SUV Rollover Accidents

SUVs have one of the highest rates of rollovers among passenger vehicles. Many of these rollovers happen off the road or at high rates of speed on the highway. However, SUVs may roll at low speeds as well, due to their higher center of gravity and greater vehicle weight. Even a little bit of force or a mistake while maneuvering may result in a rollover.

If an SUV rolls over in a collision, you may have a basis to sue the responsible driver. You may obtain damages from another driver for negligence if you can show that the other driver failed to use reasonable care and that this failure was the cause of your injuries. However, the defendant may argue that you were driving unsafely or that you were driving an SUV with a manufacturing defect.

For a product liability claim, you may need to retain an expert to determine whether there was a defect that caused the rollover. You may also sue a manufacturer or anyone else in the chain of distribution for design defects that caused an SUV rollover. In many states, a manufacturer may be held strictly liable for a design defect, which means that you will need to show that there was a defect and that it caused your injuries or contributed to their scope. Depending on the state and the situation, you may also pursue damages under a theory of negligence, breach of warranty, or misrepresentation.

Sometimes a rollover would not have resulted in serious injuries but for some aspect of the car. When designing a car, designers are supposed to look at crashworthiness, which is how safe a car would be during a crash. For example, safety features like front and side airbags or reinforced roofs and a crumple zone affect crashworthiness and protect people inside the vehicle in case of an accident. Sometimes SUVs have designs that are not safe.

For example, if an SUV’s roof does not have a reinforced roll bar or a crumple zone, the roof may collapse. A driver or passenger might suffer neck or head trauma due to crushing by a weak roof. Sometimes a driver or passenger is thrown from a vehicle during a rollover because of a defective seatbelt. Under the doctrine of crashworthiness, a manufacturer may be held responsible for enhanced or aggravated injuries that a plaintiff suffers that are above and beyond the injuries that would have been sustained if there were no product defect. It is applied differently in different jurisdictions, making it crucial to consult an experienced attorney.

Explore Your Options with a Car Accident Attorney in Memphis

SUV rollover accidents may cause injuries that have a significant effect on your daily living and ability to do your work. At Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz, we employ over 30 attorneys and 100 staff members to serve people throughout Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, and Mississippi, including in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville, Caruthersville, Hayti, Oxford, Starkville, Grenada, Columbus, Tupelo, Meridian, Jackson, Little Rock, and Jonesboro. Call Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz at 800-LAW-4004 or complete our online form to schedule a free appointment with a motor vehicle collision lawyer. NST is the way to go.