A car accident involving a rollover can have deadly consequences. In fact, the Florida Department of Transportation estimates that around 600 of these accidents occur every year. If you’ve been involved in a major car accident involving a rollover incident, or any other kind of multi-vehicle collision, you could be facing serious injuries and mental trauma.
Here at The Law Place, we’re a Venice law firm dedicated to helping victims of auto accidents understand their legal rights and claim any compensation they may be entitled to. Our team of personal injury attorneys is experienced in a variety of practice areas, including personal injury, hit and run cases, traffic violations, drunk driving, and more. We work around the clock to support our clients in Venice as well as the wider State of Florida to achieve favorable outcomes no matter the size or scope of their case.
We’re currently offering a free consultation and a free case evaluation. So, contact us today to speak with an experienced car accident lawyer near you. Call today on (941) 444-4444. Phone lines are open 24/7.
Why Do Rollover Car Accidents Happen in Venice, Florida?
There are a number of reasons why a rollover car accident can happen:
- Losing control of a vehicle – Many car accidents of this nature happen due to a driver losing control of their vehicle. For example, this could happen if there is a malfunction with an automobile, like a burst tire, or due to weather conditions such as ice, which could cause the driver to skid.
- Falling asleep at the wheel – A rollover car accident can also be caused by drivers who fall asleep at the wheel or who engage in drowsy driving. This can cause someone to veer into oncoming lanes or into other vehicles.
- Reckless driving – Reckless driving is one of the most common reasons for auto accidents. This could include turning or changing lanes aggressively, running stop signs and red lights, and driving too close to other vehicles.
- Multiple-vehicle crashes – Crashes involving multiple vehicles can be extremely dangerous to both property and other drivers on the road. These types of car accidents are also more likely to lead to a rollover. A pile-up can cause vehicles to flip and roll if they are hit, leading to devastating consequences.
- The type of vehicle being driven – Research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has shown that the type of vehicle being driven can also increase rollover potential in car crashes. Larger vehicles such as trucks and SUVs have a higher center of gravity and can become more unstable in an accident, causing them to roll over.
Injuries From Serious Car Accidents in Venice, Florida
Rollover car accidents and other serious crashes involving multiple vehicles in Venice can be particularly deadly. They usually lead to a greater number of people sustaining more serious injuries than an accident involving one car.
Some of the most common injuries from a car accident involving a rollover or multiple vehicles include:
- Head, neck, and brain injuries.
- Lacerations and surface wounds.
- Injuries to organs, which can cause significant impairment.
- Broken bones, particularly in the extremities.
- Internal bleeding from trauma.
- Emotional and mental stress, including psychological disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD.)
Personal Injury Protection Insurance for Rollover Traffic Accidents
Florida is a no-fault state. This means that if you’re in a rollover car accident, you’ll need to go through your own insurance company to claim to receive any payments through your personal injury protection (PIP.) By law, all Florida drivers need to be covered for $10,000 worth of personal injury protection and $10,000 worth of property damage liability (PDL.)
These types of insurance coverage mean that you can claim money for ongoing injuries, medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering, as well as being able to cover any property damage you cause due to an accident.
However, if you’ve sustained a serious injury in a rollover car or motorcycle accident, it’s likely that you’ll be facing medical bills well over $10,000. In this case, you’ll need to work with a personal injury and traffic accident attorney in order to explore your legal options and receive the higher level of compensation that you could be entitled to.
What to Do if You’re in a Rollover Car Accident in Venice
Contact the Authorities
It is likely that authorities will already have been called and will be on their way due to the serious nature of these types of accidents. However, if this isn’t the case, you will need to contact the local police.
You should also file a police report following a car accident. Not only is it your legal obligation to do so, but this report can also be useful when making an insurance claim or filing a lawsuit.
Get Medical Help
The most important thing to do following a rollover car accident is to get your injuries checked by a medical professional. It is likely that paramedics will arrive at the scene of the incident. However, if your injuries are severe enough, you will likely also need long-term medical attention.
You will only be able to receive compensation for serious bodily injuries. Therefore, if you do not need to be seen by a doctor or other medical professional, it is likely any insurance companies will argue that your injuries were not severe enough to qualify for a pay-out.
