How Can I Seek Compensation for a Rollover Car Accident in Colorado?

 Posted on August 29, 2019 in Car Accident

When a car rolls over, the driver and passengers can suffer serious injuries or fatalities. The roof of a passenger car is not built to withstand the weight of the lower half of the vehicle, and therefore, it is likely to collapse. Even a minor car accident can lead to painful injuries, but when extreme trauma is involved, a victim may be temporarily or permanently disabled. In some cases, another driver’s negligence may have caused the rollover crash, and a victim can file a personal injury lawsuit. 

Proving Negligence

Larger vehicles, such as SUVs and commercial trucks, are more likely to roll over than a compact car. This is because the center of gravity is higher on large automobiles. A quick turn or maneuver can easily cause a larger vehicle to flip over. A driver may try to act quickly in response to another driver’s actions, and that reaction may cause their car to turn over. A car may also roll over if forced off the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the most common cause of rollovers is the latter, where a vehicle’s wheels are affected by uneven terrain after colliding with another automobile. 

In a personal injury case, the most important thing to prove is that another person’s negligence caused your injury. While the type of vehicle a victim was driving could be more susceptible to a rollover, what caused the car to roll over is what will ultimately determine the outcome. Speed is a large contributing factor when it comes to rollover cases. Almost half of all fatal rollover accidents involve excessive speeding. Speed limits are there to protect people on the road, and if another driver breaks the law and causes an accident, he or she may be held liable for injuries that occur. 

A rollover accident may also be caused by a motorist who drives while intoxicated. Although the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit is .08 percent, any amount of alcohol can affect a driver's decision-making skills and reaction time. Almost 50 percent of all rollover accidents involve alcohol. A drunk driver may not realize how fast he or she is going or how close he or she is to other vehicles. Getting behind the wheel of any vehicle while drunk is considered negligent. 

Contact a Larimer County Personal Injury Lawyer

A rollover car crash can result in serious injuries for the driver and passengers. It is one thing to believe you are not responsible for an auto accident, but it is another to prove negligence by another party. If you or a loved one have been hurt in a motor vehicle collision, contact an experienced Fort Collins rollover car accident attorney to discuss how you can receive compensation. Hoggatt Law Office, P.C. has handled many different car accident cases, and our legal team understands how to determine liability. Call our office today at 970-225-2190 to schedule a free consultation. 

Sources:
https://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle-Shoppers/Rollover/Causes

https://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/accidents-hazardous-conditions/28002-rollover-accidents-explained.htm