Have you been involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler or other truck that rolled over in St. Louis? Was someone else to blame for the crash? Then turn to our rollover truck accident attorneys in St. Louis for help.
With over 50 years of combined legal experience, the attorneys with Sumner Law Group, LLC, have developed a proven reputation as skilled negotiators and litigators. We have the knowledge and resources to handle even the most complex truck accident cases. Our firm keeps our caseload small to give our clients the individual attention they deserve and put our total effort into every case we take. Insurance companies know we will take a case to trial if necessary to recover full compensation for our clients.
If you were injured because of a rollover truck accident caused by someone else’s negligence, reach out to Sumner Law Group, LLC, now for a free initial case review. A rollover truck accident attorney in St. Louis can go over your legal options for pursuing financial recovery for your expenses and losses.
Common Types and Causes of Rollover Truck Accidents
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, rollover truck accidents account for about 4 percent of all fatal truck accidents and 2 percent of all non-fatal truck crashes. While they are relatively rare, they can also result in debilitating consequences.
A rollover truck accident typically involves the truck rolling over onto its side. However, in extreme cases, the truck overturns onto its roof or tumbles several times.
Common causes of rollover truck accidents include:
- Speeding, especially when driving over inclined roads or around steeply banked curves
- Distracted driving, especially texting or talking on the phone or adjusting the radio
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Tailgating, which may lead a truck driver to brake hard or swerve to avoid colliding with a slowing vehicle in front of them
- Drowsy or fatigued driving
- Inadequate vehicle maintenance, especially of tires and brakes
- Defective truck parts
- Unsafe cargo loads, including overloading the truck, improperly balancing the cargo load (for example, putting heavier cargo toward the top of the load), or failing to secure cargo from shifting during travel
- Poor road conditions, such as potholes, debris in the roadway, or slick road surfaces from rain, snow, or ice
Common Injuries from Rollover Truck Accidents
A rollover truck accident can have devastating consequences for other motorists and road users. Victims are frequently left with debilitating injuries like:
- Broken bones
- Lacerations and bruising
- Whiplash
- Neck and back injuries
- Herniated discs
- Ligament sprains and muscle and tendon strains
- Internal organ injuries and internal bleeding
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Paralysis
- Crush injuries
- Traumatic amputations
Determining Liability for a Rollover Truck Wreck in St. Louis
Identifying the parties you can hold liable for a rollover truck crash requires careful investigation. You cannot simply assume that the truck driver alone caused the accident, as other parties’ negligence may have caused or contributed to the rollover truck wreck.
At Sumner Law Group, LLC, our attorneys are prepared to thoroughly review all available evidence in your case to determine who may have liability for your injuries and losses. The evidence could include the following:
- Accident scene photos and videos
- Police accident reports
- Surveillance, traffic, or dashboard camera footage
- Trucking company dispatch records
- The truck driver’s cell phone logs
- Cargo manifests
- Logs from the truck’s event data recorder
- The truck driver’s hours of service records
- Results of drug and alcohol tests performed on the truck driver
- The truck or trailer’s inspection and maintenance records
- Post-accident truck inspection reports
- Expert accident reconstruction reports
Compensation Available After a Rollover Truck Accident in St. Louis
Depending on the circumstances of the rollover truck accident in St. Louis, an insurance claim or lawsuit could provide you with compensation for various expenses and losses. A rollover truck crash attorney from Sumner Law Group, LLC, can fight to ensure you receive maximum financial recovery for:
- Medical and rehabilitation expenses, including hospital bills, doctor’s and specialist appointments, prescriptions, mobility equipment, and physical and occupational therapy
- Costs of long-term care for permanent disabilities you suffered from your injuries
- Lost income if you need to take time off work to recover from injuries
- Reduced future earning capacity and employment benefits if you become permanently unable to find gainful employment
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment and quality of life from disabilities, permanent scarring, and disfigurement
- Vehicle damage
How to Prove Negligence in a Rollover Semi-Truck Accident in St. Louis
To prove that a truck driver or trucking company’s negligence caused the rollover truck crash, you will need to show that the driver or trucking company failed to operate the truck with reasonable care. Depending on the circumstances, that may involve showing that the driver violated traffic laws or recklessly operated their truck by speeding or tailgating. If a rollover was triggered by improper loading of cargo, you may need to show that the trucking or freight company loaded cargo without taking care to balance weight or that the truck driver failed to inspect and secure the cargo before setting off.
Time Limit to File Your Claim in St. Louis
After a rollover crash, you have a limited period to file a lawsuit against any liable parties. Missouri Code §516.120 gives you five years from the date of the truck accident to file suit to recover compensation for your injuries and losses. If you file suit after the statute of limitations expires on your claim, the defendant could move to have your case dismissed as untimely. The court would likely grant it, and you would lose your right to pursue financial recovery from the parties at fault for the crash. That’s why you should talk to a rollover truck accident lawyer in St. Louis from Sumner Law Group, LLC, as soon as possible.
Injured in a St. Louis Truck Accident? Contact Us Today
If you were injured in a rollover truck accident in St. Louis, you could be entitled to compensation. There’s no time to waste in pursuing it.
Contact the Sumner Law Group, LLC, today to speak with an experienced St. Louis rollover truck accident lawyer. Consultations are free, and we don’t collect a fee unless we secure compensation for you first.
