California SUV Rollover Brain Injury Accident Lawyers

SUV Rollover Brain Injuries

During the last decade sport utility vehicles have accounted for one out of every four new vehicles sold, becoming the most popular vehicle type on the market today. Despite popularly held beliefs that these vehicles have additional safety benefits based on their relative size, SUVs have much higher rollover incidence rates compared to other types of vehicles. Prone to rolling over in accidents, SUVs carry an increased risk for life threatening and fatal accidents. Due to the particular phenomenon of “roof crush” in such accidents, serious brain injury can easily result.

Types of Brain Injury Resulting from SUV Rollover

Individuals involved in SUV rollover accidents may experience various types of brain injury due to head trauma caused by the flipping of the vehicle. Brain injury can be difficult to correctly diagnose and treat, as head injuries may affect one area of the brain or many areas of the brain. In certain instances, patients may require top medical specialists, invasive tests, and costly operations in order to treat potentially incapacitating damage. Injuries can vary in severity and may include:

Concussion – caused by blows to the head from whiplash or contact to the roof. Can vary greatly in severity and can even cause fatal brain clotting.
Contusion – direct impact to the head causes bruising/bleeding on the brain caused by impact with the steering wheel or with a crushed roof. May require surgical removal.
Coup-Contrecoup – Dual contusions. One on the site of initial impact and the other caused by the moving brain subsequently slamming the opposite side of the skull.
Diffuse Axonal – caused by shaking and strong rotational forces, like the forces encountered in car accidents. This injury occurs when the brain lags behind the movement of the skull causing nerve tissue to tear. This can lead to disruptions in the brain’s communication functions and can result in functional impairment, coma, or death.
Penetration - when an object punctures the brain as a result of force exerted to the head by shattering glass, roof crushing, or an outside object. Other than specific damage to the brain, penetration injuries may cause additional tissue tearing.

Most major brain injuries are attributable to the above damages. These damages often result in loss of consciousness for hours following the accident, confusion, physical, and/or behavioral changes lasting weeks after the accident, and abnormalities on brain scans.

Liability in SUV Rollover Brain Injuries

The legal procedure involved in such cases require a detail-oriented approach, as determining the full extent of liability may be difficult. Matters can quickly get complicated, as third parties exert pressure to reduce their exposure, or other issues arise that are difficult to deal with following such a traumatic event. Liability may extend not only to a driver, but the driver’s employer, or the manufacturer of the vehicle/vehicle’s parts, such as the tire. It has been estimated that more than 250 deaths and 3,000 serious injuries resulted from these tire tread failures in Firestone Tires, with many accidents occurring on Ford Motor Company vehicles, especially the Ford Explorer.

Experienced Brain Injury Attourneys

California brain injury attorneys at Estey Bomberger have represented many victims of severe accidents in the State of California. With a combined 70 years of experience between our attorneys, we have handled a variety of accident claims involving traumatic brain injuries and understand the life altering nature of such injuries. We work with an extensive network of trial experts around the country to ensure expert testimony, key in such cases, is knowledgeable and able to properly address our clients’ cases thoroughly in court.

Maximum Damages for Your Injury

Medical costs can quickly add up during initial treatment, as well as over the lifetime of the victim. Aside from the emotional suffering that stems from such an event, severe accidents and the corresponding harm can result in the inability of an individual to financially provide for family members. We understand the emotional and financial strain individuals and families dealing with brain injury are forced to cope with. At Estey Bomberger, we take to heart victims and their families needs, and understand families have only one opportunity to obtain a settlement or verdict., and correspondingly we take a fewer number of total cases to ensure that every minute detail of our clients cases are addressed. A recent settlement of $14 million and our many seven and eight figure case results are testaments to our commitment and specialty in handling severe accidents involving brain injury.

Call Estey Bomberger for Advice and a Free Consultation

We are committed to helping people handle unexpected and traumatizing events. As part of our commitment, Estey Bomberger offers free consultations with no obligation. We may be reached at (800) 610-1892 to discuss your situation, offer initial advice, or arrange to meet in person at a convenient location.