What kinds of car accidents are among the most dangerous?
With the right circumstances, ordinary incidents can turn into extraordinary events. A car accident is often a good example of this, as a simple mistake by a single driver can lead to deadly consequences for many Los Angeles residents.
In some accidents, the circumstances can lead to a SUV rollover. While many SUVs have improved design in recent years, the vehicles are still more prone to rollovers because their taller, narrower profile results in a higher center of gravity that can tip over more easily than other vehicles. Often, a driver will make a sharp turn in one direction to avoid something, and will then overcorrect the turn, which causes the center of gravity to shift with such force that the vehicle loses its balance.
Unfortunately, while the vehicle design has improved to the point where many more people survive rollover accidents, the actual number of deaths has not changed significantly because of the increased number of SUVs on the road. Rollover crashes only make up a small percentage of all serious crashes, but they represent a much higher percentage when it comes to deaths in accidents.
Because rollovers carry an increased risk of injuries to a vehicle’s occupants, these incidents are often the subject of personal injury lawsuits. A motorist’s actions that cause a rollover can also cause accidents with other vehicles. Conversely, a motorist might be injured when the person’s vehicle rolls over as a result of some other motorist’s actions.
The bottom line is that an injured party needs to show the person’s injuries were caused by someone else’s negligence. Rollover accidents can increase the injuries in the accident, but the question of liability still must be shown before questions of damages can be examined.
Source: Consumer Reports, “Car rollover 101,” April 2014