Vehicle rollovers are disastrous events that can cause catastrophic and fatal injuries. A “rollover” describes when a
vehicle turns over on its side or roof or rolls multiple times when something disrupts its forward motion. Vehicle rollovers are often single-vehicle accidents. They can stem from auto defects such as poor vehicle design,
defective tires, and dangerous roadways.
If you’ve suffered an injury in a rollover accident in Dallas, talk to the lawyers at the Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert, P.C. to discuss your rights. You may have grounds to seek recovery through a product liability lawsuit.
Vehicle Rollovers and Defective Design
Rollovers are some of the deadliest types of accidents. Although rollovers only account for approximately
2.1% of crashes, they cause almost 35% of passenger vehicle crash fatalities. They are so deadly because of the risk of crush injuries, entrapment, and car fires. Under the wrong circumstances, any vehicle can rollover. If a vehicle “trips” on a curb or pothole, the inertia can cause the vehicle to flip. However, some vehicles get into rollover crashes more often than others.
Rollovers occur more often when the vehicle’s center of gravity is too high. The shape of SUVs and all-terrain vehicles, for example, make them more prone to rollover accidents than vehicles that are lower to the ground. Design defects can cause rollovers if the vehicle has poor stability due to being higher off the ground. Vehicle manufacturers should know the best design practices and safety systems to minimize the odds of rollovers. Failure to take due care in creating vehicles that are not unreasonably prone to rollovers is negligence.
Defective vehicle designs occur when the vehicle creator or manufacturing company designs an inherently dangerous vehicle. Even if production assembles the vehicle perfectly according to the specifications, the original design makes it dangerous for consumers. Design defects often go unnoticed by manufacturing companies until the vehicles are already in the hands of the masses and causing accidents. It’s important, therefore, for companies to test their vehicles to ensure consumer safety prior to making them available for purchase. Failure to do so, resulting in a preventable rollover accident, could end in a lawsuit against the company.
Defective Tires Causing Rollovers
Another manufacturer-based cause of rollovers is defective tires. A vehicle’s tires are crucial to the safety and performance of the car. They are what connects the vehicle to the roadway. A tire blowout happens when a tire experiences rapid air loss, often causing the walls of the tire to blow and fall away from the rim. Tire blowouts can stem from an overloaded vehicle, old and balding tires, or defective tires.
Defective tires may wear down faster than regular tires, increasing the risk of a blowout. Vehicle owners would have no reason to suspect the rapid deterioration of a new tires, and therefore likely would not notice anything wrong until the tire blows. Tire blowouts are extremely dangerous roadway events that can lead to loss of control of the vehicle, collisions, and single-vehicle rollovers. A blowout during high-speed travel could be deadly. As the tread falls away from the rim, it can cause total loss of control. The exposed metal rim can then bite into the asphalt, abruptly stopping inertia and causing the vehicle to flip.
If a tire blowout caused your rollover, consider the possibility of a tire defect. The tire manufacturing company or distributor could have made a manufacturing error on just one tire or designed a whole line of tires with a dangerous inherent defect. The product liability attorneys at the Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert, P.C. can investigate your wreck and find out if
defective vehicle design or other part defect caused or contributed to your injuries. We can then help you take the proper steps toward securing compensation from the at-fault party/parties.
Contact us for your free consultation in Dallas.
