Factors That Can Cause a Car to Roll Over
A vehicle can roll or flip onto its side or roof for many reasons. An investigation may need to determine the cause of a rollover. Finding the right car accident lawyer to represent you and protect your interests is essential to discovering the truth and ultimately getting compensation for your injuries.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has determined that vehicular rollovers have higher fatality rates than other kinds of crashes, and that 90 percent of these incidents involve only a single vehicle. Thr rollover accidents are often dire, it is important to consider the factors that can contribute to these often deadly accidents.
Likely Reasons for a Rollover Accident:
- Vehicle design: Light passenger cars and high-profile SUVs are well-known candidates for rollovers.
- Tripping: This typically pertains to objects and debris, guardrails, curbs, or uneven pavement.
- Dangerous conditions: This can include uneven weight distribution in the vehicle or a connected trailer, high winds, bad weather (low visibility, icy roads, heavy snow or rain), hazardous roadways, and poorly maintained rural roads.
- Design flaws and faulty tires: This can encompass many different things. It can include incorrectly installed or weak tires that make blowouts inevitable. It could also mean that the vehicle’s design has flaws like a manufacturing error or a part of the vehicle that was (or should have been) recalled.
- Side impacts: How many times have you seen a truck pulling a trailer on the freeway that shifts side to side? If the trailer hits another vehicle traveling next to it, it could roll over.
- Driver error: Sharp turns, speeding, not paying attention to road signs, and overcorrecting a turn are common driver errors that cause rollover accidents. Distracted driving, the influence of drugs or alcohol, inexperience with driving, aggressive maneuvers, drowsiness, and fatigue can contribute to driver errors.
More than one person or circ*mstance can cause the rollover. Expert legal assistance in the matter can identify the cause, bring all responsible parties to justice, and optimize compensation for the victims.
Design Flaws That Can Contribute to Rollover Injuries
You can hold the manufacturer negligent if certain things happen in a rollover. One of the biggest contributing factors to serious injuries and deaths associated with rollovers is “roof crush.” The government sets rules for how much crush it allows in a rollover accident. If a car's roof crushes more than the law allows, you can hold the manufacturer can liable for your injuries.
The roof crush is certainly not the only contributing factor to injury and death in a rollover.
A few more things can cause more serious injuries or death in a rollover:
- Improper seat belt function.
- Door lock failure.
- Airbag deployment malfunctions.
- Failure of head restraints.
- Safety issues with the gas tank.
An investigation can reveal if any of the above caused your injuries. One or more factors may have combined for events to develop as they did.
Common Injuries in Rollover Accidents
An unfortunate situation like this could cause an array of injuries. Any vehicle accident is scary, dangerous, and can be deadly.
With a rollover, certain things are far more likely to happen in this type of accident.
- Ejection from the vehicle. Typically, a person ejected from a vehicle during a rollover will suffer serious injury or death.
- Broken or fractured bones.
- Serious trauma to limbs that require amputation.
- Spinal cord or brain injuries resulting in paralysis or coma.
- Internal injuries can lead to internal bleeding and organ failure.
When you or a loved one face these injuries, you want to find out why they happened. What caused the rollover?
The thought of negligence causing injuries and death can infuriate you and make the need for justice great. You must answer too many questions and pay too many medical bills. Hiring a good lawyer becomes a necessity of the highest priority.
The violent nature of a rollover accident is one that, if you are lucky enough to survive, you will not forget. The mental and physical trauma that a person goes through is unparalleled in other accidents.
Investigations and Legal Representation
The fact is, rollover accidents generally result from a complex network of factors. If you or someone you know was in a rollover accident, contact a highly skilled and experienced lawyer to help them investigate the possible reasons and protect their rights.
Be careful not to fall for inexperienced or "pie in the sky" attorneys that only tell you what you want to hear. You want a hard-hitting, honest, experienced lawyer that
will fight aggressively and bring their A-game when representing you.
A top-rated attorney can determine the specific causes that contributed to the accident. Do not suffer because of negligence. Contact a car accident attorney today so that they can begin to seek justice and compensation in your case through solid legal representation so you can move on from this traumatic event.
If you or your loved one has been injured in a rollover caused by someone else’s negligence, you understand how devastating that can be. After seeking immediate medical attention, consult with a skilled Richmond, VA, personal injury lawyer with experience in rollover cases.
The legal team at Emroch & Kilduff has the experience, expertise, and dedication to ascertain the cause of your rollover and fight for your just compensation. We will analyze the evidence in your case, explain your legal rights and options, and guide you toward your claim’s best possible resolution.
We’re here to help, so contact or call us at (804) 358-1568 for a Free initial consultation today.
William B. Kilduff
Partner
Author's Bio
