Indianapolis Rollover Accident Lawyer

Rollover accidents are severe crashes that can cause serious injuries, from brain and spinal cord injuries to fractured bones and crushed limbs. These severe injuries often require extensive medical treatment and leave victims out of work for extended periods, resulting in significant financial hardship.

If you were in a rollover accident, contact the Law Office of Kelley J. Johnson for a free consultation with an experienced member of our legal team. We can review your case and help connect you with a highly qualified Indianapolis rollover accident lawyer to handle your injury claim.

What Is a Rollover Accident?

A rollover accident occurs when a vehicle rolls over completely or comes to rest on its side or roof. These car accidents are particularly dangerous because they throw passengers around. Vehicles can also experience roof crushes, where the roof collapses, trapping victims inside.

Common causes of rollover accidents in Indiana include:

• Speeding around sharp turns in a vehicle with a high center of gravity
• Colliding with fixed objects or other vehicles
• Hitting bumps in the road too quickly, such as unmarked speed bumps
• Striking curbs on the inside of turns, causing the vehicle to tip over
• Mechanical failures, such as tire blowouts or suspension failures
• Poor road conditions, like large potholes that can cause a driver to lose control
• Any accident that sends a vehicle off the road surface

In multi-vehicle accidents, either vehicle can end up rolling over. For example, if another car T-bones your vehicle in an intersection, it may cause your vehicle to roll over. Or, the car that struck your vehicle could roll over after the impact.

Rollover accidents can sometimes be single-vehicle incidents. In these car accident cases, you may have a claim against the negligent driver of the vehicle you were a passenger in, or the manufacturer of the vehicle, or a failing auto part could be liable.

Injuries Commonly Sustained in Rollover Crashes

Victims of rollover crashes frequently sustain severe injuries with long-term effects. These injuries may require lengthy treatment or lifelong medical care and can cause permanent disability.

The following are common injuries in rollover crashes:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Bone fractures
• Soft tissue injuries
• Crushed limbs and amputations
• Burns and lacerations

When considering how an injury affects your life, it’s crucial to keep in mind how long the injury will affect you.

For example, a traumatic brain injury could leave you with permanent cognitive or physical disabilities. A spinal cord injury can result in permanent full or partial paralysis. Burns can result in significant scarring and disfigurement. Even broken bones and soft tissue injuries can result in lasting mobility issues.

You may need ongoing medical treatment for your injuries and impairments, or you may be unable to return to work at all or at full capacity. To maximize your financial compensation after a rollover crash, you must choose an attorney with experience in rollover accidents, knowledge of personal injury law, and the ability to empathize with your condition.

The Role of an Indianapolis Rollover Accident Lawyer

A car rollover accident lawyer plays several key roles in helping you seek the compensation you need.

First, they’ll investigate the crash that caused your injuries. Through this thorough investigation, they’ll identify the at-fault parties and gather evidence needed to hold them financially liable. This evidence may include accident scene photographs, traffic camera footage, eyewitness statements, and expert witness testimony.

Next, they’ll calculate the value of your economic and non-economic losses. Economic losses have tangible value and include medical expenses and lost wages. Non-economic losses are personal, intangible losses that have personal value and can include pain and suffering, emotional distress, and permanent disability.

Your car accident lawyer will also handle all communication with the at-fault party’s insurance company, including settlement negotiations. If the insurance adjuster assigned to your car accident case refuses to offer a fair settlement, your lawyer can take your case to trial and fight for your right to maximum compensation.

Liability in Rollover Accidents

Several parties could be liable for your injuries, depending on how the rollover accident occurred.

The parties most commonly found liable in these cases are:

• Other drivers who caused the collision due to driving while distracted, fatigued, or intoxicated, or due to their aggressive driving
• Vehicle manufacturers who contributed to the collision by selling vehicles made with defective components, like faulty brakes and suspensions
• Vehicle maintenance providers who contributed to the collision by providing poor maintenance and not identifying and fixing components likely to fail
• Government entities responsible for maintaining public roads, if poor road maintenance or dangerous road conditions contributed to the car crash

Indiana uses a modified comparative negligence system to determine the liability assigned to each party. Under Indiana’s comparative negligence law, each party, including the plaintiff, is liable for their contribution to the accident. This means if you were 20 percent at fault for the accident, the other party would only be liable for the remaining 80 percent of your compensable losses.

Additionally, plaintiffs must be less at fault for an accident than the other party to recover compensation. If you are primarily at fault, you cannot recover compensation through a personal injury lawsuit.

Comparative negligence makes it crucial that you work with a skilled attorney who can maximize your compensation by working to minimize your degree of fault for the rollover.

What to Do After a Rollover Accident in Indianapolis

Immediately after a rollover accident in Indianapolis, take the following steps to protect your well-being and strengthen your personal injury case:

• Call 911 to report the accident to the police.
• Request a copy of the police report. You may need it when filing your insurance claim.
• Take photographs of the accident scene, including your damaged vehicle and the hazard that caused the rollover.
• Gather witness names and contact information.
• Seek immediate medical treatment, even if you initially feel fine. Some injuries may not show up right away, but a medical professional may be able to identify them.
• Consult an experienced lawyer about your case.

The best time to contact a personal injury lawyer to handle your case is now. The earlier you hire a lawyer, the sooner they can begin working on your case by gathering evidence. Our firm can help you find the right attorney to handle your case.

Contact The Law Office of Kelley J. Johnson

If you were injured in an Indianapolis rollover car accident, contact the Law Office of Kelley J. Johnson to speak with a legal team member about your case. Our firm has years of experience working with expert witnesses in various specialty areas and handling medical malpractice claims. We’ll help connect you with a reputable car accident lawyer who can give your case the hands-on attention it needs.