Rollover accidents involving trucks can result in serious and sometimes fatal injuries for victims. The sheer weight and nature of a truck crashing on its side is dangerous in itself and is often amplified by the contents of its load spilling onto the roadway. Sorting through the damage and trying to recover can prove complicated. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you understand your rights.
Don’t hesitate to call Alpert Schreyer Injury Accident Lawyers at (301) 932-9997 to speak with a Maryland truck rollover accident lawyer today.
Causes of Truck Rollover Accidents
A commercial vehicle’s high center of gravity, among other conditions, can cause a rollover accident. Obstacles on the road, such as other vehicles, guardrails, and curbs, can trip and crash a truck. The operator may also attempt to swerve or over-correct to avoid the road condition. When a truck’s front wheels turn the vehicle faster than the cargo load can turn, trucks can roll over.
Some common issues that may arise include:
- Driving distracted
- Cell phone calls
- Texting
- Eating
- Looking at a map for directions
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Unsafe operation
- Driving too far or for too long a time
- Lack of sleep
- Driving at excessive speeds, braking too quickly, or tailgating
- Poor weather conditions
- Wet or icy roads
- High winds
- Fog
- Other inclement weather
- Inadequate loading:
- Trucks cannot weigh more than 80,000 pounds
- Trucks cannot carry more than 20,000 pounds per axle
- Loads that shift en route, affecting the center of gravity
- Dangerous materials spilling
The path of destruction in a rollover accident can involve multiple vehicles and victims due to the massive size of a truck falling on its side or flipping on its roof. In many situations, truck accident victims have the right to hold the driver and the trucking company liable for their losses. The attorneys at Alpert Schreyer Injury Accident Lawyers can examine the cause of your accident and the surrounding circumstances to protect your legal rights.
Liability
Rollover truck accidents can involve multiple parties to a case, including multiple victims, trucking companies, insurance companies, and at times out-of-state drivers. Consult an experienced personal injury attorney to sort through the complicated variables in your particular truck accident case. This way, you can identify and hold accountable the party or parties at fault. The truck driver as well as the trucking company could face liability, as could other drivers and the government entity or contractor responsible for designing and maintaining the road.
The truck driver can often avoid dangerous situations with proper care and attention to the roadway. To hold the at-fault party or parties liable, you will need to prove negligence. The driver and trucking company have a duty to operate with reasonable care. When they breach that duty, and in turn, they cause the injury you suffered, you may recover financial compensation.
Damages
An experience with a rollover truck accident could leave you with numerous emotional and physical injuries as well as a long-term disability. You may face:
- Wrongful death of a loved one
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Whiplash
- Broken bones
- Internal bleeding or organ damage
- Bodily disfigurement
- Soft tissue injuries
- Permanent disabilities
- Lost body functions
The type and severity of your injury will help determine the short and long-term medical care you will need assistance with and also the amount of pain and suffering damages that may factor into your case.
Some of the compensation you may recover includes:
- Property damage and vehicle repairs
- Medical expenses—emergency room care, hospitalization, surgeries, treatments
- Physical therapy
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Pain and suffering
- Lost enjoyment of life
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, rollovers constituted only three percent of passenger vehicles involved in crashes, but those accounted for 20 percent of fatal crashes. It’s no wonder the damages from a truck rollover accident can prove significant. A truck rollover accident is particularly violent in nature due to the size and weight of such a large vehicle turning over.
You may deal with multiple injuries following an accident of this kind, so address the legal claims you may have against the liable parties. A truck rollover accident lawyer may help you sort through the aftermath and recover the damages owed to you.
Steps to Take after a Truck Rollover Accident
Gather as much information as you can to document the truck rollover accident and the issues that follow.
Items that may help your case are:
- Medical records
- Police reports
- Photographs of your vehicle and the scene of the accident
- Eyewitness reports
Contact a lawyer who is experienced with rollover accidents to evaluate your situation and help you to recover the most damages possible. The attorneys at Alpert Schreyer Injury Accident Lawyers can assist you in each step of the process as you deal with the aftermath of a rollover accident.
Don’t delay. The statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim in Maryland is three years from the date of the incident. You may give up your chance to take legal action if you miss this deadline, therefore forfeiting any compensation for your injuries.
Contact Our Maryland Truck Rollover Accident Lawyers Today
A truck rollover accident can produce trauma in addition to complicated personal and legal issues. Our experienced Maryland truck rollover accident lawyers may help hold the appropriate parties accountable and recover the damages owed to you.
Contact Alpert Schreyer Injury Accident Lawyers today for a free case evaluation to better understand your rights. Simply fill out our contact sheet online.