What Happens to Your Body in a Rollover Accident?

Posted in Car Accidents on May 28, 2021

Rollover accidents can result in catastrophic injuries and deaths. Rollover crashes are responsible for about one-third of traffic fatalities each year.

Occupants Might Be Thrown from Vehicles During Rollover Accidents

Passenger ejection is a common danger of rollover accidents. As the vehicle rolls over, a driver or passenger may be ejected through a window or windshield. The doors may come open, resulting in the person being thrown from the vehicle.

When a person is thrown from a vehicle during a rollover accident, they can be crushed underneath the vehicle as it continues to roll over. Alternatively, the person may be thrown against another object or hit by another vehicle.

Being thrown from the vehicle can result in immediate death or life-threatening conditions. If the person survives, they may sustain permanent impairments and disabilities, including brain damage, paralysis, loss of limbs, internal organ failure, and severe disfigurement.

Even if a person remains securely restrained by a seatbelt, their legs, arms, head, and other body parts may come into contact with the vehicle’s frame. A person’s head or arms could be slammed against the pavement or ground when a window breaks.

Cabin Intrusion During a Rollover Crash

Advancements in vehicle construction reduce the risk of cabin intrusion. However, it still occurs in many rollover crashes.

When a vehicle rolls over, the pressure causes the vehicle frame to “crush” into the occupant space. The frame may pin the person inside the vehicle. If the vehicle were to explode or catch fire, the person might be unable to get out.

The intrusion of the frame can cause numerous injuries, including broken bones, internal bleeding, and spinal cord injuries.

Flying Objects Hit Occupants as the Vehicle Rolls Over

When a vehicle rolls over, objects in the car can become deadly projectiles. Blunt force trauma from objects hitting passengers can cause traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, and other harm. Broken glass from windows and pieces of metal may strike passengers causing lacerations and puncture wounds.

Injuries and Damages Caused by Rollover Accidents

Victims of a rollover crash may sustain multiple injuries during the accident, including:

Blunt force trauma injuries
Broken bones and fractures
Amputations and loss of limbs
Paralysis and spinal cord injuries
Skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries
Scarring and disfigurements
Shoulder and neck injuries
Damage to internal organs
Crushed limbs

Individuals may require 24/7 personal care and medical care because of their injuries. The lifetime cost of care could total millions of dollars.

Accident victims may be entitled to recover compensation for damages, being these economic and non-economic, such as:

Lost wages, benefits, and salaries
Cost of personal care and long-term care
Expenses for medical treatment and care
Reductions in earning potential
Physical pain and suffering
Loss of enjoyment of life
Mental and emotional suffering
Decreased quality of life
Disfigurement, impairments, and disabilities
Psychological injuries, including depression and PTSD

The value of an injury claim depends on the facts of the case. Working with an experienced personal injury attorney can ensure that you do not overlook or undervalue any damages you could include in your claim.

How Does a Rollover Accident Happen?

Top-heavy vehicles such as semi-trucks, SUVs, vans, buses, and pickup trucks are more prone to rollover accidents. However, any motor vehicle can roll over during a collision. Rollover crashes occur in multi-vehicle collisions and single-car crashes.

A tripping event is the most common cause of rollover accidents. This happens when a vehicle hits something that causes it to roll over. For example, a driver may hit a large pothole, median, or a curb. The sudden “stop” causes the car to roll over by flipping the end of the vehicle over its front, rolling over on its side.

A rollover crash may result in the vehicle ending up on its roof or its side. It may only roll over once, or the vehicle may experience several rotations before coming to a stop.

Speed can be a factor in rollover crashes. Vehicles traveling at high rates of speed are more likely to flip or roll over when they collide with an object or go around a curve. There are many reasons why a vehicle could roll over when it impacts another vehicle or object.

A personal injury lawyer investigates the cause of the rollover accident to determine how the accident occurred and who is responsible for the cause of the crash. Having evidence proving fault and liability is the only way to hold the at-fault party responsible for damages and injuries.

Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in Brooklyn, NY

If you need legal assistance, contact the Brooklyn car accident lawyers at Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers at your nearest location to schedule a free consultation.

We have two convenient locations in New York:

Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers – New York City Office
450 7th Ave #1605
New York, NY 10123
(212) 564-2800

Law Offices of Jay S. Knispel Personal Injury Lawyers – Brooklyn Office
26 Court St Suite 2511
Brooklyn, NY 11242
(718) 802-1600