Rollover Houston Truck Accident Lawyer

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Rollover Houston Truck Accident Lawyer

Seeking a Free Consultation with one of Texas’ Houston Truck Accident Lawyers? Call the Big Rig Bull Texas Truck Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander today at 713.766.3322.

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How Do Rollover Accidents Occur? A rollover is a type of vehicle crash in which a vehicle tips over onto its side or roof. Rollovers have a higher fatality rate than other types of vehicle collisions.^[1]Vehicle rollovers are divided into two categories: tripped and untripped. Tripped rollovers are caused by forces from an external object, such as a curb or a collision with another vehicle. Untripped crashes are the result of steering input, speed, and friction with the ground.^[2]

Untripped rollovers occur when cornering forces destabilize the vehicle. As a vehicle rounds a corner, three forces act on it: tire forces (the centripetal force), inertial effects (the centrifugal force), and gravity. The cornering forces from the tire push the vehicle towards the center of the curve. This force acts at ground level, below the center of mass. The force of inertia acts horizontally through the vehicle’s center of mass away from the center of the turn. These two forces make the vehicle roll towards the outside of the curve. The force of the vehicle’s weight acts downward through the center of mass in the opposite direction. When the tire and inertial forces are enough to overcome the force of gravity, the vehicle starts to turn over.

The most common type of tripped rollover occurs when a vehicle is sliding sideways, and the tires strike a curb, dig into soft ground, or a similar event occurs that results in a sudden increase in lateral force. The physics are similar to cornering rollovers. In a 2003 report, this was the most common mechanism, accounting for 71% of single-vehicle rollovers.^[3]

Another type of tripped rollover occurs due to a collision with another vehicle or object. These occur when the collision causes the vehicle to become unstable, such as when a narrow object causes one side of the vehicle to accelerate upwards, but not the other. Turned down guard rail end sections have been shown to do this. A side impact can accelerate a vehicle sideways. The tires resist the change, and the coupled forces rotate the vehicle. In 1983, crash tests showed that light trucks were prone to rolling over after colliding with certain early designs of guide rail.^[4]

A rollover can also occur as a vehicle crosses a ditch or slope. Slopes steeper than 33% (one vertical unit rise or fall per three horizontal units) are called “critical slopes” because they can cause most vehicles to overturn.^[5]A vehicle may roll over for other reasons, such as when hitting a large obstacle with one of its wheels or when maneuvering over uneven terrain.

After a rollover, the vehicle may end up lying on its side or roof, often blocking the doors and complicating the escape for the passengers. Large passenger vehicles such as buses, trams, and trolley buses that have doors on one side only usually have one or more methods of using windows for escape in case of a rollover. Some have special windows with handles to pull so that windows can be used as an emergency exit. Some have tools for breaking the windows and making an improvised exit. Some have emergency exit door or hatches in their roofs or on the opposite side of the bus to the usual entry door. Some combine two or more of these escape methods.

Rollover crashes are particularly deadly for the occupants of a vehicle when compared to frontal, side, or rear crashes, because in normal passenger vehicles, the roof is likely to collapse in towards the occupants and cause severe head injuries.^[43] The use of roll cages in vehicles would make them much safer, but in most passenger vehicles their use would cut cargo and passenger space so much that their use is not practical. The Jeep Wrangler, a vehicle which is short, narrow, and designed to be used on uneven terrain, is unusual in that it comes with a roll bar as standard equipment.

The decline in popularity of convertibles in the US was partly caused by concern about lack of protection in rollover accidents, because most convertibles have no protection beyond the windshield frame. Some convertibles provide rollover protection using two protruding curved bars behind the headrests. Some Mercedes-Benz convertibles have a retractable roll bar which deploys in case of an accident. Race cars almost always have roll cages, since racing is very likely to result in a rollover. In addition, the roll cage’s chassis-stiffening effect is usually seen as a benefit to the car.

Each year, almost 280,000 rollover accidents occur in the United States. Light trucks and sport utility vehicles are a popular choice among Texans who need vehicles with high driving position, off-road capabilities, a sporty appearance, and the capacity to carry more luggage and passengers compared to passenger cars. However, the downside of these vehicles is that they are prone to rollover accidents because of their high center of gravity. Each year, almost 280,000 rollover accidents occur in the United States. Even though the latest technology has made SUVs and light trucks safer, older vehicles are still prone to rollover accidents.

