The Big Three Have Done Little to Curb Injuries Caused by Roof Crush
Each year, an estimated 7,000 people are fatally injured in roof crush rollover accidents. That doesn't include the 250,000+ rollover accidents that cause non-life threatening injuries.
While their European counterparts are busy building vehicles with roofs that withstand more force and weight, the big three automakers in the United States — Ford, General Motors (GM) and DaimlerChrysler — are doing little to improve their roof crush standards and are still following 30-year-old guidelines for safety. With cost and fuel efficiency in mind, not safety, American auto manufacturers are doing everything they can to convince those in charge of federal roof crush regulations to stay silent.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a rollover or roof collapse related accident, contact the experienced trial attorneys of Miller Weisbrod, LLP, for a free case assessment. From our offices in Dallas, we represent individuals nationwide.
Understanding Roof Crush
SUVs are more likely to rollover due to their height and in many, their narrow wheelbase. When a SUV has a weak roof, the resulting roof crush during the rollover can cause serious or fatal brain or spinal cord injuries.
Vehicles are supposed to be designed so that, in the case of a rollover, the roof structure should remain reasonably intact. When the amount of pressure on the roof causes the windshield to break, the roof of the vehicle is weakened by 33 percent. When the windshield breaks, there is a greater chance of vehicle ejection, resulting in far worse injuries. With cheap and inexpensive material in the roof structure and A-pillars, roof crush will result.
Roof crush injuries are some of the most serious and often include spinal, neck and head injuries. In a rollover and roof crush accident, the survival space for occupants is greatly limited or eliminated altogether, so that the heads and spines of occupants hit the roof. In addition, roof crush can open ejection portals — making windows and the windshield area very large and leading to ejection of occupants, which is frequently fatal. Years of crash investigations have shown that as many as one-half of seriously injured ejected occupants could have received their initial injuries as a consequence of roof crush.
In one representative case, Miller Weisbrod obtained $3.2 million in a defective products lawsuit on behalf of a client who suffered brain injury due to roof crush.
Passenger Vehicle Occupant Fatalities in Rollovers, by Vehicle Type, 2000–2009
| Year | Cars | SUVs | Pickups | Vans | Total* | Total Passenger Vehicles* |
| 2000 | 4,548 | 2,064 | 2,558 | 771 | 5,411 | 9,959 |
| 2001 | 4,559 | 2,149 | 2,651 | 786 | 5,598 | 10,157 |
| 2002 | 4,794 | 2,471 | 2,755 | 699 | 5,935 | 10,729 |
| 2003 | 4,464 | 2,661 | 2,580 | 728 | 5,978 | 10,442 |
| 2004 | 4,353 | 2,929 | 2,597 | 695 | 6,237 | 10,590 |
| 2005 | 4,371 | 2,895 | 2,796 | 794 | 6,499 | 10,870 |
| 2006 | 4,376 | 2,899 | 2,844 | 609 | 6,366 | 10,742 |
| 2007 | 4,055 | 2,861 | 2,748 | 572 | 6,185 | 10,240 |
| 2008 | 3,653 | 2,435 | 2,435 | 514 | 5,390 | 9,043 |
| 2009 | 3,219 | 2,294 | 2,292 | 457 | 5,048 | 8,267 |
* Includes other/unknown light truck vehicle types.
** From the 2009 Safety Facts "Passenger Vehicles" report by the NHTSA
Skilled Rollover Accident Lawyers Holding Negligent Manufacturers Accountable
Motor vehicle manufacturers are aware of these design defects, but decide not to correct them — choosing corporate profits over driver and passenger safety. Unfortunately, many innocent victims have paid the price for this greed with serious injuries and their lives. In fact, more than ten thousand people are killed in rollover and roof crush accidents each year.
The Texas law firm of Miller Weisbrod is a nationally-recognized leader in the fight to hold negligent automakers and parts manufacturers to account for the injuries and deaths they cause. Please call our offices in Dallas at 214.987.0005 or toll free at 888.987.0005 to discuss your case with an experienced and dedicated Texas roof crush lawyer. You may also contact us by e-mail for more information or to schedule an appointment.
Your initial consultation is free. If we represent you in a claim or lawsuit, there will be no legal fees or costs for you to pay until we obtain a settlement or jury award on your behalf.
