Cleveland SUV Accident Lawyer

Are you involved in an accident involving an SUV? Even minor car accidents can feel like a life-changing experience. You deserve to be treated fairly by the insurance companies and the courts.

Our Cleveland car accident lawyer at Ryan LLP has over 50 years of combined experience helping clients recover total and fair compensation and get their lives back on track.

Call (216) 600-0308 to schedule a free consultation with one of our Cleveland SUV accident attorneys, or use our convenient chat service on our website to ask your questions.

Why Should You Hire a Cleveland SUV Accident Lawyer After a Crash Incident?

Our Cleveland car accident attorneys at Ryan LLP are ready to help car accident victims get justice and are prepared to fight for you. Here are a few reasons why you should consider hiring one after you’ve been in a car crash:

• To help you get financial compensation for your injuries. You must pay for transportation and other costs after the motor vehicle accident, regardless of your injuries. Without health insurance, medical costs are rising and can add up quickly. Hiring an experienced car accident attorney gives you a strong advocate who knows Ohio’s laws, can file all the paperwork, and will fight for the compensation you deserve to cover your expenses.
• To help you understand what legal options are available to you. After an accident, many people want to know if they can sue the other driver, if they can file a claim against their insurance company or how they might recover their medical expenses. An experienced car accident lawyer will explain the various available options so you can decide how best to proceed with your case.
• To prevent unwanted issues from arising after a car crash. Starting with someone with the knowledge and experience to handle your situation is crucial. A Cleveland car accident lawyer could advise on what to do now and after an accident. They could also help you resolve the issues to avoid future legal problems.

The Law Office of Ryan LLP has served clients throughout Ohio for over 50 years. Our legal team has handled all types of car accident cases. Get in touch with us today so we can provide expert legal advice on how best to proceed with your car accident case.

What Are the Different Causes of Accidents in SUVs?

Because of their height and weight, SUVs have a higher risk of rollovers and other accidents. Other factors that contribute to SUV accidents include the following:

High Center of Gravity

Vehicles with a high center of gravity are more susceptible to rolling over than those with a low center of gravity. Cars that are narrower or taller, such as large passenger vans and SUVs, are less stable than those that are shorter and much closer to the ground. It is possible to flip these cars, but it is less likely.

High Ground Clearance

Similar to pickup trucks, SUVs have a higher ground clearance than other passenger vehicles. Smaller vehicles, motorcycles, and even pedestrians can easily slide underneath an SUV in the event of a collision, significantly increasing the likelihood of a severe or fatal injury. Today’s compact and midsize SUVs are designed with lower ground clearance, reducing the risk of fatal underride collisions.

Larger Blind Spots

All vehicles have blind spots, but as a vehicle’s size increases, so does its blind spot size. When turning or changing lanes, SUV drivers must use their mirrors to clear their blind spots, but careless drivers often do not. Many new SUVs have backup cameras that help eliminate blind spots when driving in reverse. However, backup cameras do not help with SUVs’ other blind spots.

Increased Power

Most passenger vehicles on the road have less powerful engines than SUVs. Faster means more power. 40% of all fatal rollover crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), are caused by speed. Vehicle control becomes more challenging as speed increases. It is particularly true for SUVs with top-heavy designs and low centers of gravity.

False Sense of Safety

People believe that an SUV’s large size will protect its occupants and drivers. Many SUVs also feature four-wheel drive, which gives them more traction on snowy days. Compared to other passenger vehicles, these features give drivers a greater sense of security. Due to this, SUV drivers frequently take more risks than other drivers when operating the vehicle.

For example, due to the extra traction provided by 4WD, some SUV motorists may exceed the allowed speed limit while driving in a winter storm or believe they are secure while navigating icy roads.

What Are the Different Injuries You Can Sustain From an SUV Accident?

Dealing with injuries sustained during an SUV accident can be complicated because of the sheer size of these vehicles. If you’re ever involved in an accident with an SUV, it’s essential to seek medical attention immediately, especially if you’re experiencing pain or dizziness.

Here are some of the most common injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents involving SUVs:

Injuries to the Neck, Back, and Spine

Neck, back, and spinal injuries are the most common injuries in a car accident. Whiplash, spinal cord damage, strains, sprains, and herniated discs are all common injuries.

