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Center of Gravity in Vehicles

The Weinberger Law Firm

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Some vehicles, especially larger vehicles such as SUVs, pickup trucks, and semis, have higher centers of gravity. This leads to an increased likelihood for rollover incidents. Because rollover incidents may not necessarily involve a collision, it is possible that airbags will not deploy. This means individuals in the car may incur injury from being thrown against the inside of the car. If an individual is not wearing his or her seatbelt, the likelihood of injury increases, especially if ejected from the vehicle. Additionally, windows may break and the roof may collapse, increasing the severity of an injury.

Ejection from the vehicle causes most injuries and fatalities in rollover incidents. Most people who are killed are not wearing seat belts. If you or someone you know has been injured from a rollover accident, speak with accident attorneys in Sacramento to get legal advice.

In many instances, the initial cause of a rollover incident is driver negligence or poor road conditions. Individuals that incur injury or damage to property due to the occurrence of another driver’s rollover is likely to have a strong case for compensation or coverage of medical costs.

Other possible causes for a rollover include:

  1. A high-speed collision with another vehicle
  2. Taking a sharp turn too quickly
  3. A tire blow out at high speeds
  4. Running into a curb or another object in the road at high speeds
  5. Over-correction when a car is drifting out of its lane

Additional Considerations

Rollover incidents can be catastrophic with complex causes and multifaceted consequences. An attorney will complete a thorough investigation and might consider the following elements of the incident:

  • Speed or recklessness of the driver during the incident
    • If the driver was driving under the influence, engaging in distractions while driving, or driving at excessive speeds, this information could help your case.
  • Driver’s history of speeding or reckless driving
    • Establishing a history of recklessness could bolster your case.
  • Poor road maintenance
    • Encountering a pothole or black ice during high speeds may result in a rollover incident. Whoever is responsible for road maintenance, such as the government, could be held liable in these cases.
  • Poor road design
    • Excessively sharp turns in the road and poor warning signs may be determined to have caused a rollover incident. If this is the case, the government may be held liable.
  • Inadequate or erroneous vehicle maintenance
    • If a mechanic does improperly or insufficiently service a vehicle, that individual or the company he or she represents could be held liable for injuries and damages.
  • Illegal vehicle alterations
    • Some individuals alter their vehicle so as to have a higher center of gravity, such as by “lifting” the car frame or suspension. California has some of the strictest lift regulations in the country – setting the maximum lift height at 5 inches. If a vehicle involved in a rollover collision has an illegal lift height, this information could bolster your case.

There are many reasons vehicles with higher centers of gravity could end up causing a car accident. Speak with accident attorneys in Sacramento if you were involved in a car accident with an SUV or another large vehicle.

Related Car Defects

Should a vehicle have the misfortune of a rollover incident due to its higher center of gravity, defects in manufacturing and design could compound the damage and injury to those involved. If there is a defect in the design or manufacturing of the vehicle, the car company could be held liable for damages and injuries. Relevant car defects include:

  • Roof
    • Manufacturers should build cars with sound roofing, especially when the vehicle has a higher risk of rollover. Should the roof collapse during a rollover incident, individuals inside the car are likely to incur much more severe injury or even death.
  • Door Latches
    • A vehicle with defective door latches may result in the opening of doors during rollover, resulting in higher incidents of damage and injury, especially if seatbelts are faulty or not being worn.
  • Seat belts
    • If the buckle or emergency locking retractor of a vehicle’s seat belts malfunction, individuals within the car are much more likely to incur serious injury including ejection from the vehicle.
  • Safety Glass
    • California law requires all vehicles to have windshields with shatterproof safety glass. Should a vehicle be manufactured without such safety glass, an individual could be ejected through the front window of the vehicle.
  • Tires
    • Poorly designed or manufactured tires with inadequate tread increase the likelihood of a blown tire, which may result in a rollover incident. Ford Explorers had a high incidence of tire malfunction and subsequently caused thousands of catastrophic injuries. A large recall for the tires was issued.

Call Our Accident Attorneys in Sacramento to Discuss Your Vehicle Accident

Have you been involved in a car collision with an incidence of a rollover? It’s important you contact our experienced and knowledgeable accident attorneys in Sacramento to get the compensation you deserve. Call us at (916) 357 – 6767 for a free consultation.

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If the accident was your fault, you can let your insurance company handle the entire claim. Ask your insurance company if you need to contact an injury lawyer in Sacramento California.

If the accident was 100 percent the other driver’s fault, then you can file a claim against the other driver’s insurance company. It is not recommended you deal with the insurance company yourself; see our Truth About Insurance Companies page. Call The Weinberger Law Firm and we’ll handle the claim for you.

Some examples where the other driver is 100 percent at fault:

  • Front-end collision at a stop sign
  • You were rear-ended
  • Other driver runs a red light or a stop sign

Time is not on your side and you must, however, do things in a timely fashion. Do not wait to file the claim or report the accident. You will need the skills of an experienced lawyer. Your injuries may be serious and the compensation amount varies greatly. Call us today; we offer free consultations to discuss your claim.

