Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) are popular with families and businesses because they offer more seating, cargo and towing capacity than most passenger cars. Most people also believe SUVs are safer than ordinary passenger cars due to their size. The problem is SUVs are more likely than other vehicles to roll over when they are involved in single-vehicle accidents. Looking at more than 86,000 real-world single-vehicle crashes, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration determined that most SUVs are from just under 30 percent to more than 40 percent more likely than other vehicles to roll over. Cars, in contrast, have less than a 20 percent chance of rolling over during single-vehicle accidents.

SUVs are more likely to roll over because they ride higher off the ground than passenger cars, but at the same time have a relatively narrow wheelbase combined with a high center of gravity. When you add these design flaws to roofs that often cannot withstand the weight of the vehicle during a rollover, you have a recipe for serious injury and even death. Additionally, most people are not aware that overloading their SUVs increases the chance of rollover. The truth is that the number of occupants combined with the weight and distribution of the SUV’s cargo can raise the vehicle’s center of gravity, making the chance of rolling over even greater.

You should know that there were approximately 10,200 people killed in rollover accidents in 2007, with an additional 224,000 injured. Rollovers have a higher fatality rate than other kinds of crashes, and injuries sustained in rollover accidents tend to be severe. Traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, lifelong paralysis and back injury are common even when occupants are wearing seatbelts and airbags work properly.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an SUV rollover accident, it is crucial that you contact an experienced car accident lawyer immediately. Our dedicated injury lawyers can help you obtain all of the compensation to which you may be entitled. This might include money for pain and suffering, emotional distress, medical bills and lost wages or other financial damages. Only a trial lawyer who has resolved many SUV rollover accident matters can decide the best strategy for handling your case.

At Feldman Shepherd, we are committed to obtaining the best possible recovery for our clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey 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.