Auto Defect Attorney
The aftermath of a rollover crash leaves victims and their loved ones facing overwhelming challenges. Medical bills accumulate rapidly as injured parties undergo emergency surgeries, extended hospitalizations, and lengthy rehabilitation. Many survivors cannot return to work for months or ever, creating financial strain precisely when families need resources most. Beyond the economic hardships, the psychological trauma of surviving such a violent event affects mental health, relationships, and quality of life for years to come.
Understanding the legal landscape surrounding rollover accidents becomes essential for protecting your rights and securing the compensation necessary for recovery and rebuilding.
Rollover accidents on the roadways are extremely dangerous, and account for some of the most deadly of all motor vehicle accidents in the United States. Due to the high center of gravity of some bigger vehicles like SUVs and pickup trucks, there may exist a greater likelihood of a rollover and roof crush accident.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) there are approximately 11,000 fatal rollover accidents each year, many of them single-vehicle crashes, underscoring the inherent safety risks SUVs may present to motorists.
Rollover accidents are traumatic events and can leave crash victims with serious and life-threatening injuries. Following an SUV rollover accident, contact an SUV rollover lawyer to Accident Investigators and determine the root cause of the crash.
If a defective SUV or auto component played a role in the accident a product liability and personal injury claim may be filed, and victims can expect to recover compensation for sustained injuries and medical expenses incurred.
Joe Lyon is a highly-rated Auto Accident Attorney and SUV Rollover Lawyer investigating SUV rollover risks and representing plaintiffs nationwide.
Common Types of Rollover Accidents
- Turn Accident—vehicles may overturn when the rate of speed and sharpness of a turn is too much for the base weight of a vehicle. Tires may lose their grip and SUVs can flip or roll over.
- Inclines and ramps—SUVs may be marketed to consumers as being versatile off-road vehicles, but their design may prove unsafe on ramps and inclines.
- Skids and quick braking—SUVs have been known to lose their stability and spin out following fast braking maneuvers, resulting in dangerous rollovers.
- Driver Negligence—Rollovers may simply be the result of unsafe vehicle operation and excessive speeding.
- Poor road conditions—unsafe roads, poor signage, uneven pavement, and neglected maintenance can all become “tripping mechanisms” that directly lead to rollover accidents.
- Bad weather—poor weather conditions with ice and rain can cause an SUV to lose control and roll over.
Auto Defects Lead to SUV Rollovers
- Defective Tire Treads—defective tires can fail without notice during SUV operation, causing a vehicle to flip or rollover. Poorly maintained or Underinflated Tires are also a concern.
- Faulty vehicle design—an SUV with a high center of gravity may be improperly road-tested by automakers and present a consumer safety risk. When drivers make a typical sharp turn, the SUV may roll over.
- Suspension Defects—a suspension system determines the stability of a vehicle. If the suspension fails, a rollover is likely.
- Seat Belt Malfunction—Rollover accidents can be fatal for passengers when seatbelts in a vehicle do not function as they should, and passengers are ejected from a vehicle.
The Unique Dynamics of Rollover Collisions
Rollover crashes differ fundamentally from frontal, rear-end, or side-impact collisions. These incidents occur when a vehicle tips onto its side or roof, often rotating multiple times before coming to rest. The violent tumbling motion exposes occupants to repeated impacts as the vehicle strikes the ground, trees, barriers, or other objects during its trajectory.
Several factors contribute to rollover susceptibility. Vehicle design plays a crucial role, with higher centers of gravity making SUVs, pickup trucks, and vans more prone to tipping than lower-profile sedans. The relationship between a vehicle’s track width and center of gravity creates what engineers call a stability factor—essentially a mathematical representation of rollover resistance. When manufacturers prioritize aesthetics or cargo space over stability, they create inherently dangerous products.
The government requires SUVs and other vehicles to meet certain standards regarding vehicle design, suspension, and tire functionality. If any component of an SUV or car is responsible for a rollover accident and subsequent injury, an automaker may be held accountable. Common Injuries sustained following SUV rollover accidents include:
- Brain Injury
- Rollover Crush Injury
- Catastrophic Whiplash
- Orthopedic Trauma
- Neck & Spinal Injury
- Wrongful Death
Establishing Liability in Rollover Lawsuits
Determining who bears legal responsibility for a rollover crash requires thorough investigation and analysis. Multiple parties may share liability depending on the specific circumstances surrounding the incident.
Driver negligence represents the most straightforward liability theory. When excessive speed, impaired driving, distracted driving, or reckless maneuvers cause a vehicle to roll over, the at-fault driver faces responsibility for resulting injuries and damages. Third-party drivers who cause initial collisions that trigger rollovers may also bear liability even if their vehicle did not roll over itself.
Vehicle manufacturers face potential liability when design defects or manufacturing flaws contribute to rollovers or worsen their consequences. SUVs and trucks marketed as safe family vehicles but possessing dangerously high centers of gravity may constitute design defects. Inadequate roof strength that fails to protect occupants during rolling impacts represents another potential defect. Electronic stability control systems that malfunction or fail to activate when needed could support manufacturing defect claims.
Tire manufacturers may share responsibility when tire failures precipitate rollovers. Tread separation, sidewall blowouts, or defective construction can cause sudden loss of control, particularly at highway speeds. These failures may result from design flaws, manufacturing defects, or inadequate warnings about proper maintenance and replacement intervals.
ABOUT THE LYON FIRM
Joseph Lyon has 17 years of experience representing individuals in complex litigation matters. He has represented individuals in every state against many of the largest companies in the world.
The Firm focuses on single-event civil cases and class actions involving corporate neglect & fraud, toxic exposure, product defects & recalls, medical malpractice, and invasion of privacy.
NO COST UNLESS WE WIN
The Firm offers contingency fees, advancing all costs of the litigation, and accepting the full financial risk, allowing our clients full access to the legal system while reducing the financial stress while they focus on their healthcare and financial needs.
Why The Lyon Firm for Your Rollover Accident Case
Rollover accident litigation demands specialized knowledge, substantial resources, and unwavering commitment to clients facing life-changing injuries. The Lyon Firm brings decades of collective experience in complex vehicle accident cases, with particular expertise in rollovers involving design defects, stability issues, and catastrophic injuries.
Our legal team understands the biomechanics of rollover injuries and the engineering principles underlying vehicle stability. We work with nationally recognized experts in accident reconstruction, automotive engineering, biomechanics, and medical specialties relevant to your injuries. This multidisciplinary approach builds compelling cases that clearly establish liability and fully document damages.
Taking on major automobile manufacturers and their insurance companies requires significant resources and determination. The Lyon Firm has successfully litigated against major corporations, securing substantial settlements and verdicts for injured clients. We do not back down from powerful opponents or accept inadequate settlement offers that fail to address our clients’ long-term needs.