Did that pothole in the road cause your rollover?

Perhaps you and your family were on a road trip when your vehicle suddenly rolled over as you were rounding a curve on a badly maintained stretch of pavement.

A rollover is one of the most frightening accidents imaginable. Did your SUV “trip” because of a pothole?

About rollovers

Given the right circumstances, any kind of vehicle can roll over. However, the taller and narrower it is, the more prone it is to this kind of crash. Vans, SUVs and pickups are the likeliest candidates. Owners must pay attention to load distribution because lateral forces can come into play’ for example, when a vehicle rounds a curve. In such instances, the center of gravity shifts to one side, which affects the balance of the vehicle.

The tripping problem

A rollover involving a single vehicle often occurs because the vehicle “trips” over something, such as a curb, a soft shoulder at the side of the road or a pothole. What happens is that the vehicle leans to the extent that the sidewall of a tire deforms. The wheel rim comes in contact with the pavement, and a disastrous tip-up occurs.

Responsible parties

Rollovers only occur in a small percentage of all serious highway crashes, but they are responsible for 30 percent of all passengers killed, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In that you and your family survived, you are very fortunate, but now is the time to explore your legal options. Professionals such as road design and safety experts may join in an investigation of the rollover accident. If the conclusion is that your SUV tripped in a pothole, several parties could be liable including the city, county and state. It is the responsibility of the government to maintain safe roadways. If you or anyone in your family sustained injuries in the rollover, you have a right to expect full and fair compensation to cover medical costs and more.