St. Louis Rollover Car Accidents
Mr. Trotz was recognized from 2019-2024 as a Super Lawyers Mid-South Rising Star. Mr. Trotz is also a member of the Young Lawyers Division of the Memphis Bar Association, Memphis Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, and the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association where he serves on the Executive Committee. READ OUR EDITORIAL GUIDELINES
Mr. Trotz was recognized from 2019-2023 as a Super Lawyers Mid-South Rising Star. Mr. Trotz is also a member of the Young Lawyers Division of the Memphis Bar Association, Memphis Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, and the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association where he serves on the Executive Committee. READ OUR EDITORIAL GUIDELINES
Rollover car accidents in St. Louis can lead to severe injuries and deaths. Unfortunately, many rollover car accidents have occurred in St. Louis, leading to devastating outcomes. If you suffered injuries from a rollover car accident in St. Louis, contact the personal injury lawyers at NST Law today to help you start a potential legal action for compensation.
What is a rollover accident?
Rollover accidents happen when a vehicle tips onto its side or roof. Of all car accidents, rollover accidents result in more fatalities than any other type of accident, according to the National Health Safety Transportation Administration. Rollover accidents account for one-fifth of all deadly crashes.
What causes a rollover accident?
Many different factors related to road conditions and a driver’s operation of their vehicle can lead to a car rolling over. Most commonly, though, causes of rollover accidents include:
- Taking a curve too fast
- Colliding with another vehicle during a lane change
- Veering off the road and then overcorrecting
- Slamming on the brakes when the car is in a turn position
Tripped vs. Untripped Rollover Accidents
There are two types of rollover accidents: tripped and untripped. A tripped rollover accident happens when some external object, such as another vehicle or a curb collides with the car, resulting in a roll.
An untripped rollover accident occurs when the cause of the rollover by a force that destabilizes the car, such as steering, speed, or ground friction. An example of an untripped rollover is when a vehicle rounds a curve and the tire force and effects of inertia are enough to overcome the gravity holding down the car, thus resulting in a roll.
Expected Trends in St. Louis Rollover Accidents
Unfortunately, rollover accidents are quite common in the St. Louis area. According to the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration, nationwide, most rollover crashes are single-vehicle crashes, and almost 75% of all people killed in rollovers were not wearing seat belts. Additionally, although the number of overall fatal rollover crashes has decreased, the number of fatal rollover crashes involving sport utility vehicles and light trucks is increasing, with the number of deadly crashes involving sport utility vehicles almost doubling since 1991.
Compared to many other cities, St. Louis has a high rate of vehicle accidents, including rollover accidents, primarily due to increased speeding and reckless driving around the city, particularly in the downtown area. Some of the highest numbers of vehicle crashes in St. Louis occur at:
- I-64 and I-44 near the Gateway Arch
- I-270 and Highway 30 near Chestnut Rehab and Nursing
- I-270 and I-44 near the Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center
- I-270 and Highway 340 near the Creve Coeur Golf Course
On December 26, 2020, one person died in a single-car rollover near Kingshighway and Lindell. In another rollover accident in December 2020, one person had to go to the hospital after being ejected from a vehicle that rolled over while traveling along I-55 near Loughborough Avenue.
Finally, in June 2021, officers chased a woman driving a stolen car into south St. Louis County. The chase started on I-55 and headed north from the area of Richardson Road. The chase ended in a rollover crash, and the impacted ejected the woman from the vehicle after exiting on the eastbound I-255 ramp leading to Lemay Ferry Road.
As these recent news stories show, rollover accidents in the St. Louis area can be very dangerous.
How can you avoid a rollover accident?
There are specific essential steps you can take to avoid being in a rollover accident, including:
- Maintaining a safe speed
- Coming to a complete stop at stop signs and red lights
- Avoiding sudden lane changes
- Slowing down for turns
Most of all, you must always be aware of other drivers around you and watch out for blind spots.
Common Injuries That Result From Rollover Accidents
Rollover accidents can cause serious injuries, including:
- Head and neck injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Lacerations
- Bruises
- Soft-tissue injuries such as torn ligaments, herniated discs, and nerve damage
- Crushing injuries leading to disfigurement
Rollover accidents can also be deadly. If you lost a family member in a rollover accident, you might be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit to compensate you for damages resulting from the loss of your loved one.
NST Law can help you determine the best action to take to help you recover your financial losses after a rollover accident. Medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses stemming from the accident can quickly add up. Our St. Louis car accident attorneys know the information and evidence you need to support your compensation claim.
Why are rollover accidents more dangerous than other types of accidents?
In a rollover accident, your body is jerked or thrown violently around the car as it rolls. The vehicle may also land in a position that crushes its occupants. Rollover accidents can also lead to the occupants being trapped inside the car as a fire ignites in the engine. Also, whereas airbags may protect you in a head-on collision, they do little to protect occupants in a rollover crash.
However, the process of filing a rollover accident claim or pursuing a lawsuit is similar in all types of car accidents. Our St. Louis personal injury attorneys have years of experience helping car accident victims get the legal results they need after their horrific ordeal. After suffering injuries in a rollover accident, you should focus on your recovery and let us handle the legal aftermath.
Rollover Accident Liability
In a rollover accident, any person whose negligent conduct contributed to the crash might be liable. As with other car accidents, a claim based on an injury from a rollover accident would be a personal injury claim. To prove a personal injury claim, you must show that the other person was negligent. Usually, this will be the driver of another vehicle that caused the crash.
To prove negligence in a lawsuit, you must show that:
- The other person owed you a duty to drive safely and reasonably.
- They violated that duty.
- The other person’s conduct proximately caused the auto accident leading to your injury.
- You actually suffered injuries or damages.
Third parties other than the vehicle driver may also potentially share liability in some cases. For instance, if a car manufacturing defect increased the likelihood of a rollover, the manufacturer could possibly be held responsible for the defective design.
Additionally, Missouri is a comparative fault state for negligence cases, meaning if someone injures you in an accident, you have the right to recover compensation for your damages based on the degree to which they caused the accident. In other words, suppose you’re involved in a rollover accident, and a trial court determines that you’re 20% at fault because you were speeding slightly when the accident happened. If your compensation award totaled $100,000, then you could receive $80,000 in damages.
Punitive Damages and Negligence Laws in Rollover Accidents
Sometimes, courts award punitive damages in cases where the at-fault party’s behavior was especially egregious. Punitive damages intend to punish wrongdoers for conduct that’s particularly willful, wanton, or reckless.
For example, if another person drives drunk and causes an accident resulting in a rollover, you could potentially recover punitive damages against the drunk driver. Additionally, if a person drives recklessly, such as speeding and weaving in and out of traffic, you may be able to recover punitive damages if their reckless driving causes a rollover accident.
How much is my rollover accident case worth?
The value of your rollover accident case depends on the specific facts of the accident. An insurance company or the other party’s lawyer will evaluate the extent of your injuries, the value of the property damage, how long you’re out of work after the injury, and many other factors to derive a settlement offer. You should speak with a rollover accident attorney to help you determine your claim’s worth and whether you should accept a certain proposal from the insurance company or negotiate for more compensation.
Contact our personal injury legal team at NST Law today for a free consultation to determine your claim’s validity and an amount of fair compensation you should pursue via a legal action.
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