Rollover Truck Accident Lawyers in Kansas
Rollover accidents are some of the most serious types of accidents, especially for small vehicles that aren’t designed to handle the forces involved.
You might associate rollover accidents with extreme driving, but they can happen anytime. Regardless of why it happens, a rollover accident is a serious situation that can cause significant injuries.
These accidents can also lead to devastating economic losses. If you’ve been in a rollover accident in Kansas, you may be able to recover compensation, but first, it is important to understand the nature of rollover truck accidents and how they should be handled from a legal point of view.
What Is a Rollover Truck Accident?
A rollover truck accident involves one or more vehicles flipping over, possibly coming to rest on their top or side. Some trucks are more likely to roll over than others when in an accident. For example, top-heavy vehicles have a high center of gravity, and this makes them more prone to flipping over.
The greatest danger in a rollover truck accident comes from the rotational force involved and the fact that most vehicles aren’t designed to withstand force on their roofs. Many vehicles have stiff frames that are designed to keep passengers safe in all kinds of accidents. However, the rotational forces caused by an accident are often strong enough to crush the frame of the vehicle. Large trucks have the additional issue of being very heavy, and this increases the amount of force created in an accident.
What Causes Rollover Truck Accidents?
Rollover truck accidents can be caused by many different factors. For instance, a highway collision may cause a vehicle to go off the shoulder of the road and down an embankment, making it flip over. Or, a rollover truck accident could be caused by something in the road that causes the truck to lose control and start to rotate around its lengthwise axis.
The type and condition of the vehicle can also play a role in rollover truck accidents. For example, large box trucks filled with cargo tend to be more prone to rollover truck accidents because they have a higher center of gravity. If a truck isn’t being properly maintained, it could be more likely to get into an accident that can result in a rollover. This is why it’s critical for companies that own a fleet of trucks to properly maintain them. Likewise, it’s important to keep truck drivers from working long hours so they can be attentive on the road and avoid accidents.
There have also been situations in which a vehicle defect leads to an unusually high risk of rollover accidents. If a manufacturer is found negligent when it comes to the design or production of a truck, the company can be held responsible for damages that have been suffered under an area of law called product liability.
Rollover truck accident lawyers specialize in the causes of these kinds of accidents. These accident lawyers have the knowledge and experience to properly assess an accident and determine one or more causes.
Sometimes, what looks like an open-and-shut case of driver negligence could turn out to be a case of product liability due to a defective truck design. Our Kansas rollover truck accident lawyers understand that sometimes an accident isn’t what it seems at first glance, and will work to uncover all of the details involved in your case.
Common Rollover Accident Injuries
The injuries suffered in a rollover accident can vary widely, from minor scrapes to dismemberment and even death. Serious injuries may not be apparent at first, or they may appear as subtle injuries before their true nature is revealed. Because rollover accident injuries can be deceptive, you should always undergo a medical exam after experiencing a rollover accident.
Consider the following common rollover accident injuries we’ve seen in Kansas accidents:
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries are typically caused when the brain moves violently inside the skull. This means you don’t have to hit your head on anything in order to suffer a traumatic brain injury.
Symptoms of traumatic brain injuries include concussion-like symptoms and degenerative brain conditions. Traumatic brain injuries can be short-term injuries, but they are often associated with long-term and significant damage. Because these injuries can be difficult to identify through basic observation, it’s important to get a thorough medical exam that includes tests for traumatic brain injury.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Similar to traumatic brain injuries, you can suffer a spinal cord injury without direct contact with the spinal cord. When a truck rolls over, it can twist, contort, and wrench your spine in many different ways. It’s well known that spinal cord injuries can cause paralysis. Lesser spinal cord injuries include fractured vertebrae and damaged spinal discs.
Burn Injuries
If a rollover accident causes a vehicle to catch on fire, accident victims may suffer burn injuries. These injuries can result in permanent physical scarring and disfigurement.
Broken Bones
When a truck rolls over, it can lead to all kinds of violent forces being applied to the body, and this can result in broken bones. Your body can be thrown about the car or outside the vehicle. Rollover accidents also often result in the frame of the vehicle being caved in, and this can cause broken bones.
Pain and Suffering
Long-term pain can seriously affect your ability to live an otherwise healthy life. If you lose a limb, for example, all kinds of pain and complications can follow you throughout the rest of your life.
Also, not all injuries are visible. Sometimes, the most crippling effects of a rollover accident are the mental anxiety and emotional damage it causes.
Common Rollover Accident Expenses
In addition to recovering from any physical injuries, you also have to recover from rollover accident expenses. This can be very difficult, especially if you are handling tight finances prior to the accident. Sadly, the financial impact of a car accident can have lasting effects, and it can hold people back from otherwise enjoying life.
Consider the following types of rollover accident expenses:
Medical Bills
Rollover accident injuries may require only minor treatment, or they could require life-long care. As it could be tough to determine the extent of care that’s needed, it is a smart idea to go through a comprehensive medical examination right after a car crash. A medical exam does cost money, and it can lead to additional costs associated with hospital care, physical therapy, cognitive therapy, ambulance fees, doctor visits, medical devices, in-home services, and more.
If you need medical treatment or therapy, a rollover truck accident attorney can calculate the costs and expected costs. They can then take these calculations to the insurance company for a settlement offer. Medical bill calculations can also be used in any legal action you may want to pursue.
Lost Wages
After a rollover accident, personal injuries may force you to lose short-term wages or long-term earning potential. This may involve an inability to do your job due to injuries, treatment sessions, hospital care, and mobility difficulties.
In order to recover long-term damages, you must prove that the injuries you suffered have permanently decreased your capacity to earn money. Factors like age, occupation, career stage, and life expectancy are all considered when determining the amount of monetary damages that have been suffered.
Property Damages
Property damages are typically covered by an insurance company, and the amount of damages is usually the difference in a vehicle’s value prior to and after the accident. However, there are times when property damages are more extensive. There will also be times when an insurance company does not fully cover what a case is worth. A rollover truck accident attorney can offer advice on how to recover property losses not covered by an insurance company.
Loss of Companionship
For romantic partners, a rollover accident could deprive them of the capability to show affection and be intimate with one another. In legal language, this is called a “loss of consortium.” Unlike other kinds of damages, a partner or family member who wasn’t in the accident can file a claim for this kind of loss.
This type of loss often becomes relevant when someone’s partner dies due to an accident. For this claim, a jury must consider a few different factors, such as the relationship with the accident victim, living arrangements, and the overall effect of the victim’s death on a surviving partner or their loved ones. While it can feel like a dreadful option, filing a lawsuit after a rollover accident could help to minimize the impact on your life.
Let Our Kansas Rollover Truck Accident Attorneys Help
At Bretz Injury Law, our attorneys have handled all different kinds of vehicle and truck accidents. They have experience with all types of truck accidents, including semi-truck accidents.
Unlike attorneys at other firms who rush to get a settlement, our lawyers will fight for your case. They will visit the scene of the accident and talk to witnesses. They will investigate truck companies to determine if they’ve been negligent. If you are looking for a law firm that’s willing to go the extra mile for your case, contact us online or call 620-RESULTS today.
