Studies have shown that the strength of a vehicle’s roof can directly affect the seriousness of the injuries that the vehicle’s occupants suffer during an accident. In an automobile accident, a poorly designed, weak or defective roof can result in roof collapse, also known as roof crush. Roof collapse occurs when a vehicle’s roof cannot withstand the impact of a crash. This happens all too often: in 2007 alone, approximately 10,200 people were killed and more than 220,000 were injured when their sport utility vehicles (SUVs), cars, vans, minivans or trucks flipped or rolled over. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has described rollover crashes as some of the “most violent events on America’s highways.”

But it doesn’t have to be this way. If auto manufacturers designed stronger roofs, less people would die or be seriously injured in rollover accidents. Most vehicles are manufactured with thin, unstable roofs that cannot support the weight of the vehicle during a roll. As a result, the vehicle’s roof will collapse into the passenger compartment during a roll, causing serious head, neck and spinal injuries or even death. Roof crush can also create ejection portals during a rollover accident, leading to fatal injuries. Even properly functioning safety equipment such as seat belts and airbags cannot always prevent or lessen roof crush injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of roof collapse during a car accident, our dedicated injury lawyers can help you secure all of the compensation to which you may be entitled. This may include compensation for pain and suffering, financial loss, emotional distress and medical expenses. In some cases, you may also be entitled to punitive damages for another party’s wrongdoing. We can also help you deal with your insurance company, as well as the insurer of the other party or parties. The insurance companies have lawyers working hard to minimize their payouts; you need an injury attorney who will work just as hard for you.

At Feldman Shepherd, we are committed to helping our clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey obtain the best possible recovery as expeditiously as possible. We are here to serve you with hard work, attention to detail and a caring approach tailored to your individual needs. If we may be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact us today.