Rollover Accidents: Protecting Your Rights in Complex Cases

When you are involved in a rollover accident in the state of Texas, there are crucial measures you should take to ensure that everyone involved is safe and in compliance with the state's laws regarding auto accidents.

It is a frightening experience to be involved in any type of accident, especially a rollover crash. Therefore, educating yourself to protect your rights if such an incident occurs is essential. For instance, investigating the scene of an accident is paramount, particularly because the initial steps you take often hinge on your future chances of success in a personal injury claim.

Moving Vehicles at a Crash Scene in Dallas

Moving your vehicle (and any victims) out of harm's way is vital. If your car is in a precarious position that may cause greater danger to you or others on the roadway, move it to a safe spot. After a Texas accident, move all vehicles to an emergency lane or a neighboring parking lot. Once you've accomplished this with complete assurance, you should double-check that everyone involved in the accident is safe.

First, ensure everyone in your car is okay, then see whether the other driver needs help. If you have any infants or young children with you, make sure they can move about normally without showing signs of distress. Before receiving professional medical help, you may be the only one able to provide first aid or avert further harm.

Second, if the cars are damaged or someone is injured, you are required by Texas law to remain at the site of the collision. Hit-and-runs are unlawful and have serious criminal consequences in our state, which may seem apparent.

In other words, you must remain at a crash scene in Texas until the police come to ensure your safety. You may be hurt and not know it; being checked out by paramedics at the site is a good idea, even if you're experiencing minor pain.

Before the arrival of law enforcement, it is in everyone's best interest to have the parties involved exchange insurance information. This conversation is mandated by Texas law and must occur at the accident scene. Don't assume the cops will get this information later; they may not. Move quickly. You may have to wait 7–10 business days after the Crash Report is released (even if the investigating officer has the contact information of each driver) before you may use it. If possible, you should also photograph the other driver's license and insurance card.

Requesting drivers' car registration details is an alternative to requesting their auto insurance details if such data is unavailable. Record the car's model and year, the license plate numbers, and any other identifying information you may find.

Calling the Police After a Rollover Accident

Call the police at the emergency number. Expecting the other motorist to report it is risky. To protect yourself and others, you should always contact the police, even if the other party tries to convince you otherwise. Regardless of whether anyone tries to convince you not to call authorities, you should do so anyway, particularly if there is any damage to your vehicle or you think you may be injured, even if it doesn't seem severe.

The officer who arrives at the scene will complete a Texas crash report containing all parties' names, addresses, and phone numbers. The officer will also determine what led to the collision based on his findings. The police officer may also issue traffic citations as deemed necessary. This could serve as crucial evidence should you end up pursuing a personal injury claim.

After a rollover collision, anybody experiencing pain or unusual feelings should call for an ambulance to the hospital immediately, even if it's only a headache or dizziness. Getting to an emergency hospital quickly after a vehicle crash in Texas is essential for being checked out and treated for injuries. Some potentially fatal injuries, including internal bleeding, bone fractures, and crash-related concussions, may not show up immediately but may be identified in the first phase of a trauma examination.

In addition, the medical documents connected to your claim describe the mechanism of harm and provide evidence of your complaints, both of which assist in proving your entitlement to compensation. Don't get rid of any paperwork related to your time in the hospital or the ER; your lawyer will want to go through it once you've been released.

Speeding and Rollover Vehicle Accidents

Everyone knows it is harder to manage safe driving as speed increases. Driving too fast for the road conditions is also considered speeding, not just going above the speed limit. If the weather changes, a roadway that's fine to drive 45 miles per hour on while dry may become dangerous. Even more commonly, drivers negotiating curves too fast often cause rollover collisions.

Of course, a complex web of factors connects velocity to rollover wrecks and general crash severity. While it's true that high speeds pose a risk, that fact isn't necessarily a reliable predictor of an accident. Involvement in a speed-related collision is affected by several factors beyond just speed itself, including weather, road type, driver age, distractions, impairment, and road features (such as gradient, curvature, and breadth).

Aside from those factors, the International Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that higher speeds increase the likelihood of crashes and injuries in several ways:

• The distance needed to come to a complete stop increases as soon as the driver applies the brakes.
• It significantly increases the impact energy of a collision. If the impact speed doubles from 40 to 60 miles per hour (a 125 percent increase), the amount of energy that must be managed also doubles.
• In the event of a high-velocity collision, the vehicle's construction may not be able to protect the occupants from harm. Airbags and safety belts can only do so much to lessen the severity of injuries sustained in a car collision.

Serious injuries, such as broken bones, concussions, spinal cord injuries, and internal organ damage from crushing, are frequently occurring outcomes of car crashes caused by speeding. Thankfully, in the event of an accident, data such as wheel speed and engine RPM can be recovered via an event data recorder (EDR), a feature found in many newer vehicles.

Call a Dallas Car Accident Lawyer at the Rasansky Law Firm

While there are myriad factors at play when a rollover accident occurs, unsafe speeds, distracted driving, and general negligence are key contributors to traffic crashes in the Lone Star State. Thankfully, our auto accident lawyers at the Rasansky Law Firm have more than 30 years of experience helping clients who have been hurt in accidents caused by speeding or otherwise reckless drivers.

Our firm provides trustworthy, efficient representation by a team of compassionate and seasoned attorneys. Call our Dallas car accident lawyers at (214) 651-6100 for a no-cost evaluation of your case if you've been hurt in a Texas car crash and want to learn more about your legal options.