By Pendergast Law on August 5, 2014
A driver and passenger were seriously injured in a Seattle car accident involving a vehicle rollover. According to a KOMO news report, the rollover accident occurred on northbound Interstate 5 in South Seattle. Officials say the driver and passenger were ejected when the vehicle went high up on an embankment near the freeway and flipped. Both injured victims sustained critical injuries and were rushed to Harborview Medical Center.
Rollover accidents often result in serious injuries or death. In fact, rollovers result in fatal injuries much more often than other types of accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2.7 percent of occupants in passenger vehicles that rolled over were killed in the year 2004. Only .2 percent of occupants in vehicles that crashed but did not roll over were killed. Even though there are many more accidents involving vehicles that do not roll over, about one third of all passenger vehicles traffic deaths in the year 2004 involved vehicle rollovers.
There are many reasons why rollovers are so dangerous. If occupants are not properly secured by a safety belt during a rollover, they can get ejected. Others are thrown head first into the roof or the windshield at violent speeds. It is even possible for occupants to get crushed if the roof does not retain its form when the vehicle lands upside down. Rollover accident victims could sustain catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, multiple bone fractures, amputations and severe lacerations.
Anyone who has sustained serious injuries in a rollover accident would be well advised to research their legal options. Monetary support may be available for losses such as medical bills, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation, pain and suffering, permanent injuries and emotional distress. An experienced Seattle car accident lawyer will be able help injured victims understand their rights.