Manhattan SUV Accident

Nowadays it appears as if practically every car on the road is an SUV. They have become extraordinarily popular over the last few decades because of their larger size and contemporary styling. Unfortunately, despite their popularity, SUVs have a relatively poor track record for safety. SUVs are prone to rollover. When they do rollover, their roofs are prone to collapse. The tragic result is often catastrophic injuries and even death. Victims often suffer broken necks, leaving them paralyzed. Other serious injuries include brain injuries, broken bones, and internal bleeding. If you have been seriously injured in an SUV accident due to the negligence of another person, it is important that you contact an experienced Manhattan SUV accident lawyer to discuss your options for pursuing compensation for your injuries, including reimbursement for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and loss of income.

SUV safety concerns

While SUVs are attractive to many consumers because they are large, making them appear to be safer when compared to a much smaller sedan, in reality in some ways SUVs are less safe than sedans.

• Rollover problems. Like pickup trucks and minivans, SUVs are prone to rollover. This is due to the fact that SUVs have a high center of gravity, making them less stable and more likely to tip than a traditional sedan. In addition, SUVs have high ground clearances causing their weight to be positioned higher off the ground than sedans.
• Lack of roll bars. Roll bars are attached to each side of the vehicle and are designed to minimize body roll. Thus, vehicles that are fitted with roll bars are less likely to rollover. Few SUVs are fitted with roll bars.
• Roof collapse. When an SUV rolls over, there is a good chance that the roof will collapse onto the passengers in the vehicle. When a roof collapses, oftentimes the victims suffer broken necks, injured spinal cords and paralysis. Studies show that sturdier roofs would prevent many catastrophic injuries and deaths. While later model SUVs are fitted with studier roofs that are crush resistant, older models are not.

Pursuing a claim for an SUV accident injury

If you were seriously injured in an SUV accident because another person behaved negligently, you may be faced with financial problems due to significant medical bills and the inability to work. However, you have the right to demand compensation for these losses from the negligent person. In the case of an SUV accident compensable losses may include medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.

• Medical expenses: You can demand payment for your past medical expenses, expenses for current treatment, and estimated bills for your future medical bills. For example, if you ended up with a broken neck that led to quadriplegia because the roof collapsed in the accident, your bills would be significant including an extended hospital stay, diagnostic tests, medication, physical therapy and expenses related to complications.
• Lost wages: Victims with serious injuries and long recovery times will miss a lot of work. This means that they will miss paychecks and lose benefits. As result the victim and his or her family will suffer financially.
• Pain and suffering. This refers to both the physical and emotional suffering that accompanies a serious injury such as broken bones, head injuries, neck injuries or back injuries.

Contact the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates

After an accident, insurance adjusters may be quick to settle the case. However, in order to insure that the settlement is in your best interest and not the insurance company's it is important that you first speak with an attorney with experience representing clients seriously injured in vehicle accidents. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates has years of experience handling claims from people injured in SUV accidents as well as auto accidents, truck accidents, and motorcycle. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.