Los Angeles Truck Rollover Accidents: Determining Potential Causes

Thousands get injured or die in truck rollover in California every year. In fact, 25 percent of nearly 4,000 fatalities each year are truck drivers or passengers.

Because of the massive sizes of truck and the resulting consequences of accidents involving them, truck rollover accidents are considered catastrophic accidents. This means truck accidents are likely to result in devastating injuries that can make drastic changes to the victim’s life.

The injuries that one may suffer from truck accidents could lead to serious or catastrophic injuries such as head and brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, and long-term disability or worse, death.

Causes of Truck Rollover Accidents

Rollover accidents may involve not only some cars and sports utility vehicles (SUVs) but also trucks, big-rigs, 18-wheelers, and tractor trailer trucks. Experts say that a rollover accident is caused primarily by the vehicle’s unstable center of gravity. However, there are other contributing factors that may lead to this type of accident.

A truck rollover accident may occur due to the following reasons:

• Driver fatigue
• Driving under the influence (alcohol or drug)
• Improper turning and maneuver
• Unsafe lane changes
• Distracted driving such as using cellphone while driving
• Driver inexperience
• Speeding and running off the road
• Brake and tire failure
• Mechanical problems
• Failure to yield
• Improper maintenance of truck
• Poorly maintained roads and highways
• Excessive truck load
• Blind spots in curved highways and roads

Although trucks are prone to rollover accidents, the following elements must be considered when determining the cause of the accident:

• Speed of the truck
• The weight of the load
• The stability of the load
• The load effect on the center of gravity

Potential Places of Rollover Accidents

Based on study and research, truck rollover accidents occur mostly on freeways, in the highway exit and entrance ramps. Sometimes speeding truck drivers miscalculate or misjudge a ramp curve causing the truck cargo or load to shift and tilt over, resulting in a rollover.

A truck may also have the possibility to rollover if a driver suddenly makes sudden turns or stops, which can cause its rear part to jackknife and tilt over, leading to a crash or rollover.

Liability

Determining the cause of a truck rollover accident is valuable in establishing fault and liability in the accident. If an accident is proven to be caused by driver negligence, the erring driver will be held liable for the injuries he had inflicted on other people or his victims.

Pursuing a claim for injuries and damages in a truck rollover accident may require knowledge of various federal and state laws. To help you pursue your claim and obtain the compensation that you deserve, you can take the services of an experience attorney specializing in truck rollover accidents.