Record Evidence
If you have been significantly injured in a rollover motor vehicle accident, you may find it difficult to start recording evidence at the scene of the crime. However, you’ll need as much evidence as possible in order for your personal injury attorney to build the strongest case possible.
If you are able, you should take photos of any injuries and damage, write detailed notes about the incident, collect names and details of other drivers and vehicles, as well as anything else you think may help your legal defense. You should keep all of this information in a safe, secure location and continue to log details such as further photographs of injuries and records of any expenses over time.
Contact Your Insurance Company
You’ll need to contact your insurance company within 24 hours of the rollover car accident to report the incident as well as any damage. You’ll also be able to claim a PIP benefit as long as you have received medical treatment within 14 days following the accident.
You should bear in mind that insurance companies do not always necessarily have your best interests at heart. It’s always best to seek professional legal advice from an experienced injury and accident attorney about what information to disclose to your insurance provider. This helps you to avoid harming your case.
Who Could Be Liable for a Venice Rollover Auto Accident?
In large-scale accidents, such as pile-ups and rollover incidents, it can be particularly difficult to work out who was at fault and who is liable to pay for any damages. Your lawyer will be able to look at all evidence involved as well as speaking to other drivers and witnesses in order to determine where the liability lies.
Liability for rollover traffic accidents can lie with:
- An individual driver – In most cases, the fault for a rollover accident lies with the driver of the other vehicle(s) involved.
- A company or employer – In some cases, a company or employer may be liable to pay for damages caused by a rollover motor vehicle accident. This could be the case, for example, if an employed driver was required to drive without rest breaks causing them to fall asleep at the wheel, or if a company was responsible for hiring an under-qualified driver.
- A manufacturer – It is rare for manufacturers to be at fault for a rollover auto accident, but not impossible. A manufacturer could be at fault, for example, if they supplied faulty equipment to a vehicle involved in the incident.
Florida’s Comparative Negligence Rule
In working out where the liability lies for rollover accidents and other types of vehicle crashes, it’s important to remember that Florida operates under a comparative negligence rule. In some cases, one driver could be completely at fault for a car accident. However, in many accident cases, this isn’t so clear-cut. There could be multiple drivers who could be held liable, and even accident victims themselves could share a portion of the blame.
Florida’s comparative negligence rule ensures that the total of any monetary damages decided in a court of law is then divided among the defendant and plaintiff based on their share of fault. This means that if the damages for the car accident total $500,000 and it is decided that you are 10% to blame, you will receive 90% of the money, while the remaining 10% will be given to the other driver.
How Can The Law Place Traffic Accident Lawyers Help Me?
Here at The Law Place, we’re a law firm experienced in winning a wide variety of personal injury and accident cases. We make it our mission to support all of our clients to achieve any compensation they may be entitled to, including lost wages, pain and suffering, medical bills, and more.
There are a number of key ways we help our clients in Venice and the wider State of Florida:
Liaising with Insurance Companies
Insurance companies in Venice, Florida, are notoriously difficult when it comes to claiming significant amounts of compensation. Even your own insurance provider will often try to avoid large pay-outs even though you could be entitled to receive them.
For example, you will often be asked when reporting an incident to your provider if you are feeling well. Many people can respond in the affirmative to be polite or because they haven’t yet realized the extent of their injuries. However, this is something that could later be used against them in order to diminish the amount of compensation they receive.
The insurance company of the driver at fault for the accident could also refuse to pay you any compensation if they disagree with where the liability lies. This can be very frustrating if you are sure that another driver was responsible for a car accident and you feel you are entitled to receive something.
Working with a personal injury and accident lawyer as soon as possible following an incident ensures that you have someone in your corner from the very beginning. Your lawyer will advise you on what information to give to your claims adjuster, as well as liaising with insurance companies on an ongoing basis.
Trying to Achieve an Out-of-Court Settlement
Your attorney will advise you that you have two options when it comes to personal injury compensation from an at-fault driver after a rollover car accident. The first option is to try to achieve an out-of-court settlement. This is often the first step that your personal injury and accident lawyer will try before filing a lawsuit.
