Interstate 80 Accident May Have Involved Speeding Driver
Major injuries were reported on November 19 near Antelope in a possible high-speed accident when a driver lost control of their vehicle. The collision occurred around 10:05 at night on eastbound Interstate 80 between the exit ramps for Antelope Road and Greenback Lane.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that the driver of a Mercedes Benz traveling east along the road lost control of their car, struck a wall and two additional SUVs, and experienced a rollover.
Major Injuries Suffered in Crash
The Mercedes was broken into two pieces by the force of the collision near Antelope. When officers with the CHP arrived at the accident scene, they discovered that the vehicle had caught fire, which they extinguished before the arrival of emergency responders with Metro Fire. One individual suffered major injuries in the crash and was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation and additional treatment.
Traffic Backed Up By Highway Accident
Several lanes of the highway were blocked by the incident and while an investigation was being conducted. Freeway traffic was backed up as a result. The accident is being investigated by authorities with the CHP to determine how it occurred and to place fault. Information on the identity of the driver has not yet been released.
Rollovers After Speeding
Speeding increases the risk of rollover as the vehicle can lose traction with the road and cause a deadly imbalance. Once that happens, the risk of a rollover is greatly increased. Rollovers are a lethal type of crash as the occupants are thrown about in the vehicle and often ejected, especially when they are not wearing seatbelts.
Roof Crush in a Rollover Accident
Another aspect of a rollover crash that often leads to major injuries is roof crush. Manufacturers are obligated to construct supporting infrastructure that will make it harder for the roof to collapse onto the occupants of the vehicle. Normally, the roof should be able to support three times the weight of the vehicle.
When this standard is not met, the occupants often suffer major injuries to the head and neck, such as traumatic brain injury or harm to the spinal cord. If the automaker is found to have ignored its responsibility, a product liability claim can be filed.
Investigating a Rollover Accident
Our investigators are experienced in investigating a rollover accident. They need to examine the vehicle to see if the manufacturer did not meet their responsibility to prevent roof crush. This is one reason the vehicle must be preserved after the accident. Many times, the car will be removed from the accident site, so we send our investigators to the scene as soon as possible after the crash.
Our investigators also take the following actions to prove liability:
- They speak to witnesses who saw the accident happen. This is critical to the investigation since the witnesses often have pertinent information.
- The investigators look for road signs that indicate whether a driver tried to brake or not prior to the accident and perform accident reconstruction to further determine liability.
- They also review police reports for mistakes. This is important since the reports are widely used in negotiations with the insurance company and in court.
- Our investigators look for video footage of the crash from a variety of sources, including traffic light surveillance cameras.
Car Accident Lawyer in Sacramento
My name is Ed Smith, and I’m a car accident lawyer in Sacramento. Contact me at (916) 921-6400 or from long-distance at (800) 404-5400 for my compassionate, free and friendly advice. I can be reached online also. When needing legal advice, it can be difficult to decide who to call. This is why I include links to reviews by my clients and some of the cases my firm handled:
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My law firm has resolved many cases since 1982 in our clients’ favor, including car crashes, government claims, wrongful deaths, and traumatic injuries.
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