|
Sacramento Rollover Accident Lawyer
Sacramento Defective Seatbelt Accident Attorney
|
Everyday in the United States there are hundreds of SUV, van & light truck
rollovers. Often times these rollovers are caused wholly or in part by tire
failures, tire tread defects (detreading or delamination), poor stability
design, poorly designed suspension system and inadequate brakes. Once the
rollover occurs, the occupants face additional dangers from weak roof supports
that crush or collapse, weak seatbacks that fail, the lack of headrest or head
restraint devices, overly aggressive airbags, defective or poor fitting seat
belts, dangerous lap only belts, seat belt buckles that open during crashes and
finally window glass / windshields that allow passengers to be ejected during
the rollover.
Most sports utilities vehicles by their very nature have a high center of
gravity and are therefore as a group, the most unstable vehicles on the road.
Although SUVs are designed to be driven off the road, very few have roll bars,
roll cages or other roof crush or occupant protection. And to make matters
worse, few SUVs, vans or trucks meet the National Highway Traffic and Safety
Administration (NHTSA) roof support safety standard (FMVSS # 216). Most
rollovers occur when the driver is forced to take an emergency or evasive action
after steering in one direction and then rapidly correcting in the opposite
direction, such as a typical avoidance maneuver with a road hazard, a deer, a
dog, pothole or another vehicle in their path. This evasive action often results
in a rollover. Adding insult to injury, the driver is likely to be cited by the
investigating officer for such violations as failure to control speed,
overcorrection, and faulty evasive action and many others. The truth of the
matter is that most rollovers occur because of the absence of a lower center of
gravity and lack of a wider track width like in passenger vehicles. In most
rollovers the fault can be squarely placed on the manufacturers for a negligent
vehicle design and not on the unsuspecting drivers of these vehicles.
During a rollover of a SUV, van or truck, the roof pillars, front roof header
and side roof rails often collapse and invade the occupant safety zone. When
this happens the roof is pushed into or forced into the occupant, resulting in
neck fractures that can render the passenger or driver a paraplegic,
quadriplegic or brain damaged or even worst death. These injuries result from
shear and flexion forces unto the neck and spinal cord of the occupants. Roof
crush injuries are caused by the energy of the vehicle in a roll creating
compressive forces pushing down on the top of skull when the head is in an
upright position. The compression causes a bursting fracture in the C4 to C7 of
the cervical spine. This bursting fracture causes a loss of intravertebral space
both anterior and posterior. Diving type injuries can occur from defective
seatbelts allowing too much slack and body movement, resulting in the occupant
diving into the roof during the rollover. Often it can be proved by
biomechanical experts that most of the spinal damage occurs from the roof
crushing verses the occupant diving into the roof. Similar neck, head & spinal
injuries can also result when the rollover occupant is thrown or ejected from
the vehicle during the roll. Even in low speed rollovers the energy that is
absorbed by the person ejected during the impact with the pavement or ground is
deadly.
It is important to know what to do to protect the legal rights of yourself and
your loved ones. Selecting the right attorney is an important decision. You
should choose someone who is experienced, aggressive and dedicated to working to
get fair compensation for your injuries. Over the past we have successfully
handled thousands of injury and death cases. That is why you should contact the
Law Offices of Clancey, Doyle & O'Donnell.
|
|
|
|
|
|