A young woman was treated for non-life-threatening injuries after her SUV rolled over on the 215 Beltway near North Jones Boulevard, according to the Nevada Highway Patrol. The single-vehicle crash occurred when the driver lost control and slammed into a guardrail. Police suspect alcohol may have been a factor in the crash and are working on an investigation into the cause of the accident. Two right lanes of the 215 freeway were closed after the crash for some time as authorities continued their investigation and cleanup.
ROLLOVERS: ALWAYS DRIVER ERROR?
It is easy to assume that a single-vehicle rollover crash may be the fault of the driver, particularly if alcohol was involved. However, SUVs have a high propensity for rollover and some accidents may not entirely be the driver's fault. The construction of the vehicle can make it much more likely that a vehicle will rollover compared with other vehicles under the same circumstances. According to reports, more than 12,000 people died in SUV rollover accidents over a ten-year period and, more importantly, the percentage of auto deaths made up by SUV rollovers was about twice that of any other class of vehicle. Clearly, there is a statistical significance to the fact that SUVs are more likely to rollover than other vehicles. What does this mean for a driver involved in an SUV rollover accident? In theory, it could mean that the driver may not be wholly responsible for the crash, even if he or she was engaging in unsafe behavior prior to the accident. It also means that, depending on the circumstance, the driver may be able to make a claim against the manufacturer of an SUV if it can be shown that the vehicle had a structural or mechanical defect that led to the crash.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I AM INJURED IN AN SUV ACCIDENT?
Before you assume that you have no case or, worse still, listen to an insurance company representative who tries to convince you to drop your claim, talk to a personal injury attorney like the ones at High Stakes Injury Law. We have been working with accident victims for many years and we know how to help you collect damages whenever possible in a rollover accident case. No matter what the circumstances of your crash, you owe it to yourself to find out the facts. Contact High Stakes Injury Law today for more information.