If you were injured due to the negligence of another, regardless of the nature of the underlying accident, it is important to contact experienced personal injury lawyers in Sacramento California to discuss your legal options. The Weinberger Law Firm has the resources and expertise to aggressively litigate your case in court, fighting to get you just compensation for your injury.

Talk to an Injury Attorney in Sacramento California About Your Legal Needs

Contact our injury attorney in Sacramento California to discuss your injury claim. We offer a free initial consultation where you can get honest answers to your questions and learn more about your legal options.

You can reach us by phone at (916) 357-6767 or send us an email to schedule an appointment.

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A 47-year-old California man died at the scene of a May 20 crash involving a drunk driver. He was a passenger in a Hummer that was hit from behind. The driver and two other passengers were described as having injuries that were moderate to major.

The 23-year-old woman who hit the vehicle was intoxicated and six months pregnant. Her license had been suspended for a previous DUI conviction. According to the police, she hit the SUV with her Chevrolet Cruze at such a high speed that the Hummer went down an embankment. It took around an hour to get the driver and passengers out, and the woman might now face murder charges.

The accident occurred around 10 p.m. along Highway 41. The surviving passengers from the Hummer were taken by ambulance to the hospital and the driver was airlifted. After an evaluation at a hospital, the woman was taken into custody for driving on a suspended license from a prior DUI conviction and DUI.

An accident involving a drunk driver can result in devastating injuries to others who are on the road at the time. The life of the injured person may be changed forever, and an insurance company may not offer adequate payment. An injured victim may want to speak to an attorney about the options that are available. Even if criminal charges are brought against the driver but a conviction is not obtained, a personal injury lawsuit might still be successful because of the lesser burden of proof required in a civil action. If it can be demonstrated through a preponderance of the evidence that the driver was negligent, the injured person may be awarded compensation.

Source: ABC 7 NY, “Drunk, Pregnant Woman Causes Deadly Crash,” Cory James, May 22, 2016

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Motorists in California know all about struggling through heavy traffic-clogged with semi-trucks. The American Transportation Research Institute has concluded that regulatory changes that took full effect in 2014 could be contributing to a rise in property damage and injuries. The federal rules have had the effect of having more trucks on the road during morning rush hours rather than in the middle of the night.

Data published by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration appears to validate the findings of the research institute. Although fatalities in truck accidents decreased by 5 percent between 2013 and 2014, injuries reported in wrecks with commercial trucks rose 21 percent in the period. A spokesman for the FMCSA, however, attributed the decline in fatalities to the increasing presence of technologies like electronic stability control and automatic braking systems. These safety improvements make a crash less likely to cause death but injuries still happen, he said.

Even so, a representative from the American Transportation Research Institute preferred to blame the increase in injuries on the fact that trucks were occupying highways during peak rush hours instead of late at night. In congested traffic, trucks move at slower speeds. Accidents with injuries remain a possibility, but the slower speeds could be limiting the number of fatalities.

Because of their overwhelming weight and size, big rigs that are involved in truck accidents can cause serious injuries to occupants of other vehicles that are involved in the collision. Many such accidents are caused by distracted truck drivers or truck driver fatigue, and in such a case, an injured victim may want to find out from an attorney whether both the driver as well as the company itself could be held financially responsible for medical expenses and other losses.

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A proposed federal rule that would require certain trucks to have speed limiters installed on them has been delayed by the Office of Management and Budget. The implementation of a rule that would create a database of truck drivers in California and around the country who have failed a drug or alcohol test has also been delayed. This database was named the Commercial Driver’s License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.

Instead of sending the proposed rule to the Office of Management and Budget on April 18, the rule will instead be sent to that office on May 6. The official publication date has been pushed back from July 28 to Aug. 6. This information would have to be provided to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration by carriers at least once a year, and it would have to be reviewed before any driver could be hired.

There is no definitive date as to when the rule regarding speed limiters could be published. It is merely listed as Spring 2016 in the DOT’s latest report whereas the March report listed a publication date of April 28. The rule would require governors that limit a truck’s top speed be placed on any vehicle weighing more than 27,000 pounds. That rule was first sent to the OMB in May 2015.

Unfortunately, drunk truck drivers cause many injury accidents every year. If and when implemented, the new database will at least be an attempt to keep some of them off of the road. A person who is injured in such an accident may want to have legal help in filing a lawsuit that would seek compensation from the impaired driver and, in some cases, the trucking company itself as well.

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California native and nationally known musician, Ashley Parker Angel recently talked about the head-on drunk driving collision that seriously injured his parents. The accident happened on Highway 99 in Dairyville at the end of February, and Mr. Angel’s mother remains in Enloe Medical Center receiving treatment for her injuries.

The California Highway Patrol reportedly arrested the 23-year-old man who was driving the other vehicle for suspicion of drunk driving. The accident left Mr. Angel’s father with multiple fractures. His mother’s legs were reportedly crushed in the accident, and she required extrication from the car.

