Rollover Car Accidents in Anchorage

While any auto accident carries a strong potential for intense injuries and damages, rollover collisions can be uniquely catastrophic. Most vehicles are not designed to withstand the kind of impact that accompanies a rollover crash, and any passengers inside the car can be left facing grave or deadly physical harm.

If you were involved in rollover car accidents in Anchorage, the crash may have been preventable if not for the other driver’s failure to take necessary care behind the wheel. An auto crash attorney could determine liability for your rollover collision and seek an auto insurance or court settlement that is appropriate with the severity of your losses.

Negligence in Rollover Car Crashes

Rollover auto accidents in Anchorage occur when a car tips over from the force of impact and comes to rest on its side or roof. These collisions can often be traced back to one or multiple negligent causes. Negligence is determined by showing one party owed another a duty of care, violated that duty, and this violation was the subsequent cause of the other person’s injuries and damages.

Drivers are supposed to exert reasonable care behind the wheel to avoid causing an accident, which includes the duty to follow all applicable traffic laws. Failure to do so can open a driver up to liability if they injure someone in a rollover wreck and that injured individual takes legal action in the form of a lawsuit.

Fatigued or drowsy driving, distracted driving, and aggressive driving are just a few common examples of negligent driving that can lead to a rollover collision. Oversteering, improper lane changes, and intoxicated driving can cause a serious rollover wreck. These crashes also often happen because a driver fails to merge on a highway correctly, does not yield to oncoming traffic, or makes an unsafe or illegal turn.

While many rollover accidents stem from driver negligence, other forms of negligence can lead to these wrecks. Equipment failure, poorly maintained or unsafe road conditions, and even bad weather can all play a part. An attorney could take the important steps required to identify the liable party and pursue compensation from them, whether that party is a reckless driver, a government entity, or any other entity.

Common Injuries and Damages From Rollover Auto Accidents

A rollover crash presents a notable risk of injury not just from the actual motion of the vehicle but particularly because these collisions often occur on highways or other busy stretches of road. Depending on the speed and trajectory of the vehicle at the time of impact, that rollover motion can cause the car to rest in the middle of the road, hit a median, strike a guardrail, or fall down an embankment.

In any of these circumstances, the risk of serious injuries is extremely high. The situation could also lead to a crash where multiple vehicles and people are involved. Commonly reported injuries in rollover wrecks in Anchorage include brain and spinal cord injuries, broken bones, and internal injuries.

Economic, non-economic, and even punitive damages may be available in a successful rollover car accident settlement or court award of monetary compensation. Economic damages include specific costs like lost wages and medical bills, while non-economic damages can pay for lost life enjoyment, pain and suffering in daily activities, and other intangible losses from injuries.

Punitive damages are not a feature of all rollover auto accident settlements or court awards. However, if the at-fault party’s actions are deemed particularly egregious or grossly negligent, punitive damages may be claimed on top of economic and non-economic damages. The court sometimes awards these damages as a means of punishing the at-fault party and deterring others from engaging in similar negligence in the future.

The deadline to file any rollover auto accident claim is just two years from when the crash happened. If the injured individual waits to start a case after the deadline has passed, they would no longer be entitled to compensation in the eyes of the law.

Talk With an Anchorage Attorney About Legal Options After a Rollover Car Accident

After rollover car accidents in Anchorage, pursuing your legal rights may be the last thing on your mind. However, if someone else’s negligence caused the accident, you may have grounds to seek monetary compensation.

An attorney could relieve the burden of trying to manage a claim alone and work to help you secure the highest possible level of compensation for your injuries, property damages, medical bills, and other losses. Contact an Anchorage rollover car accident attorney to find out about the next steps.