The Dangers and Consequences of Truck Rollovers

Big rig rollovers can produce a range of consequences – from simply shutting down traffic hours, to serious injuries, to even death.

Case in point: A recent crash in California involving a cement truck forced the closure of southbound 110 Freeway in Carson on July 20. The accident took place near the Carson Street exit around 12:30 PM.

The aftermath of the wreck left the truck lying on its side blocking three lanes of traffic as the liquid cargo it contained dispersed onto the freeway. After about three hours the blocked traffic lanes were reopened, allowing miles of backed- up traffic to begin flowing once again.

According to reports, the driver of the truck suffered injuries in the turnover.

When truck rollovers are the caused by driver error

The definition of a rollover accident is when a large truck rolls onto its side or completely flips onto the roof. This often leads to additional collisions with either stationary objects or other vehicles. As a victim of a rollover crash, the only way to recover compensation for injury expenses and other losses incurred is to establish the negligence or recklessness of another party involved. Driver error is often the cause of rollover crashes. The types of errors truck drivers make that lead to these incidents include:

• Negotiating a turn too fast
• Failing to use brakes properly
• Speeding
• Overinflating tires
• Underinflating tires
• Driving too fast and poor weather conditions
• Not accounting for high winds
• Improperly securing or loading cargo
• Driving distracted
• Driving drowsy
• Failing to perform a pre-trip inspection

For the victim, the key to successfully moving forward with the personal injury cases to determine two major pieces of information about the truck accident – how it occurred and why it occurred. A thorough investigation by a Los Angeles car accident attorney can help you determine these answers and file an effective legal claim. Some pieces of evidence your attorney may secure to bolster your case include eyewitness testimony, cell phone records, medical records, driver logs hours of service/sleep requirements, and truck maintenance records.

Common injuries in truck rollovers

A range of serious physical injuries are possible with rollover truck accidents. Drivers, passengers, and pedestrians are the injury victims in these cases. Some of the common injuries seen in these cases include:

• Soft-tissue injuries. These injuries involve damage to the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and other soft tissues of the body. They are often very painful, inhibit range of motion, and require hospitalization and sometimes surgery.
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI). These injuries to the brain result from an impact to an individual’s head that negatively affects normal brain function. A person may experience mild TBI when their head is shaken back and forth violently. Concussions are common form of mild TBI. These injuries can produce long-term disabilities in many people.
• Broken bones. Due to severe and accelerated impact that occurs in many car and truck crashes often results in broken bones. These injuries can take a number of months to heal in many cases, leaving the person unable to work and earn an income. At times broken bones can create physical deformities in a company severe scarring.

If you have been hurt by the negligence of a truck driver involving a rollover or any other type of accident, you have a right to claim compensation for your injuries. At Taylor & Ring, our Los Angeles truck accident attorneys have the resources and experience to fight for your rights have financial recovery. To get started with a free case review, call our law office today at 310.776.6390 or fill out our contact form.