Head and Brain Injury

A head injury is frequently one of the most difficult to diagnose because new symptoms often emerge later on. A concussion, internal bleeding (hematoma), skull fracture, or shearing (tearing of brain tissues) are all examples of brain injuries. These can have long-term or permanent effects on a car accident victim and can be challenging to detect.

Burn Injuries

A victim may sustain burns from a car fire, electrocution, exposure to hot steam or metal, or contact with spilled chemicals, depending on the nature of the accident.

Internal Organ Injuries 

External forces, such as being crushed, forced into an object, or hit by flying debris, are common in car accidents. Internal injuries may have occurred when this occurs. If so, this is an emergency.

Soft Tissues or Broken Bone Injuries

A car accident is a common cause of broken bones, torn muscles, or extreme stretching resulting in injury.

Foot, Leg, and Knee Injuries

Victims of car accidents frequently discover that they have suffered severe damage to these areas, such as fractures, torn cartilage, or severed.

Symptoms may appear immediately or may begin to develop and worsen after an accident. It will be best if you do not ignore symptoms of any kind after car wrecks. Even if you think it will go away, you don’t want to skip a potentially severe injury that requires treatment.

What Are the Damages You Can Recover in an SUV Accident?

The damages you can recover in an SUV accident depend on the circumstances of the motor vehicle crash. In general, you may be able to recover damages for:

Medical Bills and Related Expenses

Your medical bills are one of the most manageable damages to calculate. These can include reimbursement for expenses such as:

• Hospitalization expenses;
• The cost of surgery;
• Transportation to and from the hospital;
• Visits to the doctor;
• Medical device prices;
• Medication, both prescription and over-the-counter;
• Therapy or rehabilitation expenses; and
• Costs of in-home care.

The more serious your injuries were due to your car accident, the higher your medical bills will be. In most cases, you can recover the costs of your physical recovery through an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit.

Costs of Property Damage

If you sustain property damage in a car accident, you may be able to seek compensation through a property damage claim. This claim is typically handled separately from a personal injury or wrongful death claim.

Property damages can help you get compensation for damage to your vehicle or other property. It could include damage to items inside your vehicle during a car accident, such as laptops, work equipment, child car seats, or other valuables. It may also include property damage caused by accident, such as a home, fencing, or trees.

Rehabilitation and Assistive Care Expenses

Rehabilitation and assistive care expenses are other damage you can recover in an SUV accident. These include, but are not limited to, medical expenses, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and psychological treatment. The reason for this broad list of recovery is simple: your injuries could require any or all of these kinds of treatment.

Pain and Suffering

In a personal injury lawsuit, you may be entitled to non-economic damages such as pain and suffering.

Pain and suffering damages can include compensation for the following:

• Physical pain;
• Mental anguish;
• Loss of enjoyment of life;
• Disability or disfigurement; and
• Loss of consortium.

This list is not all-inclusive, and you can blame pain and suffering for any adverse effect your injuries have on your life.

Punitive Damages

The judge might award you punitive damages if the at-fault driver in the car accident was grossly negligent. These are additional damages intended to punish the negligent driver in extreme cases while discouraging the negligent party and others from acting recklessly in the future.

Punitive damages may be subject to caps in your state. If these limits apply to your case, our Cleveland car accident lawyers can explain them to you.

How Do Cleveland Car Accident Lawyers Help With Your Case?

When you’re in a legal situation, you don’t want to worry about whether your lawyer has everything under control. That’s why you must work with someone equipped to handle your case from the initial negotiation with the insurance company through the lawsuit preparation. At Ryan LLP, we will take every aspect of your case, leaving you to concentrate on getting better.

We can manage each phase of this process on your behalf, which includes:

• Negotiating with the insurer on your behalf;
• Investigating the accident;
• Negotiating a fair and just compensation with the insurance company; and
• Preparing a lawsuit if you cannot reach a fair and equal settlement.

Our firm has over 50 years of combined experience standing up for victims’ rights, and we want you to know that you are not alone as you go through this process.

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Experienced Cleveland Car Accident Attorney Today

Ryan LLP is one of the most highly regarded personal injury law firms in Downtown Cleveland. We’ve secured millions of dollars for clients and their families through our strong representation and trusted approach to personal injury cases.

We are committed to providing you with an exceptional experience, accessible 24/7, that includes your free consultation.

Call us today at (216) 600-0308 or complete our contact form. One of our experienced attorneys will promptly respond. Because we do not charge for consultations, there is nothing to lose!