When we think of automobile accidents, the first images that come to mind may be of vehicles colliding with one another or with walls and other stationary objects. But a frequently overlooked and catastrophic single-vehicle accident is the rollover accident. These are among the deadliest of accidents and have many causes. Victims of rollovers have the right to demand justice from those responsible for their suffering.

Rollovers occur when a vehicle, usually while on the highway, begins tumbling over its roof. The most common cause of rollovers is turning too sharply while traveling at high speeds, as commonly occurs when a driver swerves too sharply to avoid an accident or an object on the roadway. Since not all vehicle designs are optimized to withstand rollovers, the occupants of some vehicles may not have the protection they need from this type of accident.

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In 2001, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) issued a report detailing concerns about the growing population of senior drivers, and the potential risks associated with this trend. Older drivers tend to be involved in car accidents more frequently than their younger counterparts. The IIHS report noted that the increase of elderly drivers and the increased frequency with which these drivers were expected to take to the road may cause serious safety problems.

These anticipated problems have not yet come to pass. According to an IIHS report issued last year, seniors are holding onto their driver’s licenses longer, but they aren’t causing more motor vehicle accidents. Despite the fact that there are more than 20 million drivers over the age of 70 on the roads today, the rate of both fatal car accidents and less serious collisions decreased from 1997 to 2008.

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Each year in the United States, the lives of many people are disrupted by the unforeseen occurrence of a motor vehicle accident. Several million traffic collisions occur and the unfortunate truth is that a large portion of these potentially life-altering events could be prevented through the exercise of even the most modest discretion by motorists who instead choose to operate a vehicle while their capacities are impaired in one or more ways. This negligent behavior subjects others on the roadway to a needless risk of serious injury or death, and the victims of these accidents may be able to file a civil lawsuit seeking financial compensation for medical bills, vehicle repairs, and other damages as appropriate.

Despite the effectiveness of the advanced safety technologies that are available in modern passenger cars and trucks, when traveling at highway speeds it is still entirely possible for a vehicle’s occupants to sustain severe physical injuries. The cost of even basic medical care is beyond the reach of many people, so the prospect of having to find a way to come up with the funds necessary to pay for a bill that could easily be for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars adds a genuine insult to the injuries that have already been suffered. Without the resources gained from a successful lawsuit, it may be impossible to pay for this care and an accident victim may be driven into bankruptcy. Moreover, this only represents a portion of the financial concerns that an individual will have to face after an accident.

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The “Bottom Line” regarding “Whiplash Crash Facts” (accumulated during 2004 – - and including all the previous years) are as follows:

THERE ARE EIGHT SERIOUS AND ABSOLUTE FACTS IMPACTING AND REGARDING THAT WHICH IS TODAY IDENTIFIED AS A “WHIPLASH” INJURY. THEY ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1#. The “Threshold” for cervical spine soft tissue injury becomes a reality at 5 MPH.2#. Most injuries occur at speeds below 12 MPH. #3. Crashed cars can often withstand collision speeds of 10 MPH (some even more) without sustaining damage. (THUS: The concept of “No Property Damage – No Cash” has absolutely been invalidated)! #4. A delay in the onset of symptoms has been found to be the “Norm” rather than the “Exception”. #5. Mild traumatic brain injury can be the result of a Whiplash -Type injury. (These symptoms are often referred to as, “Post Concussion Syndrome”). #6. Up to 10% of victims of “Whiplash” become totally disabled ! #7. Of the 31 important whiplash studies since 1956 (19 of them executed since 1990) regarding patients from all vectors of motor vehicle accident collision impacts (be they rear, frontal, or side) it was found that “over 60% of them” needed long-term medical follow-up. #8. In 2003 several million Americans suffered a “Whiplash-Type” injury. This figure flows into the stratosphere each and ever day at an alarming rate of speed!

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