Montana Truck Rollover Accident Attorneys

Fighting to Secure Compensation For You in Great Falls, MT

Because of the size and weight involved, truck accidents are often among the most devastating kind of auto crashes. One issue that makes these accidents even more dangerous are semi-truck rollovers, which involve big rigs flipping over, potentially resulting in multiple-vehicle collisions. If you or someone you know has recently been involved in a truck rollover accident, contact the Montana truck accident attorneys at Hoyt & Blewett PLLC, and begin fighting to receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

What Leads to Truck Rollovers?

The size of most commercial semi-trucks gives them nearly half the stopping power of other vehicles. In fact, a big rig can take almost 1/10^th of a mile to come to a complete stop. Large trucks also have less visibility than other vehicles, and often have a difficult time seeing oncoming vehicles in their blind spots. Because of these factors and the overall size of semi-trucks, some statistics indicate that trucking accidents are the number one source of American job-related fatalities.

Rollovers are particularly dangerous among truck accidents, with one report indicating that over half of all driver deaths result from rollovers. The reason these accidents are capable of resulting in more injuries and fatalities than an average trucking accident is that they often involve cargo from the truck in addition to the truck itself. When cargo falls out of a truck, it may spill onto the road, endangering any oncoming motorists who find themselves in the truck’s path.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 90% of commercial truck accidents are the result of human error. This includes rollover accidents, which more often than not occur after the truck driver has lost control of the vehicle.

Common causes for loss of control include:

• Speeding
• Steering Problems
• Quick lane changes
• Distracted driving
• Intoxicated driving
• Falling asleep at the wheel
• Texting or talking on the phone

Another factor in rollover accidents is the nature of the cargo and how it is packed into the truck. If the cargo is piled too high, the truck may have a high center of gravity, making it more likely to tip over. Other times, if there is too much cargo onboard the truck’s trailer, and everything is shoved in too tightly, the vehicle will become heavy and awkward, at which point it will also be at risk of rolling over. In either case, this puts liability on the trucking company, which has an obligation to uphold regulations and load all cargo properly.

Other scenarios in which the trucking company may be held liable include letting drivers go out onto the road without proper training, or forcing employees to work extremely long hours, thereby making them more susceptible to exhaustion and poor control of their vehicle. This is why even in cases of driver error, trucking companies may be held accountable too, as they are at least partially responsible for their employees.

In other cases, it may be possible to hold the truck manufacturer accountable as well. The companies that make trucks and truck parts have a responsibility ensure all vehicles are safe for operation. If they release equipment on the market without making sure it can adequately comply with regulations regarding the amount of cargo, then they may also be found liable in case of accident.

The attorneys at Hoyt and Blewett will investigate truck drivers, companies, and manufacturers following a rollover, and help build a case which holds all negligent parties responsible.