Seattle Van Accident Attorneys
Families purchase vans for the added comfort and protection they provide. Unfortunately, all types of vans, both regular passenger vans and 15-passenger vans, are prone to rollover accidents. These types of devastating accidents often result in fatal injuries. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a Washington passenger van accident, please do not hesitate to call an experienced attorney to discuss your legal rights and options.
Dangers of Rollover Accidents
Something that regular passenger vans and 15-passenger vans have in common is a high center of gravity. This makes them prone to tipping over or even rolling during an accident. Rollover accidents in Washington are particularly dangerous because of the potential of roof crush injuries and occupant ejections. Drivers should make sure that everyone in their vehicle is wearing a seatbelt at all times and that their vehicle is in proper working order before embarking on long trips. Checking the tires, for example, can be a crucial step in preventing a van rollover accident.
The Importance of Proper Loading
Vans have the capability of holding a large amount of goods and people but that does not mean that it is safe to load them to maximum capacity. Vans that have heavy cargo are harder to control, more difficult to stop, and more likely to veer out of control. Heavy items being transported in a van should be evenly distributed and they should not restrict the visibility of the driver. Potentially dangerous heavy cargo is not limited to goods. When a van is full of occupants, it can be more difficult to control as well. Passengers should sit evenly on both sides of the van and they should not all sit in the back if there are seats available in the middle. Balancing the load is critical. Drivers with a heavy load should:
- Leave more room to stop
- Drive at a safe speed
- Slow down before going downhill
- Stay attentive and watch the traffic at all times
Liability Issues
There are several different parties that could potentially be held liable for a Washington van accident. First, the negligent driver who caused the accident can be held liable. If the accident was caused by an auto product defect or vehicle design issue, then the automaker can be held liable. In case of occupant ejection injuries, it is important to look into whether seatbelt failure was a factor. If a dangerous or defective roadway caused the accident, the city or governmental entity responsible for maintaining the roadway can also be held accountable.
Tips to Protect Children
It is crucial that children riding in vans are not only wearing a seatbelt but are also properly secured by a child safety seat or booster chair. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that all children under the age of 13 should ride in the backseat and unless they are too tall to use one, a safety seat or a booster seat should be used at all times. Sadly, even parents who make sure that they have a child safety device in their vehicle may fail to use it properly. Parents with vans would be well-advised to seek out a car seat inspection station and to stay abreast of recent notifications of child seat defects and recalls to ensure they child is receiving adequate protection.
The skilled Seattle van rollover accident lawyers at Hardwick & Pendergast handle all types of van accidents. If you or a loved one has been injured in a van crash in Washington, call our law offices right away for a free consultation. We work with investigators to prove liability and we fight to get our clients the compensation they need for medical bills, pain and suffering, time away from work, and any other losses they may have suffered as a result of another person’s negligence.
Van Accident Recoveries
- $1,925,000 recovery for wrongful death van accident in Duvall.
