What Happens to Your Body in a Rollover Accident?

Vehicle occupants’ bodies are exposed to extreme forces in a rollover accident. Drivers and passengers may strike various body parts inside the vehicle, or in extreme cases, be thrown from the vehicle. 

It is no surprise that severe and sometimes fatal injuries can occur in a rollover accident. If you or a loved one was injured in a rollover accident, you could recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and other damages through a car accident claim. 

Your Body Is Tossed Around During a Rollover Accident

For a vehicle to flip upside down and roll over, it must be exposed to a powerful force or travel at high speed. When the vehicle rolls over, the occupants’ bodies are often tossed around inside the vehicle. 

A seatbelt may help occupants avoid some injuries, but seatbelts cannot prevent all conditions. Often, a rollover accident happens so quickly that occupants do not even realize what is happening. They do not have time to brace themselves or stop their body from striking the car’s interior. 

You Could Suffer Traumatic Brain Injuries and Other Head Injuries

Head injuries can be extremely dangerous, and severe head injuries can lead to lifelong disabilities. In a rollover accident, a person’s head may violently strike the window, steering wheel, side of the vehicle, or roof of the car. 

During the impact, the brain can move around, striking the inside of the skull. This often leads to traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). According to Mayo Clinic, TBIs can have a lasting impact on sufferers and may cause symptoms, such as: 

• Headaches
• Blurred vision, ringing in the ears, sensitivity to light and sound, and other sensory problems 
• Memory or concentration issues 
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue 
• Trouble sleeping
• Convulsions or seizures
• Weakness or numbness in fingers and toes
• Loss of coordination
• Confusion

An individual suffering from a TBI may need to miss work for days, weeks, or months. Some TBI sufferers cannot ever return to work in the same capacity. 

Spine and Neck Injuries

The head could whip back and forth during a rollover accident, putting tremendous pressure on the neck. Whiplash, spinal cord injuries, broken vertebrae, and other neck injuries are not uncommon.

Spinal cord injuries can result in severe impairment, even paralysis in some cases. Paraplegia or quadriplegia may result from a rollover accident, changing the person’s life forever.

Individuals who sustain neck or spine injuries may need extensive time off work and rehabilitative care to get back to normal. Some people may never regain total functioning.

A spinal cord injury lawyer serving New Iberia can help you get the damages you need to live with your debilitating condition.

Broken Bones

Arms and legs may strike the vehicle’s interior or other objects in a crash, leading to fractures and broken bones. Sometimes, limbs are crushed by the vehicle’s weight or pinned between the vehicle and an object, such as a guardrail. In many cases like these, the limb cannot be saved and must be amputated. 

Lacerations and Puncture Wounds

Glass, metal shrapnel, and other objects may pierce the skin during a rollover accident. This may seriously damage soft tissues, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. Nerve damage can be an especially severe injury because it may result in permanent loss of functioning. 

Disfigurement caused by lacerations to the face, hands, and other highly visible body parts can have a profound psychological impact on the rollover accident victim. 

Internal Organ Damage

Damage to the liver, kidneys, spleen, and other internal organs can be very dangerous. Victims who suffer organ damage may need emergency surgery to fix the damage or stop internal bleeding. 

Financial Compensation for Damages Caused by a Rollover Accident

If you or a loved one was involved in a rollover accident, you could file a legal claim and recover monetary damages. You could seek compensation for medical bills from emergency room care, ambulance transportation, and hospitalization.

You could also secure financial recovery for any ongoing medical expenses, such as medications, physical therapy, or medical devices, such as a wheelchair or prosthetic.

Other compensable losses in your case may comprise: 

• Lost income, bonuses, commissions, and tips 
• Loss of future earning capacity 
• Pain and suffering and inconvenience 
• Emotional distress 
• Reduced quality of life 
• Anything you spent out of pocket related to the accident 
• Loss of consortium 
• Wrongful death-related expenses, such as funeral costs 

According to CC Art. 3492, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Given this short timeframe, anyone thinking about taking legal action should consider legal help immediately. 

Call Our Personal Injury Team for Help After a Rollover Accident

The personal injury lawyers at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers represent individuals hurt in accidents caused by other parties’ negligence. If you or someone you care about was injured in a rollover crash, our team can help you take legal action and pursue financial compensation. 

Call us today to set up a free consultation.