An SUV rollover accident the night of August 30, 2010 resulted in the death of an elderly passenger. The San Bernardino County Sun reports that the fatal crash occurred on the 40 Freeway near Kelbaker Road in the city of Ludlow. California Highway Patrol officials believe that the driver of the SUV lost control of the vehicle after the tread separated on one of the rear tires. The SUV rolled over multiple times. One passenger died while five others were hospitalized with injuries.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of this deceased victim for their devastating loss. I also pray for the speedy and complete recovery of the injured victims.

Rollover Accidents

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that rollover crashes are responsible for at least 10,000 fatalities each year in the United States. That number accounts for about 25 percent of all traffic accident fatalities in the United States. Each year, there are about 40,000 fatal car accidents, in the United States.

Tire Failure and Auto Product Liability

If the details of this news report are accurate, it appears that this accident occurred because of the tread separation in one of the SUV's rear tires. The tire tread separation apparently caused the SUV to roll over and very likely led to the elderly passenger's fatal injuries. I would be interested to find out if this accident was caused by a defective tire. If that was the case, the tire manufacturer could be held liable for the victim's wrongful death. I would also be interested to find out whether inherent design defects in the SUV caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle when the tire failed.

Families of deceased victims in such cases would be well-advised to seek the counsel of an experienced San Bernardino personal injury lawyer, who has successfully represented injured car accident victims in auto product liability cases. It would also be in their best interests to preserve the tire, if possible, and also the vehicle in its damaged condition so an expert can thoroughly examine it for product defects, malfunctions or design flaws.

Do you believe that SUVs are inherently dangerous? We would like to hear your comments and opinions.

None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Law Journal." They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California business hours.