In the blink of an eye, a rollover can turn a routine commute or otherwise pleasant drive into a catastrophic, life-changing event. These crashes often leave survivors shaken up, badly injured, and unsure where to turn for help. If you’ve been injured in a rollover accident in Portland, you deserve clear guidance, compassionate support, and fierce advocacy. Get in touch with a Portland car accident attorney with Rizk Law to understand what comes next and how we can help you demand fair compensation for what you’ve suffered.
Understanding Rollover Accidents in Portland
A rollover is a particular type of accident in which a motor vehicle is thrown off its center of gravity and overturns as a result. High speeds, quick turns, or a collision with another object can send a car tumbling. Each additional impact further damages the car frame and increases the risk of serious injury for occupants.
Although rollovers make up less than 3 percent of all passenger vehicle accidents, they account for almost one-third of all occupant deaths. More than 220,000 car rollover accidents occur nationwide every year, with more than 9,000 resulting deaths.
The following risk factors increase the chances of rollovers:
- Vehicles with a high center of gravity (such as SUVs and trucks), which have a higher likelihood of tipping
- Wet roads, potholes, and uneven shoulders that can destabilize your ride
- Low visibility during nighttime driving and speeding, which disproportionately contributes to all vehicle crashes
Several driver behaviors also contribute to rollover accidents, including the following:
- Excessive speeds – High speeds amplify the forces acting on a vehicle during sudden turns or collisions, making rollovers more likely. Approximately 35 percent of rollover crashes involve excessive speeding.
- Sharp turns or swerving – Abrupt steering changes can cause vehicles to lose stability and roll over, especially when tires lose traction.
- Vehicle overloading – When a driver chooses to load excessive weight onto the roof, they effectively raise their vehicle’s center of gravity and increase the risk of tipping.
- Alcohol impairment – Drivers who operate a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs increase both their chance of getting into a rollover accident and the average severity of any resulting injuries.
Portland has seen concerning traffic safety trends in recent years. The city recorded 58 traffic deaths in one recent year, representing a 16 percent decrease from the record high of 69 deaths the year before. However, this number remains significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels, when the city averaged 41 traffic deaths annually.
Most troubling, more than half of Portland’s traffic deaths involved speeding, and 83 percent occurred during low-light conditions. These factors significantly increase the likelihood of severe accidents, particularly on Portland’s High Crash Network – the 8 percent of Portland’s streets and intersections where 62 percent of traffic deaths occur.
Thankfully, many cars now come with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) systems to help prevent rollovers. These systems can significantly reduce the risk of fatal single-vehicle crashes and fatal rollovers by stabilizing the vehicle during sharp turns or evasive maneuvers. Unfortunately, no technology has yet been invented that can eliminate the risk of collisions entirely.
Common Injuries from Rollover Crashes
When your safety features fail and your vehicle flips, the forces at play can leave you shaken – or worse, dealing with serious injuries like the following:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) – Concussions, bleeding, and skull fractures are caused when an occupant’s head slams into glass, metal, or the collapsing roof.
- Spinal injuries – Herniated discs, broken vertebrae, and paralysis can permanently affect a victim’s quality of life.
- Fractures – Any bone can break if it gets pinned or thrown against the interior of your car, including arms, legs, and ribs.
- Internal trauma – These injuries can be life-threatening for car accident victims if not treated promptly, which presents a serious risk, as they do not always present immediate symptoms.
If you’ve been in a rollover collision, you need to get checked out by a medical professional, even if you feel okay. Many of the above injuries can go unnoticed at first in the rush of adrenaline caused by a serious accident. However, without medical intervention, they can quickly worsen, with a serious risk to long-term health.
What to Do After a Rollover Accident in Portland
Seconds matter after a crash. Follow these steps to keep yourself safe and preserve your legal rights:
- Stay put, unless you are in the way of moving traffic. Moving too much could worsen your injuries.
- Call 911 right away to report your injuries and any hazards, and to receive medical help.
- Talk to the responding authorities and give them an accurate account of what happened.
- If possible, take photos of any damage, road conditions, and skid marks.
- Talk to witnesses and get their names and numbers. Their accounts can back up your story.
- Exchange information with the other involved drivers, and get their contact information, insurance, and license plate numbers.
- Ask the police for a copy of their accident report, which can serve as critical evidence for your insurance claim.
Under Oregon law, if the accident results in physical injury, death, or at least $2,500 in property damage, you must notify law enforcement and remain at the scene until a police officer arrives, if you are physically able to.
Who Is Liable in a Rollover Accident in Portland?
Oregon’s auto insurance system puts financial responsibility squarely on the party responsible for the crash. This could mean a driver who was operating their vehicle carelessly at the time of the crash, a car manufacturer who installed faulty parts, an employer who put the driver on the road in the first place, or a vehicle owner who let an unqualified person drive.
Under Oregon’s modified comparative negligence rule, you can still recover compensation so long as you are not primarily to blame for an accident. However, your payout shrinks by your percentage of fault. This means that if you are found to be 20 percent responsible for the accident, your compensation would be reduced by 20 percent.
Damages You Can Claim After a Rollover Crash
Victims of rollover accidents in Portland may be entitled to compensation for their:
- Medical expenses (current and future)
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Emotional distress
- Rehabilitation and long-term care needs
Oregon law says every driver must carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP), which covers up to $15,000 in medical bills and 70 percent of lost wages (up to $3,000 per month) regardless of fault. PIP is your immediate lifeline for hospital stays, doctor visits, and therapy bills associated with your accident.
But PIP won’t cover everything – for instance, it will not pay you back for any long-term care, severe disability costs, or emotional trauma. To seek compensation for these losses, you need to file a personal injury claim against the at-fault party.
According to Oregon law, victims of car accidents have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover the costs related to their accident. If your loved one passed away in a rollover collision, the law gives you three years to file a wrongful death claim.
How a Portland Rollover Accident Attorney Can Help
The insurance claims process alone can feel overwhelming or impossible. Adjusters actively look for reasons to pay claimants less or to deny their claims outright. A dedicated rollover car accident lawyer in Portland can help you fight back by:
- Diving into police reports, medical records, and car crash reconstruction data
- Identifying every person or company responsible for your car accident injuries
- Calculating a full, fair value for your car accident claim
- Handling tough insurance company negotiations so you can focus on healing
- Filing a car accident lawsuit if insurers won’t budge
With the right lawyer, you won’t just get help – you’ll get a partner fighting day and night for the settlement you deserve.
At Rizk Law, we put our clients first by keeping them informed and involved throughout the claims process. As your case moves forward, you will receive step-by-step legal advice and personal guidance from our Portland car accident lawyers.
Our firm takes a strategic approach to rollover auto accident cases: We identify all responsible parties and every available source of coverage, and we dedicate ourselves to pursuing the results that serve our clients’ long-term needs.
Contact a Portland Rollover Accident Lawyer
Rizk Law takes a strategic approach to personal injury cases. We have recovered millions of dollars for accident victims throughout Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. If a rollover accident has upended your world, you don’t have to face the aftermath alone. We are a trusted Portland car accident law firm with a proven track record of helping Oregon accident victims. For rollover accident victims located in Portland, Beaverton, Vancouver, and the surrounding areas, we offer compassionate, client-focused representation and a free initial consultation.
Whether you’re grappling with an Oregon rollover crash claim, seeking a rollover accident settlement in Portland, or need a Portland rollover crash attorney you can trust, Rizk Law is here for you. Let us put our hard work, experience, and results-driven approach to work on your case.