If you watch the news on a regular basis, you are probably used to hearing about accidents caused by automotive defects and the string of manufacturer recalls that generally follow. Everything from floor mats to brake systems have been the subject of frantic recalls. Some of these manufacturing problems are particularly dangerous. For example, if the vertical support beams that attach a vehicle’s roof to its body are defective, a rollover accident can cause the roof to violently collapse down on passengers in the cabin. Recently, cases of roof collapse have resulted in large manufacturer settlement payments to victims of defects.
The effects of most roof and support beam defects go unnoticed until it is too late. When a vehicle is involved in a rollover accident, if the frame structure fails, the roof will collapse and the passenger cabin will be crushed. If this happens, it can cause extremely serious injuries, even in a situation where a properly seatbelt-secured passenger might have escaped with minor bumps and bruises had the structural integrity of the roof been preserved.
