Frio Street Rollover Kills One
On a recent night, a woman exiting I-35 South onto Frio Street lost control of her car, causing it to flip over the side of the ramp and land in the grass below. Law enforcement stated that she was not wearing a seatbelt, and was thus ejected from the vehicle, sustaining severe injuries. Sadly this is all too common in rollover accidents, which are disproportionately responsible for car crash fatalities for a variety of reasons. If you survive one, and you believe that your crash was caused by another person’s negligence, it may be good to consult an attorney who is versed in this type of case.
The What and Why of Rollovers
Statistics done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) paint a grim picture. The NHTSA estimates that the fatalities from rollover crashes make up approximately 20 percent of all traffic deaths; in general, rollover accidents are more likely to cause fatalities than any other type of crash. Most rollover crash victims are male and under the age of 40, driving on two-lane roads without any dividing barriers.
There are several different reasons for the deadliness of rollover accidents; most notable is the sheer fact that a car’s worth of metal and glass rolling over, end over end, involves immense weight transfer, none of which is controlled. In addition, speeding drivers are infinitely more likely to roll over than those going the speed limit – it is not uncommon for rollover crashes to happen when a driver loses control due to speed and flips over a freeway ramp or guardrail, and when an accident occurs at that speed, fatalities are more likely.
Can I Recover Damages?
Sometimes a person may refrain from bringing suit in this type of crash because they believe that they have no chance of recovery, especially if their crash is a ‘single-vehicle’ accident. However, even ‘single-vehicle’ accidents may be able to be traced to another person’s negligence – for example, another car could have swerved in front of you, forcing you to take evasive action even though they may not have sustained any damage to their vehicle.
Others may not want to bring suit after a rollover accident because they believe that they may have partially been at fault for the accident. Many drivers are indeed ruled to have played a role in their own injuries – but Texas law holds that unless someone is more than 50 percent at fault in their own accident, they are still able to recover. Their percentage of fault will lower their award – for example, if they are ruled 20 percent liable, any award will be reduced by 20 percent.
Call a New Braunfels Rollover Crash Attorney
Given how devastating rollovers can be, you have little time to waste if you have been involved in one. You deserve compensation for your injuries – the skilled New Braunfels rollover accident lawyers at the Bettersworth Law Firm can help you to obtain it. Contact us today at 888-392-0039 for a free consultation.
Sources:
https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/woman-killed-in-rollover-crash-near-downtown/273-1efd275f-1072-427e-96fa-225d349b0b8c
https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/SOTWDocs/CP/htm/CP.33.htm
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/809438
