WILKIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA – Taimi Ann Oak of Wahpeton, North Dakota, was injured in a rollover accident around 11:30 am, March 13, 2023.
38-year-old Taimi Oak was traveling westbound on Highway 210 near Foxhome Township in a 2005 Chevy Suburban when she lost control of the vehicle and left the roadway, causing the vehicle to roll over.
Oak was injured in the crash and transported to St. Francis Hospital for treatment.
According to reports, roads were icy at the time of the crash, and Oak was wearing her seatbelt.
No further information was immediately available.
The Suburban will need to be inspected to determine whether it provided sufficient protection
In a two-vehicle accident, it is common knowledge that the at-fault party is responsible for the injured party’s injuries and damages. However, in rollover accidents and other single-vehicle accidents, most folks assume that an injured motorist is wholly responsible for their own harm and that they have no right to compensation for the injuries and damages suffered because of the crash. While this is true in some instances, it is not true when the vehicle did not provide the injured motorist adequate protection, rendering the vehicle defective. When a vehicle is defective in its design, motorists suffer injuries they should not have suffered. This is known as a vehicle’s crashworthiness.
Crashworthiness is the science of producing vehicles that protect occupants in the event of a foreseeable accident. Manufacturers have a duty to produce vehicles that provide motorists with adequate protection in foreseeable accidents. In rollover accidents specifically, manufacturers must produce their vehicles with roofs that can withstand the force of the rollover sequence, seatbelts that can restrain an occupant, and airbags that can protect from second collisions within the vehicle. When a vehicle does not protect its occupants because of design defects, the motorists can bring a strict product liability claim against the manufacturer and recover compensation for their injuries.
It will be important to have this accident investigated to determine if the Chevy Suburban provided adequate protection to Ms. Oak during this crash. Our firm has handled over three hundred rollover accidents for people injured across the United States and has handled cases against Chevy where our client’s vehicle did not provide adequate protection. By having the vehicle inspected by trained attorneys, injured motorists can determine whether their injuries were caused or amplified because of a defect in the vehicle’s design. If the vehicle proves defective, the motorist will have a right to bring a claim against the auto manufacturer to recover damages for the injuries and damages sustained in the crash. While these cases are difficult, they can provide victims of serious injuries an avenue of financial recovery to rebuild their lives and cover the costs of medical care caused by the crash.
I am grateful that Ms. Oak was not killed in this accident, and while the extent of her injuries was not reported, I hope she makes a full and speedy recovery and returns to life as normal.
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The Ammons Law Firm represents clients nationwide in catastrophic injury and wrongful death litigation, with extensive experience in complex auto/tire defect and commercial vehicle cases.
Disclaimer: This post is not legal advice. Information contained in this blog was compiled from third-party sources or is the opinion of the author. Please inform us immediately if false or misleading information is contained in this post.
