Center of gravity accidents, also referred to as rollover accidents, are one of the most dangerous types of vehicle accidents. They occur when a vehicle's center of gravity is disturbed, causing the vehicle to fall to its side and rollover. For example, rounding a curve can contribute to a vehicle rolling over. While SUVs are generally associated with rollover accidents, a sedan, minivan, truck or any other type of vehicle can end up in a rollover accident. Rollover accidents have a higher fatality rate then other types of accidents. One reason that is that SUVs and other vehicles are fitted with relatively weak roofs that collapse during a rollover. Furthermore, particularly when the vehicle was traveling at a high speed at the time of the accident, the vehicle may rollover multiple times, significantly increasing the possibility that the victim's injury will be severe. A victim of a center of gravity car accident may suffer a painful, devastating injury such as a brain injury, broke bones, contusion, abrasions, a neck injury, or a spinal cord injury. These types of injuries may involve long recovery times, requiring the victim to miss a significant amount of work. However, under New York law victims of car accidents are allowed to seek compensation from the person whose negligence resulted in the accident. If you are in need of a New York Injury Lawyer because you or a family member was injured in a rollover accident due to the poor design of the vehicle or due to another driver's negligence, it is important to contact an experienced Queens Center of Gravity Accident Lawyer who will help ensure that those responsible for your injuries are held accountable. In addition, if during the course of the treatment for your injuries your doctor commits medical malpractice, the party responsible for your car accident injuries may be required to compensate you for the medical malpractice injury as well.
Causes of center of gravity accidentsOne common reason that a vehicle rolls over is aggressive driving. If a vehicle is traveling too fast and is unable to properly navigate a curve, for example, the vehicle could end up going off the road and rolling over. Another reason for a rollover is a driver overcorrecting. For example, a driver may drift off into another lane because of distracted driving, or because he or she is tired or under the influence. In order to quickly get back into the correct lane the driver may turn the steering wheel too forcefully and as a result cause the vehicle to flip over.
Another reason that a car may flip and roll over is that it hits something that causes it to leave the road and rollover. For example, if a car hits a guardrail, median, or sidewalk, it could end up on its side or it could end up rolling over into an embankment. The reason that the car hits something could be negligence on the part of the driver, or some external reason.
A manufacturing or design defect could also lead to a rollover. If this is the case, then the manufacturer of the vehicle may be legally liable to the victims.
Consequences of Rollover AccidentsVictims injured in rollover accidents are often left in deep financial distress. Because the injuries tend to be quite serious such as traumatic brain injuries, neck injuries, back injuries and broken bones, the treatment is usually expensive. Not only do victims have significant medical bills, their income is reduced since they are unable to work while they recover from their injuries. Holding the parties responsible for the accident will help alleviate financial stress caused by the accident. In a personal injury lawsuit or in product liability lawsuit you may be able to recover damages for your medical expenses, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, as well as pain and suffering. If your loved one died in the accident, you may be able to recover damages in a wrongful death lawsuit.
Queens Center of Gravity Accident LawyerDetermining the cause of a rollover accident may turn on complicated evidentiary issues. Thus, if you or a loved one was injured in an accident it is critical to immediately contact an attorney with experience. The staff at Stephen Bilkis and Associates has extensive experience representing clients injured in SUV rollover accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, and other types of accidents. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your car accident.