Rollover Accident Attorneys in Augusta
If you were the victim of a rollover car accident, contact Chris Hudson Law Group at (706) 863-6600 today. Rollover accidents are serious crashes. According to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, there were 1,504 traffic accident fatalities in 2018, and 319 of those resulted from a rollover crash. That means rollovers were responsible for more than 20 percent of Georgia’s fatalities that year.
When you hire us, we will use our experience, knowledge, and resources to reach a favorable outcome in your case. We’ll begin working on your case right away and determine the best legal option for pursuing the maximum available compensation. You deserve justice for the harm you suffered.
Car wrecks are devastating experiences. When you’re in pain and trying to recover, the last thing you want to do is deal with a legal case. We’ll relieve your burden by handling each step on your behalf. You can depend on us to be there for you from start to finish to offer support and guidance.
Call Chris Hudson Law Group in Augusta, GA today at (706) 863-6600 to learn more about our services or schedule your free consultation with one of our rollover accident attorneys.
Why Do Rollover Accidents Happen?
Rollover car accidents are one of the most dangerous types of crashes. When a vehicle rolls over, the occupants can suffer a range of severe injuries that leads to lifelong medical issues or even death. It’s a dangerous situation to find yourself in, especially if you’re not wearing a seatbelt.
The most common cause of rollover accidents is an event known as tripping. Tripping accounts for 95% of all single-vehicle rollovers. When someone’s car hits an object, the impact can force the tires on the car to lift off the ground, causing it to roll.
The most common causes of tripped rollover collisions include:
- Drug or alcohol impairment
- Reckless driving
- Turning quickly
- Speeding
- Failure to slow down or stop at an intersection
- Merging without checking blind spots for other vehicles
- Tailgating
- Distracted driving
If another driver’s careless actions led to a rollover accident, you could hold them accountable through an insurance claim or lawsuit. You deserve financial compensation for the injuries they caused and the resulting expenses. Chris Hudson Law Group can help you collect crucial evidence that proves fault, so that you can receive a monetary award for your losses.
Injuries Associated With Rollover Accidents
One of the most common injuries people sustain in this type of vehicle crash is ejection injuries. The force of one vehicle crashing into another or a stationary object is enough to launch someone through a window, especially if they’re not wearing a seatbelt. Many people end up trapped under the car and become crushed. There are various factors that could lead to many injuries.
The most common injuries associated with rollover car accidents include:
- Broken bones
- Loss of limb
- Traumatic brain injury
- Concussion
- Internal bleeding
- Crush injuries
- Ejection injuries
- Spinal cord damage
It’s important that you always wear your seatbelt. Even though this type of crash isn’t as common as others, it’s one of the most deadly.
Recovering Compensation From the At-Fault Driver
Like most states, Georgia follows a traditional fault system when a car accident occurs. That means the person who caused the accident becomes financially liable for the injured party’s costs associated with the crash. Damages refer to actual expenses and intangible losses suffered after an injury.
When you seek compensation from the other driver, you can file a claim with their auto insurance company. It’s a legal requirement that all motorists carry insurance with minimum liability limits. The insurance company can then compensate the victim for their damages.
The damages available in a liability claim include:
- Medical bills
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Inconvenience
- Loss of companionship or consortium
Insurance companies use formulas and review factors associated with the accident to determine a fair settlement amount. Since it can be a challenge to calculate damages like emotional distress and pain and suffering, the insurance adjuster might consider some of the elements below:
- Total medical expenses
- Types of injury and how serious it is
- Amount of liability insurance coverage available
- Relevant evidence submitted
- Time missed from work due to inability to perform job-related duties
- Affect of the injury on quality of life
- Permanent impairment or disability resulting from the accident
- Medical records and bills
- Duration of the recovery period
Your Augusta rollover accident lawyer from Chris Hudson Law Group will review all the details of your case to ensure you receive the maximum settlement available. Insurance companies typically look for any reason to deny someone’s claim or provide an inadequate settlement offer. They want to save money instead of paying out a fair settlement to accident victims.
We will protect your rights and won’t allow them to take advantage of you. We know the kinds of tactics insurance companies use and will aggressively negotiate for fair compensation.
You Have Options If the Liable Driver Doesn’t Carry Insurance
There are times when you’ll encounter a motorist who doesn’t have auto insurance. Even though it’s illegal to operate a vehicle without it, you might discover that the person who caused your rollover crash doesn’t have liability coverage. If that happens, there are other options for pursuing compensation.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM) is optional coverage insurance companies offer to their policyholders. If you chose to purchase UM insurance, you could file a claim for compensation for some of your damages.
UM is only available under the following circumstances:
- The at-fault driver doesn’t carry liability insurance;
- The at-fault driver’s liability limits don’t cover the victim’s total damages; or
- The accident was caused by a hit and run driver.
When you file a UM claim, you can seek the following:
- Medical bills
- Pain and suffering
- Property damages
- Out of pocket costs
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
You also have the option of suing the other driver. If you want to file a civil lawsuit in Georgia, you must follow a strict deadline called a statute of limitations. The statute of limitations for car accidents is two years. The clock begins ticking on the accident date and ends two years later. If you don’t file suit within that period, you could lose your right to compensation.
However, there are two major exceptions to this rule:
- The at-fault driver leaves the state temporarily before the victim files their lawsuit. Upon their return, the clock would begin again, and their absence wouldn’t count towards the two-year deadline.
- The accident victim is of unsound mind or under 18 years old. The clock would start once they become mentally competent or turn 18.
Additional damages only available in a lawsuit are known as punitive damages. Instead of compensating for your losses, it’s a way to punish the liable individual for the harm they caused and deters similar misconduct in the future.
Due to the nature of this type of financial award, a jury will only allow the injured party to pursue it if they can show with clear and convincing evidence that the at-fault party acted with malice, willful misconduct, wantonness, oppression, fraud, or lack of regard for any consequences.
What Happens If My Loved One Died in a Rollover Accident?
If you lost someone in a rollover car crash, you might be entitled to compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit. In Georgia, the legal definition of wrongful death is the death of one person caused by another party’s reckless, negligent, criminal, or intentional actions.
The individuals allowed to pursue this type of case are the surviving spouse and minor children the deceased shared with the spouse. However, if there isn’t a surviving spouse or children, the surviving parents or personal representative of the estate can file a wrongful death lawsuit.
The statute of limitations for wrongful death cases is two years. The clock starts on the date the accident victim died from their fatal injury. If there’s a pending criminal case against the at-fault driver, the two-year clock will pause until its completion.
The damages available in a wrongful death lawsuit include:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Lost wages and benefits, including any the deceased would have earned if they survived
- Medical costs associated with the fatal injury
- Loss of companionship, care, and other intangible benefits the deceased provided before their death
- Pain and suffering the deceased endured
Why Choose Chris Hudson Law Group?
Our rollover accident lawyers in Augusta, GA understand the pain you’ve experienced since your car crash. Someone else was responsible, and they should be the one to pay for your expenses. You won’t have to go through this traumatic ordeal alone. We’ll remain by your side throughout your entire case to help you move on with your life.
At Chris Hudson Law Group, we have a dedicated team of car accident lawyers with the experience and skills to recover the maximum financial compensation for our clients. Our reputation within Augusta and the state of Georgia has earned us an AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale-Hubbell. We’ve also won awards from prestigious legal organizations, such as The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Lawyers.
If you or a loved one sustained injuries in a rollover car accident and need help with your case, call us at (706) 863-6600 today to schedule a case review and legal consultation with one of our attorneys.