Missouri Injury Attorney Blog

An Orrick, MO man is recovering from personal injuries from a Missouri SUV rollover accident on June 28, 2009, according to a recent Missouri State Highway Patrol report.

Joesph A. Waters, 49, failed to negotiate a curve and lost control of his 2003 Jeep Liberty. He traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck an embankment, and overturned. The Jeep then struck a fence and came to a rest on all four tires. An investigation is continuing. Waters was then taken by ambulance to the Ray County Hospital with personal injuries.

The following information is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and consumer rights group, Public Citizen:

• There were a total of 10,698 rollover accidents that resulted in fatalities in the United States in 2006, according to the NHTSA.

• This accounts for about 35% of vehicle occupants killed in traffic accidents, according to Public Citizen.

• Ten years before that, in 1996, there were 9,379 rollover accidents that resulted in deaths, according to the NHTSA.

• This only accounted for 29% of vehicle occupants killed in traffic accidents, according to Public Citizen.

The 2003 Jeep Liberty Rollover Resistance Rating was a two, out of five, stars! That is not good.

The Rollover Resistance Rating is an estimate of the vehicle’s chances of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash. The rating looks at a vehicle’s characteristics, such as its center of gravity and track width, to determine how “top heavy” a vehicle is. The more “top-heavy” a vehicle is, the more likely it is to roll over.

Since the 2003 Jeep Liberty got a rating of two stars that means it is three times more likely to roll over than vehicles with the highest rating of five stars.

If this Missouri SUV rollover accident was caused by some type of defect on the vehicle, then the car maker could be held liable for personal injuries or death that resulted from the accident. In similar cases, families of deceased rollover accident victims may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim, which compensates families for funeral expenses, loss wages, and other related damages.

If you or a loved one has experienced personal injuries or death as a result of a defective car or a car product defect, please contact experienced Missouri rollover accident attorney David Payne.

Contact David Payne at 417.847.7516 to find out more information about your legal rights and options. The best personal injury attorneys always offer a free and comprehensive consultation to injured victims and/or their families.