require specialized medical treatment and long-term care.
- Amputations: Severe rollover accidents can result in traumatic amputations or limb injuries to passengers in the vehicle that require surgical amputations due to irreparable damage.
- Psychological Trauma: Rollover survivors may experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological issues due to the traumatic nature of the accident.
- Joint Dislocations: Sudden and powerful impacts in rollover accidents can cause joint dislocations, especially in the shoulders and hips.
- Nerve Damage: Nerve wounds can happen during rollovers, leading to deadness, shivering, and loss of sensation or function in affected areas.
- Vision and Hearing Disability: Rollover mishaps can cause head wounds that result in transitory or lasting vision and hearing disability.
Prevention and Vehicle Safety Measures
Want to learn more about prevention measures? Check out many of The Ward Law Group's posts, where we always emphasize that prevention will make our community safer.
This time, we have been able to gather the most important aspects to consider to prevent these types of fatalities in the city of Queens. Let's review them together:
- Speed limit compliance: Obeying the speed limit reduces the risk of losing control during sudden turns or maneuvers, thereby reducing the risk of overturning.
- Avoid overloading: Avoid overloading or carrying excessive passengers, as this increases the vehicle's center of gravity and is prone to tipping over. The weight limits regarding the number of passengers inside the car will depend on the different types of vehicles.
- Safe Spin Practices: Slow down before turning, especially when cornering, and avoid sharp turns, which can cause a loss of control.
- Regular Tire Maintenance: Proper tire inflation and regular checks help maintain traction, reducing the risk of tire blowouts that can trigger rollovers.
- Maintain a Safe Following Distance: Keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead to allow time to react and avoid abrupt maneuvers.
- Use Seatbelts: Keep occupants securely in place, preventing ejection during a rollover and reducing injury severity.
- Choose a vehicle with stability control: Look for an electronic stability control (ESC), which helps prevent loss of control and rollovers.
- Avoid distracted driving: Concentrate on the road, as distracted driving can lead to sudden maneuvers and increase the risk of a rollover.
- Understand vehicle dynamics: Know the vehicle's characteristics; SUVs have a high center of gravity and adjust handling accordingly.
- Attend Defensive Driving Courses. These courses offer valuable skills for handling challenging road situations and minimizing rollover risk.
Settlements from Auto Insurance
Your personal insurance policy will provide you with support in every motor vehicle accident. After they know you were in an accident, they will offer you a settlement, which is an agreement to compensate you for the expenses that most people face: medical expenses.
There is a mistake that policyholders commit, and it's not consulting with a personal injury attorney. Insurance settlements tend to offer low compensation for injured people. If they accept their conditions, the victim may need to pay out of pocket for all future expenses.
A lawyer for rollover accidents will help you with insurance companies to get a fair settlement. We can go to court to fight for our rights if they don't give us what we need. The financial compensation you should get must include medical expenses, medical treatment, rehabilitation, psychological support, property damage, and any other requirements you may need.
Contact a Queens Rollover Accident Lawyer
We will be in touch to receive you in our offices and take your case through the most efficient legal channel. We know you will smile with those who love you at the end of the process, and things will return to how they were before.
A fatal incident does not have to be insurmountable. If there is life, there is still hope. Trust the experts to make this situation more bearable.
The Ward Law Group is ready to help. Our team of expert accident attorneys has over 30 years of combined experience helping injured victims get justice.
Contact us today for a free case consultation. Call at 855-DOLOR-55!