Driver Injured After Vehicle Overturns Avoiding Left-Turning Pickup on Louisiana Highway 941

Dodson & Hooks represented a driver injured in a rollover accident in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, after he was forced off the highway while attempting to avoid a pickup truck that turned into his path.

The February 17, 2024 accident occurred on Louisiana Highway 941 and involved a Chevrolet Silverado operated by Scott Fairchild. The resulting insurance claim involved State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company.

One of the most important pieces of evidence was a dashcam video that recorded the events leading to the crash.

What Happened on Louisiana Highway 941?

The injured driver was traveling east on Louisiana Highway 941.

Ahead of him was a slower-moving Chevrolet Silverado traveling in the same direction.

The section of roadway had a dashed yellow center line permitting a driver to pass when it was safe to do so. There were no oncoming vehicles as the driver began passing the slower pickup.

As he attempted to pass, the Silverado unexpectedly began making a left turn across his path.

The driver took evasive action to avoid hitting the pickup.

He steered to the right, left the highway and entered the shoulder. His vehicle then overturned in the ditch alongside the roadway.

The driver was wearing his seat belt and the airbags deployed.

After the vehicle came to rest, he was left suspended by the seat belt inside the overturned vehicle. When he released the belt, he fell onto the passenger side of the vehicle.

Dashcam Video Can Be Powerful Evidence

One particularly important feature of this accident was the existence of dashcam footage.

Automobile cases often involve conflicting accounts from the drivers.

One person may say a turn signal was activated. Another may say it was not. Drivers may disagree about speed, lane position, passing or exactly when a vehicle began turning.

A dashcam can sometimes answer those questions directly.

Video evidence may establish:

• the position and movement of the vehicles;
• whether oncoming traffic was present;
• roadway markings;
• the timing of a passing maneuver;
• whether a vehicle began turning across another driver’s path;
• how much time the injured driver had to react; and
• whether evasive action was necessary.

Dashcam evidence should be preserved immediately after a serious accident.

Can Someone Be Responsible Even if the Vehicles Never Hit Each Other?

Potentially, yes.

A common misconception is that another driver cannot be responsible for an accident unless the vehicles physically collide.

That is not necessarily true.

A driver’s negligence can cause another motorist to take emergency evasive action. If that maneuver causes the second vehicle to leave the roadway, strike another object or overturn, the absence of vehicle-to-vehicle contact does not automatically eliminate a potential claim.

The important issue is what caused the injured driver to take the evasive action.

This can arise when a vehicle pulls from a driveway, changes lanes, crosses a center line, turns unexpectedly or otherwise enters another vehicle’s path.

Left-Turn Accidents and the Duty to Look Before Turning

A left turn across traffic can be dangerous because it places the turning vehicle across the path that another motorist may be using.

Drivers must exercise reasonable care before beginning a turn.

Depending upon the circumstances, an investigation may consider whether the turning driver checked mirrors, looked for approaching or passing traffic, properly signaled and made sure the maneuver could be completed safely.

When a driver is passing on a roadway where passing is permitted, the circumstances surrounding an unexpected left turn can become particularly important.

Neck, Back and Knee Pain After a Rollover

At the accident scene, the injured driver experienced pain involving his neck, lower back and knee.

His pain increased overnight.

The following morning, he sought treatment at Lake Urgent Care in Gonzales, where he was diagnosed with a lower-back muscle, fascia and tendon strain.

When his neck and low-back symptoms persisted, he began treatment at GeauxChiro Chiropractic & Health.

He underwent multiple treatments over the following weeks.

Because the low-back pain did not resolve with conservative treatment, a lumbar MRI was obtained at Ascension Open MRI in Gonzales.

The MRI did not show a disc bulge or herniation but documented straightening of the normal lumbar lordotic curvature.

This illustrates an important point about personal-injury claims: a person can experience genuine and continuing pain after a violent accident even when an MRI does not reveal a herniated disc.

Why Rollover Accidents Can Cause Significant Injuries

A rollover can expose an occupant to several different forces.

The body can move against the seat belt as the vehicle rotates. Airbags may deploy. The occupant may strike portions of the interior.

Even after the vehicle stops moving, getting out of an overturned vehicle can be difficult.

Here, the driver found himself suspended by his seat belt and fell toward the passenger side after releasing it.

That sequence can help explain why evaluating a rollover injury requires understanding not simply the first movement of the vehicle but everything that happened until the occupant was safely out.

What If the Other Driver’s Insurance Is Not Enough?

The liability claim in this accident involved State Farm.

Louisiana historically has permitted relatively low automobile liability limits. When an accident causes serious injuries, one liability policy may not provide enough insurance to compensate the injured person.

That makes it important to investigate other potentially applicable insurance.

Depending upon the facts and policy language, additional coverage may include uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, coverage on another household vehicle or umbrella or excess insurance.

An attorney handling a serious accident should investigate coverage rather than assuming the first policy identified is necessarily the only available insurance.

What This Means if Another Driver Forces You Off the Road

If another vehicle forces you to leave the roadway but never actually strikes your vehicle, do not assume you have no claim.

Evidence becomes particularly important in these cases.

If possible, preserve:

• dashcam footage;
• photographs of the roadway and vehicle;
• the crash report;
• witness information;
• vehicle electronic data; and
• any available surveillance or traffic-camera recordings.

The central question may be why you were forced to take evasive action.

Dodson & Hooks represents drivers and passengers injured in rollover accidents, left-turn collisions, no-contact accidents, highway crashes and serious automobile accidents throughout Ascension Parish and Louisiana.