Whilst many individuals wish to escalate their claim into a lawsuit and appear before a court of law, there are many benefits to out-of-court settlements:
- Speed – The first benefit of trying to reach a settlement out of court is that this tends to happen far more quickly. It can take around 2-3 years to get a court date for a personal injury lawsuit in the State of Florida, whereas a pay-out from an out-of-court settlement could be given within months. You’ll likely have more immediate medical bills that need to be paid as soon as possible. So, with an out-of-court settlement, you won’t have to wait as long to receive a pay-out.
- Security – You could have a more secure chance of receiving compensation if your case is settled out of court. During a court case, there is always a chance that a jury will find you partially responsible for a car accident. In this case, due to Florida’s comparative negligence rule, you will receive compensation based on your percentage of fault. There is also a chance that the total amount of monetary compensation decided in court is lower than what you could have achieved out of court. However, this is not usually the case.
- Lower cost – Due to the quicker nature of out-of-court settlements as opposed to personal injury lawsuits, you will be required to pay fewer fees to your accident lawyer. You also won’t have to take time off work to attend your court date.
- Lower stress – Lastly, due to the speed, security, and lower cost of out-of-court settlements, it’s likely that the whole experience will be far less stressful for you. This is a significant factor to consider, especially if you are suffering from injuries following a car accident.
Of course, sometimes it just isn’t possible to come to a personal injury settlement agreement outside of a courtroom, even with the most experienced accident lawyer. In this case, you could choose to file a lawsuit in a court of law.
Representing You in a Courtroom
Taking a personal injury lawsuit to court is also something your attorney will be able to help with, should you be unable to achieve a satisfactory settlement outside of court. This scenario is more complex and requires a specific set of skills on behalf of your accident lawyer. They’ll need to be highly experienced in litigation, as well as researching all the various aspects of your case needed to build a strong courtroom defense. Therefore, you should make sure to work with a law firm that offers this high level of expertise if this is a route you wish to pursue.
Sometimes it can be difficult to achieve the level of compensation you may be entitled to with an out-of-court settlement. In many car accident cases, a jury will decide a higher figure than insurance companies will settle for outside of court. Your injury and accident lawyer will be able to advise you whether to take a settlement or to file a lawsuit if they feel you might be entitled to a higher amount of money.
You may also be entitled to receive punitive damages if it can be proved that the driver at fault for the rollover car accident is guilty of gross negligence. This is not usually an option available with an out-of-court settlement.
What to Look for in an Injury and Accident Lawyer
There are many different law firms in the Venice area, as well as the wider State of Florida. So, it can often be difficult to know where to start when it comes to finding the right legal representation. However, there are a few characteristics you should look for when choosing the right accident lawyer for you:
A Free Consultation
You should always look for a law firm that offers you a free consultation with its car accident lawyers. This helps you to be sure you’re working with the right attorney for you and your needs. If you need to pay for a consultation, you may feel the need to continue using this law firm even if you are not entirely satisfied in order to feel like you haven’t wasted any money. Here at The Law Place, we always offer a free consultation and free case evaluation to all of our clients.
Plenty of Experience
Car accident lawyers need a wide variety of legal experience, especially when it comes to personal injury cases. You’ll need to ask and research how many cases of this nature they have taken on, as well as how many they’ve won in order to trust their abilities.
Furthermore, this is a complex area of Florida law to navigate, and it requires several different skillsets. Accident lawyers will need to be trained in research, witness interviewing, litigation, and more in order to win your case and help you achieve the right level of compensation.
Always Do Your Own Research
You should never make the mistake of trusting any law firm without doing your own research first. Always make sure to read their website and look for reviews from independent review sites before making your decision.
Don’t forget – a trustworthy law firm will be happy to help you conduct your own research and will be able to provide you with plenty of referrals.
Contact The Law Place Personal Injury Attorneys Today
If you’ve been involved in a rollover car accident or any other type of auto accident in Venice, Florida, you should get in touch with The Law Place today. Being involved in an incident such as this makes it vital to seek professional legal representation as soon as possible. Our law firm full of experienced personal injury attorneys help advise you what to report to your insurance company, help you to understand your legal rights, and try to achieve the compensation you may deserve.
Schedule a free consultation in a free case evaluation with an attorney near you today. Call us on (941) 444-4444. Phone lines are open 24/7.
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