Being injured in an accident can have devastating physical, emotional, and financial effects. If you’re injured in an accident involving a truck, you get all those effects plus the fright of being hit by a gigantic vehicle. Rollover truck accidents occur when a truck falls on its side or rolls entirely upside down. These types of accidents can be devastating and cause significant injuries that can take a long time to recover from.
The rollover truck accident attorneys at Ardalan & Associates, PLC have many years of experience working with clients who were injured by others. We care about our clients and understand the trauma they face after an accident. We’ll work diligently and aggressively to fight for your right to possible compensation. Call us today for a free consultation about your options for getting the money you deserve.
Common Causes of a Rollover Truck Accident
While there are many different causes of a rollover, some common factors are involved when one occurs, such as:
- Sharp curves: If a trucker takes sharp curves at a speed that is too high, a roller could result.
- Speeding: Driving too fast is a common cause of accidents with any type of vehicle, but the consequences can be devastating if the speeding trucker tries to avoid a collision and the truck rolls over.
- Improper loading: Trucks with unbalanced or top-heavy loads are more prone to rollover crashes than those that are properly loaded and secured.
- Road Conditions: Hazardous weather conditions such as rain, fog, sleet, or snow can obscure a trucker’s vision until they nearly crash into the vehicle ahead of them. If they take evasive maneuvers on slippery surfaces, rollover accidents can occur.
- Driver Fatigue: A fatigued or drowsy truck driver may have impaired reflexes, which can result in a failure to perceive obstacles in front of the truck until the last minute, which can lead to sudden actions to avoid the obstruction. Those actions could result in a rollover accident, as could realizing too late that there’s an imminent curve in the road.
Common Rollover Truck Accident Injuries
Injuries from rollover truck accidents are as diverse as those in all motor vehicle accidents. However, because a large truck is involved, the injuries can increase exponentially due to the massive size of trucks and the force they impart to the other vehicles involved in the crash. Some of the most common injuries are:
- Spinal cord damage
- Whiplash
- Broken bones and limbs
- Traumatic amputations
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Herniated discs in the back or neck
- Facial or dental fractures
- Internal injuries or bleeding
- Head injuries
Compensation For Rollover Truck Accidents
If someone else’s careless actions or fault caused the rollover truck accident that injured you, you could be entitled to compensation. To pursue the money you need after this kind of accident, you’ll need to prove the extent of the harm you suffered. You could get money for a variety of different kinds of losses associated with your rollover accident. They include:
- Economic losses: These losses are easily quantifiable as they usually have fixed dollar amounts. Examples of economic losses include medical bills, anticipated medical bills, lost income, and lost future earnings.
- Non-economic losses: These types of losses are non-monetary, and because they are subjective, they’re harder to quantify than economic losses. These losses include pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of companionship, or loss of life enjoyment.
If your case goes to court, your attorney can request that you be awarded punitive damages, called “exemplary damages” in California. This money is not as compensation for the injured person. Rather, this award is meant to punish the person who caused the accident if they did it maliciously, through fraud, or oppression.
What You Should Do If You Are Involved In a Rollover Truck Accident
If you are injured in a rollover truck accident, there are steps you should take to protect your health and your ability to file a claim against the at-fault party. After you’ve called 911 and received care for your injuries, you, a friend, or your lawyer can take these steps:
- Take pictures and videos: Take as many pictures and videos as possible of the truck, car, or any other vehicle involved in the crash and every aspect of the accident scene. Capture the harm to the vehicles and any injuries sustained in the crash, and be sure to capture any conditions that may have contributed to the crash.
- Speak to eyewitnesses: Obtain contact information for any eyewitnesses, as their testimony may be needed for your claim.
- Obtain a copy of the police report: Even if you can’t get a copy on the spot, be sure to get the number of the police report or find out where to get one.
- Exchange insurance information: You should exchange insurance information with anyone involved in the accident. While this may be difficult to obtain during the accident’s immediate aftermath, you should attempt it. You can always get this information later from the police report.
- Speak to an attorney: You should speak to a knowledgeable and experienced Thousand Oaks rollover truck accident attorney as soon as possible.
After the accident, don’t post anything on social media. Insurance companies are in business to make money, so they want to offer the lowest payout possible. In their efforts to do that, they may review your social media posts. If you claim to be injured from an accident, but you posted pictures on social media of yourself playing softball, the insurance company will use that to reduce or deny your claim.
Contact Our Truck Accident Attorneys at Ardalan & Associates, PLC
The trial lawyers at Ardalan & Associates have been helping accident victims in Thousand Oaks for many years, and we have won millions of dollars for injured victims. Our attorneys fight for justice and take on the insurance companies, so you don’t have to. We serve Los Angeles County and all of Southern California and provide free consultations to prospective clients. We will fight for your rights while you focus on the essential things, like recovering from your injuries. Call us today for your free consultation.
Ardalan & Associates, PLC is a personal injury law firm based in Thousand Oaks, serving all of Southern California, including Los Angeles, Ventura, Kern, and Orange County. We are committed to helping our clients involved in personal injury accidents seek justice and navigate their legal journey.