Driving an SUV can make you feel safer, because of its larger size. Most people believe that when you are in an SUV and you get into a collision with another smaller vehicle, you are less likely to feel an impact or suffer injuries. However, this may not always be true. Due to the fact that SUVs are taller than other vehicles, they are more prone to rolling over when there is a crash.
When a vehicle as big as an SUV rolls, the injuries caused can be catastrophic. The vehicle’s roof may collapse or may be crushed. This can lead to serious head and brain injuries. Some experts also believe that the seat belts in an SUV may not tighten in a rollover as it would do in any other type of impact. This can cause the occupants to get jerked severely, which can lead to severe injuries. If the doors fail to latch properly in a rollover, occupants can get ejected and suffer severe injuries if they impact the pavement or another hard surface. In this post, our St. Louis car accident attorney discusses the common injuries sustained by occupants in case of an SUV rollover crash.
Common SUV Rollover Crash Injuries
Some of the injuries that are reported after an SUV rollover are:
- Head and brain injuries: If the roof of the roof of the SUV collapses in an SUV crash, it can result in serious head and brain injuries, which can leave the person disabled for life. Rollovers can also cause skull fractures and disfiguring facial lacerations due to broken glass and other debris.
- Chest injuries: While all modern vehicles come with airbags, if the airbags fail to deploy, the victim can suffer a crushing chest injury or broken ribs.
- Neck injuries: If the neck is jerked in a way that causes the neck to overextend, the occupant can suffer a whiplash. It can also cause a slipped or herniated disc in the neck, and even severe nerve damage.
- Soft tissue injuries: The victim of an SUV rollover may also stretched or torn ligaments, tendons or muscles. These injuries can affect the person’s ability to move body parts and may hamper with the ability to perform daily functions.
- Broken bones: Forceful impact of the rollover can cause broken bones. Broken bones in the legs, arms, or any other area can be extremely painful, disabling and take a long time to heal.
- Cuts and bruises: While these injuries may not be life threatening, they are often extremely painful and disfiguring.
Seeking legal help
If you have been in an SUV rollover crash that was caused due to the negligence of another driver, you should pursue a claim for all your damages with the help of an experienced and competent St. Louis car crash attorney. Call (314) 361-4242 for a FREE case evaluation.