What You Should Know About Truck Rollover Accidents
Can you imagine driving on the highway and watching a truck roll over? Even worse, can you imagine driving next to a truck who is driving too fast for your liking and can tip over at any minute? Unfortunately, this can easily become a reality. Rollover accidents are one of the most common and deadliest types of truck accidents. Being involved in this type of accident can leave you with permanent injuries.
What is a rollover accident?
A rollover accident happens when a large commercial vehicle turns over. That is a scary sight to see, considering that a commercial truck weighs between 10,000 and 80,000 pounds. When a truck roll
s over, it can continue to flip multiple times or just turn on its side once.
Common causes of truck rollover accidents
Rollover accidents can happen due to the following reasons:
- Excessive speeding on curved roads. All motorists understand that reducing their speed when approaching a curved road is necessary. Unfortunately, truck drivers continue to speed around curved roads. A truck driver who continues to speed around a curved road increases their chances of creating a rollover accident.
- Miscalculating the sharpness of a turn. Taking a turn too sharply can cause a truck driver to flip a truck on its side.
- Driver negligence. Truck drivers may drive recklessly because they are seriously impaired or tired. Driver fatigue and intoxication can cause truck drivers to take risks that they may not have taken had they been in their right frame of mind.
- Vehicle maintenance issues. Rollover accidents are more likely to happen when the truck’s tires blowout or there are manufacturing defects with the truck’s brake Even though the truck driver bears responsibility for the maintenance of the truck, the manufacturers can contribute to an accident by creating defective products.
Rollover accident statistics at a glance
According to the Large Truck Crash Causation Study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), nearly 70% of rollover truck accidents involve large Class 8 tractor trailers, and 30% of rollover accidents that involve single unit trucks. The study also revealed that more than half (56%) of rollover accidents happen on divided highways. Rollover accidents were also responsible for 47% of large truck accidents that resulted in the deaths of truck drivers.
Injuries from truck rollover accidents
Rollover accidents will create catastrophic injuries for car, motorcycle, and truck drivers. Some of the common injuries from rollover accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injuries. The most common injury from rollover accidents is head trauma. Motorists can walk away with brain injuries and skull fractures from a rollover accident.
- Neck injuries. Neck injuries like whiplash and herniated discs are also common from rollover accidents.
- Spinal cord injuries. The force of a rollover accident can cause serious damage to a person’s spine. If the spine endures serious trauma, the motorist can suffer from paralysis.
- Broken bones. Motorists can suffer broken bones based on the impact of the rollover accident.
- Nerve and organ damage. Nerve and organ damage is an injury that is not as noticeable as a broken bone. Motorists can suffer from internal bleeding without realizing the scope of their injuries.
Who can be held liable for a rollover accident in Nashville?
For a rollover accident, there are several parties who can share liability.
The truck driver
Even though other parties can be held liable, many rollover accidents are caused through driver negligence. When you are seriously injured in a rollover accident, you can seek compensation through the truck driver’s personal insurance company.
The trucking company
You can also file a lawsuit against the trucking company. The trucking company bears responsibility for the truck driver’s actions, even if the truck driver made the decision to act negligently. The trucking company’s negligent actions can also cause a rollover accident to happen. A truck can tip over if the cargo is not properly loaded onto the truck, for example.
Vehicle manufacturers
Manufacturers who create the parts of a truck can also be held liable for a rollover accident. When manufacturers create defective parts of a truck, they need to be liable for any injuries that are caused.
Government agencies
Another party that can be held liable is a government agency. Sometimes, rollover accidents can occur because the conditions of the road have not been properly managed. When government agencies fail to manage the maintenance of the road, they can be held liable if their negligence causes an accident.
Issues with seeking compensation from a rollover accident
When you seek compensation from your rollover accident, your biggest adversary will be the insurance companies. Insurance companies are known for being stingy when rewarding compensation, and they will pull out all of the stops in your lawsuit. The insurance adjusters will argue that your own negligence caused your rollover accident.
How Rocky McElhaney Law Firm can help
When you face the insurance companies in your lawsuit, you want a strong lawyer on your side. You need an ambitious lawyer who you can trust to fight for you as you heal from your injuries. At Rocky McElhaney Law Firm, our truck accident lawyers put your needs first, and fight for the right outcome of your case. We are experienced in negotiating against insurance companies when they try to lowball you. We can also present the best strategy that can increase the chances of reaching the verdict that you deserve.
You deserve to be made whole again after your truck accident. Let the Nashville truck accident lawyers at Rocky McElhaney Law Firm assist fight for your rights. You deserve to be compensated fairly for the serious injuries you have sustained. Call our office at 615-425-2500 or submit our contact form for a free consultation. We are proud to represent clients in Nashville, Hendersonville, and Clarksville.