The proportion of sports utility vehicles (SUVs) to ordinary passenger cars has dramatically increased in recent years. However, SUVs tend to cause more serious injuries than cars, particularly when traveling at higher speeds. SUVs are more likely to roll over. They are also more likely than ordinary cars to kill a pedestrian. Certain design changes have been made to make SUVs safer and more similar to ordinary passenger vehicles, but a moment’s inattention or loss of control can result in catastrophic injuries. If you were injured or a loved one died in an SUV accident, you should discuss your situation with the experienced Syracuse car accident lawyers of DeFrancisco and Falgiatano Personal Injury Attorneys.
SUV Accidents in SyracuseSUV accidents can be especially dangerous because they have a high rate of rollovers. Many factors increase the risk of rollovers involving SUVs. A major one is that SUVs have a higher center of gravity than ordinary passenger vehicles. When a vehicle has a higher center of gravity and loses contact with the road, it has an increased likelihood of flipping over. Rollover accidents often result in catastrophic injuries including crushing, traumatic brain injury, back injuries, broken or fractured bones, spinal cord injuries, and lower cervical neck fractures. After an SUV accident, you will need to turn to your own personal injury protection (PIP) coverage in your insurance policy to recover a portion of economic damages. However, when your injuries are serious, as they typically are in rollovers, you may be able to recover damages from an at-fault defendant in a lawsuit.
Whether you were a driver, passenger, pedestrian, or another who was seriously injured in an SUV accident caused by someone else in or around Syracuse, our attorneys may be able to recover damages on your behalf. SUV accidents may be caused by negligent drivers, bad road conditions, poor weather, defective tires, road debris, and design defects. You may have a case if, for example, another driver was speeding in an SUV in rainy weather, and as a result crashed into your car, resulting in broken bones and traumatic brain injury. For another example, you may have a basis for recovering damages if you are riding in an SUV and due to a combination of poor design and a distracted driver, it takes a turn inappropriately, flips over and results in cervical fractures and other serious injuries.
In most cases, our Syracuse personal injury lawyers will need to establish negligence by proving it is more likely than not that the at fault driver owed you a duty to use reasonable care, but failed to do so, thereby causing your injuries. However, we would also look at other potential contributing causes to the accident. For example, if an SUV accident was caused by a defective part, the manufacturer or seller may be held accountable in a product liability lawsuit. It is important to bring all potentially responsible parties into the lawsuit so that you can recover the full spectrum of your damages.
Wrongful Death in SyracuseSometimes SUV accidents, particularly those involving rollover, are deadly. Family members of the decedent may be able to recover pecuniary losses through a wrongful death lawsuit against the person or entity responsible for the death when the death was caused by a driver or other entity’s neglect.
DamagesIf our Syracuse personal injury lawyers are able to establish liability, we may be able to recover compensatory damages for your economic and noneconomic losses, including emergency care, hospital bills, surgery bills, prescription medication, medical devices, physical therapy, rehabilitation, lost wages, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium.
Consult an Experienced SUV Accident Law FirmIf you were injured in an SUV accident in Upstate New York, you should call the Syracuse personal injury lawyers of DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Attorneys. We represent accident victims in Lowville, Rochester, Auburn, Watertown, Herkimer, Oswego, Wampsville, Canandaigua, Lyons, Ithaca, Cooperstown, Oneida, Utica, Binghamton, Elmira, Buffalo, Albany, and all of Upstate New York. Complete our online form or call us at 833-200-2000 for a free consultation.