Rollovers Can Be Deadly for Truckers, Too

A truck rollover accident occurs when the trucker loses control of their vehicle, and it begins to tip over onto its side or top. Depending on the circumstances of the rollover accident, the truck may flip multiple times before landing onto its side or top, or it may only roll over once. These accidents typically only involve the commercial truck. However, it is not unusual for one or more other vehicles to be involved as well.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), there were about 400 trucker fatalities due to rollover accidents across the United States in 2021. Many people assume that only individuals in the passenger vehicles involved in these types of accidents are at risk of death, but the truth is truckers also suffer deadly and life-threatening injuries as well. In fact, it has been reported that over half of the deaths of truckers are due to rollover accidents.

Recent truck rollover accidents in Tulsa and other Oklahoma cities

Even though many individuals have witnessed truck rollover accidents when traveling or commuting from place to place, a lot of people do not realize how common they are. Here are some of the most recent truck rollover accidents that occurred in Tulsa and other parts of Oklahoma:

• In May 2023, a semi-truck rollover accident occurred in Oklahoma City. The accident happened on I-44 due to mechanical issues. No one was hurt, but traffic was backed up for a few hours.
• In April 2023, a semi-truck overturned on I-235 in Oklahoma City and began spilling its contents out onto the roadway. There were no reported injuries, but traffic was backed up for more than one mile.
• In April 2023, another semi-truck rollover accident occurred in Guymon, Oklahoma. The accident happened on Highway 54, and the semi-truck driver was transported to the hospital for critical injuries.
• In March 2023, a semi-truck turned over onto its side on Highway 75 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. There were no injuries reported, but the accident shut down the roads for several hours due to cleanup of the scene.
• In February 2023, a semi-truck rollover accident occurred on Skelly Drive in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The street was shut down for over three hours, and the semi-truck driver was transported to the hospital for leg injuries.

Notice that in each of these examples, it was a semi-truck that rolled over. Big-rigs and 18-wheelers have higher centers of gravity, so they’re more likely to rollover than a smaller truck might be.

Why are semi-truck rollover accidents often dangerous and deadly for truckers?

Any type of truck accident can severely injure a trucker, but rollover crashes are known to cause more life-threatening and devastating results. The following are a few of the reasons why these types of accidents are often dangerous and deadly for the truck driver:

• Rollovers can crush the trucker: While many people think about semi-trucks crushing other people in passenger vehicles, these trucks also have the ability to crush the trucker who is stuck inside the semi-truck. There are no roof crush standards for commercial vehicles, which means a big rig’s cab can be crushed if the truck rolls. This means injured truckers can be trapped inside the cabs, waiting for help. Even if their injuries were survivable, the delay in treatment can make things worse.
• Rollovers can release chemicals and cause fires and explosions: When a semi-truck turns over onto its side or top, the truck often becomes severely damaged. As a result, it can start to spill out chemicals onto the ground and roadways. Depending on what type of chemicals are released and how much damage the truck has experienced, the trucker may not be able to escape the vehicle before it catches on fire or explodes. This leads to enhanced risks of severe injuries and often fatalities among truckers.
• Rollovers can throw drivers around: If a trucker wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, then his or her body can easily be thrown around the cab. But even if he or she is belted in, the jerking motion from the tip-over can be strong enough to snap a collarbone, fracture a neck or spinal vertebrae, or cause other damage to the body.

The types of injuries that truckers may suffer from in rollover accidents

If a trucker is involved in a semi-truck rollover accident and is able to survive, they will most likely suffer catastrophic injuries that will take a long time to recover from. In fact, many of these individuals never recover and spend their lives learning to adapt to the changes that their injuries have caused. These are some of the sudden and permanent injuries that truckers may suffer from when involved in a rollover accident:

• Head and skull injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Broken, fractured, and crushed bones
• Amputations
• Paralysis
• Permanent disfigurement
• Mental and emotional trauma
• Abdominal injuries
• Chest injuries
• Internal bleeding
• Internal organ damage
• Severe bruising
• Severe cuts and lacerations
• Burn injuries
• Neck injuries and whiplash
• Back and spinal cord injuries

Who can be held liable for a trucker’s injuries in a rollover accident?

If a trucker is injured in a rollover accident that wasn’t their fault, they may be eligible to file a lawsuit against the responsible parties. In order to successfully do so they should consider hiring a truck accident attorney from Biby Law Firm who will remain by their side. Our Tulsa truck accident lawyers listen to your experience, evaluate the facts of your claim, help you gather the appropriate evidence, and prepare to build a strong case against any liable party.

The first step in any case, including a rollover accident, is to thoroughly investigate the incident to determine what caused your accident and who may be liable for your injuries and other losses. The following are some of the parties we may concentrate on during our investigation:

• Trucking company
• Trucker’s employer, manager, or supervisor
• Truck manufacturer
• Loading crew
• Maintenance crew
• Other vehicle drivers
• Government or road owners

Rollover truck accidents cause truckers to face financial, physical, and emotional consequences for many years to come. Therefore, it is critical that you get in touch with a Tulsa rollover truck accident lawyer from Biby Law Firm as soon as it occurs. We will do everything we can to stand up and defend your rights as well as fight for fair compensation that you need to get back on your feet after your accident. Call our office or complete our contact form to schedule a free case evaluation today.