Common Causes of Rollover Accidents in Texas

51 percent of all deaths involving SUVs and 36 percent of those involving pickup trucks are caused by rollover accidents. As many as 10,000 people are killed every year in the United States in rollover accidents. In addition, several thousand people are injured. SUVs are at three times higher risk of a rollover accident compared to other types of cars. The higher center of gravity can cause the vehicle to easily tip and rollover. Vehicles that lack protections such as roll bars are also more likely to rollover. Some common causes of rollover accidents on Missouri roads include:

Overcorrecting – If a driver departs from the lane and then abruptly turns the vehicle back into the lane too quickly, the car can flip.
Overloading – A vehicle that is packed with too many passengers or too much luggage, including things on the roof, are more prone to rollover accidents.
Hitting an object – A vehicle may hit an object such as a guardrail, tree, or median and rollover.
Aggressive driving – Many rollover accidents are a result of overspeeding and driving too aggressively.

All vehicles are susceptible to rollovers to various extents. Generally, rollover tendency increases with the height of the center of mass, narrowness of the axle track, steering sensitivity, and increased speed.

The rollover threshold for passenger cars is over 1 g of lateral acceleration. The Tesla Model S has an unusually low rollover risk of 5.7% due to its low center of mass.^[6]^[7] Light trucks will roll over at lateral accelerations of 0.8 to 1.2 g. Large commercial trucks will roll at lateral accelerations as low as 0.2 g ^[8] Trucks are more likely to roll over than passenger cars because they usually have taller bodies and higher ground clearance. This raises the center of mass.

SUVs are prone to rollover, especially those outfitted with long travel off-road suspensions. The increased suspension height for increased clearance off-road raises the center of mass.

Full-size vans don’t usually have off-road suspensions, but their increased body height makes them more prone to tip. Fifteen passenger vans such as the Ford E-Series (at 27.9%^[9]), are particularly notorious for rolling over because their height is increased by the heavy-duty suspensions necessary to carry large numbers of people. The rollover tendency is increased when the vehicles are heavily loaded. It is recommended to not load anything on the roof of such vans, and to use drivers experienced or trained in safe operation of the vehicle. In such cases, familiarity with the vehicle’s behavior loaded and unloaded, avoiding sudden swerving maneuvers, and reducing speed through tight turns can greatly decrease the rollover risk associated with these vehicles.

Manufacturers of SUVs often post warnings on the driver’s sun-visor. Among the vehicles which have received publicity for tendencies to roll over are the Ford Bronco II, Suzuki Samurai, Jeep CJ, Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero, and Isuzu Trooper.

Military vehicles have a much wider wheel track than civilian SUVs, making them more difficult to roll over. However, IEDs in Iraq and Afghanistan cause roll overs not seen by civilian vehicles. The top turret gunner is particularly vulnerable.^[10]

A tall passenger coach made US headlines when 14 passengers were killed in New York in 2011. The bus swerved, flipped on its side and hit a pole which split off the top of the vehicle.^[11]

Seeking a Free Consultation with one of Texas’ Houston Truck Accident Lawyers? Call the Big Rig Bull Texas Truck Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander today at 713.766.3322.

Product Liability and Rollover Accidents

Manufacturing defects, such as poor vehicle design or construction flaws, can make a vehicle prone to rollover accidents. Common manufacturing defects that increase the risk of a rollover accident are:

tire failure
poor stability
tire tread flaws
steering problems
faulty suspension
lack of vehicle stability control
inadequate brakes

Injuries Resulting From Rollover Accidents

Rollover accidents often cause serious and catastrophic injuries or even death. Common injuries resulting from rollover accidents are:

spinal cord injuries
traumatic brain injuries
amputations
burn injuries
fractures
paralysis

Rollover Houston Truck Accident Lawyer

Seeking a Free Consultation with one of Texas’ Houston Truck Accident Lawyers? Call the Big Rig Bull Texas Truck Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander today at 713.766.3322.

Due to the seriousness of the injuries that result from a rollover accident, medical treatment is often lengthy and expensive. The victim may become permanently disabled and may never be able to return to work. To cover all present and future costs resulting from a rollover accident, seek appropriate compensation from the party at fault. An experienced rollover Houston truck accident lawyer will protect your rights and help get the compensation that you deserve. Contact Big Rig Bull Attorney Reshard Alexander at (713) 766-3322 for a free consultation.

Houston Truck Accident Lawyer

Seeking a Free Consultation with one of Texas’ Houston Truck Accident Lawyers? Call the Big Rig Bull Texas Truck Accident Lawyer Reshard Alexander today at 713.766.3322.

It is advisable to consult Houston truck accident attorney Reshard Alexander who will help determine liability and the right compensation amount that you should get for your injuries. The insurance company of the at-fault driver may not be willing to pay for damages and I can help you with the negotiation process. Call today for a free consultation.

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