Seattle Vehicle Rollovers Lawyer

One of the most devastating accidents to experience is a vehicle rollover. Although only about 9% of car accidents are rollovers, they account for nearly 30% of car accident deaths. Trauma in a rollover accident is severe, with powerful impacts from multiple directions during the roll. Any vehicle can roll over in an accident, especially accidents that occur at high speed, but rollovers are more common in taller vehicles with a high center of gravity.

What Types of Vehicles are Most Likely to Have Rollover Accidents?

When a vehicle has an extended height, it would require a broadened wheelbase to retain stability. Unfortunately, the limited size of traffic lanes makes it impossible to widen wheelbases, resulting in some vehicles having a high center of gravity, and more likely to tip and roll. Vehicles most likely to experience rollovers include commercial trucks, delivery vans, SUVs, and pickup trucks.

Given the increased risk of rollovers for these types of vehicles, it’s crucial for victims of such accidents to seek expert legal help from a Seattle car accident attorney at the Fang Law Firm today.

Why Do Vehicle Rollovers Happen?

Rollover accidents in Seattle occur more often on major highways when vehicles travel at high speeds. Rollovers may result from any of the following:

• Speeding
• Taking sharp curves too fast
• Unbalanced cargo
• Faulty tires
• Hitting a soft shoulder, ditch, or slope
• Slippery road conditions
• Debris in the road
• A broadside hit in a powerful T-bone accident

Most rollover accidents occur as a result of driver error, reckless driving, or aggressive driving; however, some rollovers occur due to other types of negligence, such as a negligent freight loading company, a negligent road maintenance agency, or the manufacturer of a vehicle with a dangerous design defect.

Proving Liability in a Rollover Accident

It takes a thorough investigation to determine the cause of a vehicle rollover accident in Seattle and identify the liable party. Proving liability in a rollover accident requires documenting evidence showing the at-fault party meets the legal elements of liability. They must have owed a duty of care to drivers and others on the road, they breached their duty by acting negligently, and the negligent breach of duty caused injuries with damages to the victims. For example, a road maintenance agency that didn’t address a high bank on a curved section of roadway could be liable for a rollover accident, or the manufacturer of a defective tire could bear strict liability for an accident caused by a manufacturing defect.

What Types of Injuries Occur in Vehicle Rollovers?

Rollover accidents tend to cause catastrophic injuries, including the following:

• Traumatic head injuries
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Broken bones
• Spinal cord damage
• Internal organ damage
• Burns
• Traumatic amputations

If a rollover accident causes a fatality, close family members could pursue a wrongful death claim if someone else’s actions caused the rollover.

Do I Need an Attorney After a Rollover Accident?

Insurance companies do not happily pay out on large accident claims and commonly show bias against SUVs and pickup trucks in rollover accident claims. However, if the accident occurred due to someone else’s fault, their insurance must cover your damages according to Seattle car accident laws. An attorney on your side helps to make a compelling case for compensation by documenting evidence of liability and negotiating with the insurer for a settlement.

Call or contact the Seattle vehicle rollover accident lawyers at the Fang Law Firm today so we can begin a strong strategy to recover your damages in a settlement or win your case in court.