Roof Crush Accident Attorney in San Diego, CA

Vehicle Defects, Roof Crush & Roof Collapse Injuries

While all motor vehicle crashes have the potential to cause injury, some collisions pose more significant risks than others. This is particularly true for rollovers and collisions that cause a roof to intrude into the interior of a vehicle.

Because rollovers and roof crush accidents pose elevated risks for serious injury and death, automakers have obligations to ensure vehicles they produce are able to withstand a certain amount of force.

Failure to properly design or manufacture the roof of a vehicle and its supporting pillars can greatly compromise the vehicle’s ability to protect its occupants in a rollover, causing devastating consequences.

If you or a loved one have been harmed in a crash involving vehicle roof crush, The McClellan Law Firm can help explore whether failures on the part of automakers may have played a role. Our attorneys have secured millions for victims of automotive defects and are ready to assist in your fight for justice.

Why Choose The McClellan Law Firm?

Attorney Craig R. McClellan and our team have earned a national reputation litigating complex claims involving auto accidents, auto defects, and product liability.

We have the resources to take on powerful corporations and insurance carriers, and are trusted by colleagues and clients across California and the country.

• Over 140 verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 million each.
• Recognized leader in auto defect litigation, with high-profile cases covered by 20/20, 60 Minutes, and other national news outlets.
• Successful recoveries against major automakers, including GM, Ford, Porsche, Chrysler, and more.

If you have a potential roof crush accident claim you wish to discuss, call (619) 215-1488 to speak with a San Diego attorney. Consultations are FREE and confidential.

Examples of Our Auto Defect Results

• $8 Million confidential wrongful death settlement over defective seatbelt design.
• $6 Million settlement in Miller v Ford over seatbelt design.
• $5 Million confidential product liability settlement over seatback failure.
• $3.65 Million confidential settlement over roof and seatbelt design.
• $3 Million confidential settlement for a rollover collision resulting in wrongful death.
• $2.015 Million confidential recovery over defective roof and seat belt design resulting in catastrophic injury.

Roof Crush Resistance Standards

Crash statistics from the NHTSA are clear when it comes to rollover accidents and roof crush: they are more likely to result in severe and fatal injuries than other types of crashes. As the numbers show:

• Approximately 10,000 Americans are killed in rollover accidents each year.
• The number of occupant injuries in rollover accidents is significantly higher than the number of occupant injuries in non-rollover accidents,
• There is a statistically significant relationship between the severity of injuries suffered by vehicle occupants and the amount of vertical roof intrusion / post-crash headroom.
• Roof crush / collapse is a factor in both full and partial ejection in rollover accidents. These often involve broken windows, but may also involve vehicle body structure.

Given the risks associated with vehicle roof instruction, there are regulations regarding the structural integrity of vehicles and the strength of the passenger compartment roof. This includes FMVSS 216, which generally requires that:

• Cars, trucks, and buses weighting 6,000 pounds or less have a roof structure capable of sustaining three times the vehicle’s unloaded weight in a two-sided test (which requires automakers to meet force requirements when vehicles are tested on both sides).
• Vehicles weighting between 6,000 and 10,000 pounds have roof structures capable of sustaining 1.5x the vehicle’s unloaded weight.
• Vehicles meet standards for maintenance of headroom / survival space in rollover collisions.

As many industry experts can attest, current regulations fall short in promoting adequate vehicle roof strength. According to one study from the Institute on Development and Disability, every 10 cm of roof crush correlates to a 64% greater chance of life-threatening injury. Just 10 cm of roof intrusion also increases the chances of a traumatic brain injury or spine injury by 44%.

Holding Auto Manufacturers Accountable

Automakers have legal obligations to take steps to ensure the safety of vehicles they make available to the public. Unfortunately, many choose less effective and inexpensive methods for meeting roof crush requirements.

Until federal regulations make safe roofs an unshakable standard, it will likely remain up to consumers to hold manufacturers accountable when their shortcuts and focus on profits over people causes preventable harm. This can be done through products liability claims that allege:

• Manufacturing defects, including errors in the manufacturing phase or use of poor quality materials.
• Design defects, including defective designs created by automakers that failed to consider safer and feasible alternatives.
• Negligence in the design or manufacturing of vehicle roof structure or vehicle components.

With decades of experience litigating auto defect claims, The McClellan Law Firm can help victims of roof crush injuries and families who lose loved ones in fatal rollovers explore their options for pursuing personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against automakers, parts manufacturers, and others.

We know how to present evidence of a manufacturer's failure to protect against known risks, and we have the resources to help clients take on even the most powerful companies. Because we limit our caseload, we are also able to provide the support and service clients deserve.

Contact us to discuss your rollover or roof collapse accident with a San Diego trial lawyer from The McClellan Law Firm.