Mr. Angel said his mother has already undergone five surgical operations. He also reported that the treatment and rehabilitation for both of his parents are expected to be ongoing for at least the next year and that his mother may not be able to be discharged from the hospital for months. He stated that he wants people to be aware of the dangers posed by drunk driving and intends to become an advocate working against it.

When intoxicated people get behind the wheel of their vehicles and drive, they risk not only their own lives but also those of the people around them. Injured victims may have to spend months in the hospital racking up exorbitant medical expenses, and in many cases, their financial situation is worsened due to an inability to return to gainful employment. A personal injury attorney can often assist a person injured in a drunk driving accident through the filing of a lawsuit against the impaired motorist seeking compensation for these and other losses.

Source: KRCR, “Local celebrity opens up about parents’ crash,” Cristina Davies, March 15, 2016

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On March 15, a man described by police as being in his 50s suffered serious injuries when he was struck by a car. The accident occurred at about 6:15 a.m. at the Sacramento Avenue and Jefferson Boulevard intersection in West Sacramento.

The driver fled from the scene of the accident, but a witness was able to give the authorities a description of the vehicle. Authorities found the vehicle, which had sustained major damage to its windshield, at a nearby intersection. The driver, a 25-year-old woman, was subsequently found and taken into custody.

The injured pedestrian was taken to UC Davis Medical Center for treatment of his injuries. The driver was booked and charged with hit and run that resulted in serious injuries, driving under the influence and possession of methamphetamine. At the time of the initial report, the pedestrian’s identity had not been released and authorities were still attempting to determine what actually caused the crash.

Pedestrian accidents can lead to serious injuries. Depending on the circumstances, such as how fast the driver was driving and the type of vehicle involved, the pedestrian could be seriously harmed. Medical expenses can be high, and many injured victims will be unable to return to work for prolonged periods, further worsening their financial situation.

People who have been injured in this manner may want the assistance of an attorney in order to determine whether the vehicle driver should bear financial responsibility. An attorney representing a victim could review the police report and obtain the testimony of eyewitnesses to determine whether the driver of the car was distracted, speeding or otherwise negligent at the time of the incident.

Source: CBS Local, “Police Arrest Suspect in West Sacramento Hit-And-Run Crash”, Sean Bennett, March 15, 2016

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California residents may recall that in June 2014, a Wal-Mart truck driver caused a crash that led to the death of comedian James McNair and severely injured fellow comedian Tracy Morgan. The driver has since been charged with aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide, and aggravated assault and is facing substantial prison time if convicted.

Wal-Mart was also sued by Morgan over the crash on the basis that the driver had not slept in over 28 hours while making deliveries for the company. The retailer settled the civil case for an undisclosed amount.

According to a report by the National Transportation Safety Board, the driver’s lack of sleep and failure to follow traffic signs contributed to the accident. The Wal-Mart delivery truck slammed into a limo bus carrying Morgan and other passengers causing it to flip. The passengers in the limo bus were not wearing seat belts, which may have contributed to the severity of their injuries.

As a result of the crash, Morgan suffered a brain injury, broken ribs, and a broken leg. He was in a coma for several weeks. After undergoing intensive physical therapy, he is now able to walk with assistance.

A person who has been injured in a commercial vehicle accident caused by a truck driver’s negligence may often face permanent disability that will require lengthy hospitalization and rehabilitation. The financial consequences can include high medical expenses and in some cases lost wages due to an inability to return to work. Such a victim might want to meet with a personal injury attorney to discuss the advisability of seeking compensation through a lawsuit filed against the negligent driver as well as the trucking company itself.

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While unexplained car accidents are often ultimately attributed to a driver’s actions, authorities now know that previously unreported vehicle defects caused some of these wrecks. This has caused several cases to be re-examined and could help investigators come to the right conclusion the first time after a California accident that took place on New Year’s Eve.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration personnel are working with accident specialists from the California Highway Patrol to look into the possibility of a stuck accelerator after a fatal accident that killed five people in Ontario when a Toyota Yaris exited off of the eastbound 110 Freeway and struck a vehicle that was pulling out of a gas station. The federal investigators will help inspect the Yaris, and Toyota and Lexus vehicles have faced scrutiny in the past for unwanted acceleration.

A witness reported that one person was ejected from a car while firefighters tried to cut the vehicles to extricate the people inside. The Yaris was traveling at a high speed, and its driver said that the car accelerated uncontrollably before the crash happened. A CHP representative said that they will search for all possible factors, and drunk driving has already been eliminated as a cause of the accident.

When car accidents happen because of another motorist’s negligence, injured victims will often think about filing a personal injury lawsuit seeking compensation for their losses. If a defective auto part caused the accident, the manufacturer or supplier could be named as a defendant. An attorney can be of assistance in pinpointing the party or parties that should be held responsible.

Source: CBS Los Angeles, “5 Dead, Including 1 Child, In Ontario 2-Vehicle Crash”, Dec. 31, 2015