San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog
Every car accident is 
frightening, but rollover accidents are certainly among the most terrifying. As an Oakland car accident lawyer with twenty years’ experience representing the injured and grieving, Attorney Gregory Brod understands the myriad of emotions experienced in the wake of an accident. Attorney Brod also understands the particular complexity of rollover accidents and, along with his team, he can help victims recover critical compensation from other drivers, car manufacturers, and others whose negligence had terrible consequences.
Rollover Injures Three in Brentwood
According to the East Bay Times, a pickup truck travelling on Marsh Creek Road near the Clayton-Brentwood border was involved in a rollover accident on Monday. The accident occurred shortly before 5 P.M. Three people were transported to John Muir Medical Center for medical treatment. Police say at least one person suffered major injuries in the crash. As of this writing, the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The Complexity of Rollover Crashes
SaferCar.gov, a website created by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”), begins its webpage on Rollover Causes with the following observation:
“Rollovers are complex crash incidents and are particularly violent in nature. Rollovers, more so than other types of crashes, reflect the interaction of the driver, road, vehicle, and environmental factors. So while vehicle type does play a significant role, other factors such as driver behavior and road and environmental conditions can also cause a vehicle to roll over.”
The NHTSA goes on to note that rollovers do occur more often in tall and narrow vehicles that have a higher center of gravity. Vehicle type is, however, just one of many factors that can combine to cause a rollover accident. Other factors include driver behavior (e.g., speeding, alcohol use) and road condition.
The Danger of Rollover Crashes
Rollovers are a particularly dangerous type of car accident. On the SaferCar.Org Rollover Fatalities fact page, the NHTSA explains that on 2.1% of the nearly 9.1 million car accidents (including passenger cars, pickup trucks, SUVs, and vans) that occurred in the U.S. in 2010 involved a rollover. However, rollover accidents accounted for almost 35% of car accident fatalities in 2010 claiming more than 7,600 lives. A solid majority of those killed in rollovers were not wearing a seatbelt.
California Injury Law and Our Role as an Oakland Rollover Injury Law Firm
One of the roles we play as an Oakland injury law firm is investigative. We examine the physical evidence and we talk to witnesses. Time is always of the essence and the sooner we can investigate, the better. When appropriate, we work with subject matter experts to determine what caused an accident. Often, this answer is complex, especially in rollover accidents.
It is important for accident victims to know that California law does allow the injured to recover damages even if the plaintiff’s own actions contributed to the event. This same principle applies in wrongful death cases and allows grieving families to recover even if the deceased was (as most of us often are) imperfect. By way of example, if a court finds that a car manufacturer bore 40% of the responsibility for a rollover and the injured plaintiff bore 60% of the fault, the plaintiff can still recover 40% of the total damages suffered (i.e. $40,000 in a case with total damages of $100,000).
If you or a loved one was involved in a rollover crash in Northern California, call our Oakland rollover accident attorney today. A consultation is always free and most cases are handled on a contingency basis so you only pay for our services if you recover compensation.
See Related Blog Posts:
Santa Rosa Injury Lawyer Examines Rollover Accidents
Serving Victims of Rollover Crashes Throughout Northern California
(Image by Flickr user infinity_)