At about 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 6th, officers from the Hampton Police Division were called to the scene of a fatal rollover accident in the area of Micale Avenue and Hampton Roads Center Parkway. Upon their arrival, officers discovered that a Ford pick-up truck have overturned and left the roadway.
How do vehicle rollover accidents happen?
The driver, who has been identified as 60-year-old Keith Wayne Hoban, a resident of Newport News, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The passenger, an adult male whose name has not been released, was extricated from the wrecked vehicle, and taken by paramedics to an area trauma center. His injuries are believed to be non-life-threatening.
A preliminary investigation revealed that the pick-up truck was heading westbound along Hampton Roads Center Parkway in the direction of Newport News when Hoban lost control of the vehicle. The truck
The car veered off the roadway, overturned, and collided with a tree.
This accident remains under investigation by the Hampton Police Accident Reconstruction Team.
A Virginia rollover accident attorney at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp can help you pursue a personal injury claim, wrongful death claim, or negotiated settlement to recover financial compensation following a rollover accident. You only have a limited amount of time to file so don’t wait.
Causes of Rollover Accidents
The National Center for Statistics and Analysis published a report showing that in 2000, 9,873 vehicle occupants died in rollover accidents. This figure represents about 34% of all vehicular fatalities that year.
Rollover accidents are broadly split between two crash types:
- Tripped rollovers: Tripped rollovers take place when the vehicle rollover is caused by an external force, such as hitting another car or striking a curb or another fixed object.
- Untripped rollovers: This type of rollover often occurs due to lack of traction, speed, or overcorrecting. Untripped rollovers tend to be single-vehicle crashes, although the overturned vehicle could strike another car or cause an accident if other drivers are unable to stop in time.
Issues inherent in the design of certain vehicles could also cause a car to overturn or make it more prone to rolling over when involved in an accident. Light trucks and SUVs both have unusually poor track records in this area and are much more likely to overturn in both tripped and untripped accidents.
Establishing Liability
Correctly establishing the cause of a rollover accident is crucial. If a driver or manufacturer’s negligence was responsible for a rollover accident, legal action can be taken. This applies to vehicle occupants involved in single-car accidents and those involved in multi-car accidents.
The vehicle’s manufacturer could also be held liable if the collision was caused or made worse by a defective vehicle design.
Tractor trailers and other commercial trucks are extremely top-heavy, so truck rollovers are not uncommon. Trucks transporting liquids are especially susceptible to rolling over because the liquid can splash and move around causing the truck to become unbalanced. If a tractor-trailer or tanker truck overturns and causes harm, the victim might be able to pursue damages against the truck operator, their employer, the company in charge of truck maintenance, a part manufacturer, and others.
Police crash reports and accident reconstruction experts can help pinpoint the exact cause of a rollover accident, and a Virginia car accident attorney can review the details of the accident and help their client determine if they have a valid claim and, if so, which party or parties they can take action against.
How a Rollover Accident Attorney Can Help
If you were a passenger during a rollover accident or were otherwise injured in a vehicle rollover, consult with a Virginia rollover accident attorney about whether you are eligible to recover compensation for damages such as medical bills, lost wages, mental anguish, pain, suffering, or the death of a family member.
Rollover accidents can lead to traumatic brain injury, broken bones, spinal cord damage, and other serious or even fatal injuries. The person or entity who caused these life-altering damages is liable for compensating you and making you whole. While no amount of money can truly redress the balance, a skilled legal advocate will work diligently to achieve the best possible outcome.
Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp
If you were injured in a rollover accident, reach out to a Virginia Beach rollover accident lawyer at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp. Schedule a free and confidential evaluation of your potential injury claim by calling us at (833) 997-1774.