Seatbelt Failure a Factor in Riverside County Rollover Crash?

A woman suffered major injuries in a Palm Springs rollover accident the afternoon of March 20, 2009. According to an article in the Desert Sun, the woman was driving a Chevrolet Avalanche traveling east on the Interstate 10 near Jefferson Street, when she lost control of the vehicle and it rolled over. California Highway Patrol officials say that the woman was wearing her seatbelt, but was still partially ejected from the car and sustained major injuries. She was transported to a local hospital in serious condition. CHP officials still don’t have details about how or why the rollover crash occurred.

I’m relieved that this woman survived this horrific Riverside County rollover accident although she suffered serious injuries. I hope and pray that she has a speedy and complete recovery.

Rollover accidents can be deadly and statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) prove that. According to the federal agency, at least 10,000 people die in rollover accidents each year. That constitutes 25 percent of the total number of fatalities in the United States caused by traffic accidents.

It is a sad fact that thousands of these fatalities in rollover crashes can be prevented if auto makers step up the quality of vehicles they manufacture. A majority of deaths and catastrophic injuries in rollover accidents occur because of a variety of auto product defects such as poor roof strength, seat belt failure, airbag defects and seatback failure. In this Palm Springs rollover crash, if the newspaper report is accurate, it seems to me that the woman suffered major injuries because of seat belt failure.

If I were representing this injured victim, I’d be looking for defects in the Chevy Avalanche’s seat restraint system. Although the CHP is usually adept at documenting an accident scene and determining the cause, they often do not have the resources to analyze an auto accident for civil liability, especially for issues relating to defective auto products. This injured victim would be well-advised to quickly secure legal representation with a nationally renowned California personal injury lawyers that has handled several cases against large auto makers and is especially familiar with rollover and seat belt defect cases. The best California auto product defect lawyers will provide a free and comprehensive consultation and assessment of the case.