Actor Will Ferrell Injured in a Rollover Crash
Popular comedian Will Ferrell’s roll over crash has highlighted once again the hazards posed by SUVs. According to the New York Daily News, Ferrell suffered the rollover crash on April 13 on the L.A. Freeway. Reports indicate that the limousine SUV Ferrell was riding in got cut off by a Toyota, which collided with the rear of the SUV on the right side. The SUV then drove into a divider where it flipped over. Ferrell, aged 50, fortunately suffered only minor injuries in the rollover. However, other victims might not be so lucky.
Rollovers are a Serious Problem
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rollovers are among the most dangerous accidents involving vehicles. Although only 2.1% of vehicle accidents involved a rollover, almost 35% of death were caused by rollovers. In 2010, rollovers killed a little more than 7,500 passengers. The risk of death increases dramatically if you were not wearing a seat belt, so buckle up every time you ride in a vehicle.
Some of the serious injuries victims can suffer in a rollover include:
- Cuts, scrapes, or lacerations
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Paralysis
Many of these injuries carry long-term complications, including chronic pain, loss of sensation, and difficulty with mobility. Any brain injury can possibly impact the ability to speak, reason, or remember information. As you try to recover, you might have to miss work, depriving your family of necessary wages. Fortunately, help is available.
Types of Rollovers
Any vehicle can rollover. However, SUVs and other vehicles that are tall are at increased risk of rollovers. A rollover can happen in the following ways:
- Tripping in soft soil. These happen when a driver veers onto the soft shoulder and tries to jerk the vehicle back on the road. As the wheels sink into the soil, the vehicle becomes unbalanced and can flip.
- Hitting a guardrail. A fast-moving vehicle can become airborne when it rides up a guardrail, as if it were a ramp. Once airborne, the vehicle flips over.
- Tripping on a steep slope. Vehicles moving down slopes can flip over when they are going too fast but try to make a turn.
- Top-heaviness. A vehicle that is very heavy on top can rollover if it makes a quick defensive move to avoid colliding with another vehicle.
To fully document your accident, call the police after the rollover and hold onto copies of all medical records and medical bills. Your lawyer will find this information helpful when deciding whether you have a legitimate legal claim for the rollover.
Speak with a Daytona Beach Car Accident Lawyer
If you have been injured in a rollover, you might be entitled to financial compensation. At Bundza & Rodriguez, we have years of experience representing injured motorists. Our detailed approach to the law has garnered multiple six-figure settlements and verdicts on behalf of clients injured in car accidents. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation. Don’t delay.
Resources:
safercar.gov/Vehicle-Shoppers/Rollover/Fatalities
safercar.gov/Vehicle-Shoppers/Rollover/Types-of-Rollovers
nydailynews.com/newswires/entertainment/video-ferrell-treated-rollover-freeway-crash-article-1.3932280