Collisions between commuter cars and tractor-trailers can be bad enough when all the vehicles involved in the wreck stay on their wheels the whole time. If a commercial truck flips onto its side or roof while traveling at high speed, it won’t slow down until it hits something strong or heavy enough to stop it, and even multiple smaller cars may not meet those criteria.
Rollover truck accidents in Norristown are extremely serious incidents that often cause multiple people to suffer catastrophic injuries, and that makes them uniquely challenging to effectively file suit over. Fortunately, you have help available from our experienced truck crash lawyers, who are well-known for winning cases much like this on behalf of regular people much like you.
Truck Roll Over Causes
Because tractor-trailers are so much taller and heavier than your average car, they have higher centers of gravity, which means they’re much more likely to flip over in a crash. Certain behaviors by truck drivers can increase the chances of a rollover wreck occurring in Norristown, including:
- Going over the speed limit
- Taking a turn too sharply or too quickly
- Not slowing down for bad weather or road conditions
- Driving while drunk, high, distracted, or extremely tired
- Lack of experience driving a big rig
All these actions qualify as negligence if they lead to a crash because they all qualify as a violation of the duty truckers have to act lawfully, responsibly, and rationally behind the wheel. Proving that a specific negligent act was the main and direct cause of a truck accident can be much easier said than done, as can figuring out exactly who may hold civil liability for a wreck in addition to—or instead of—the truck driver directly involved in it.
Getting Past Legal Obstacles to Recovery
Pennsylvania law might throw several roadblocks in your way if you try to file suit over a rollover truck crash in Norristown alone. The statute of limitations for personal injury claims generally gives you a maximum of two years after initially getting hurt to file suit, which is a deceptively short period of time to collect all the evidence you’ll need to construct and properly file a strong civil claim.
Pennsylvania law allows courts—and insurance companies that know a court would back them up—to assign percentages of comparative fault to people who hold some of the blame for causing their own injuries because they, too, were negligent in some way. The court or insurance company can reduce the total amount of money you can receive for your damages or even deny your claim altogether based on that percentage, both of which are case outcomes our skilled lawyers can provide vital help with avoiding.
Talk to a Norristown Attorney After a Rollover Truck Accident
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to filing suit over any kind of truck crash, especially a rollover truck accident in Norristown. People who try to sue over truck wreck injuries without guidance from a respected attorney rarely get anything close to the amount of money they deserve for their damages.
Our attorneys can discuss your recovery options and offer preliminary advice about the next steps to take during a private initial meeting. Call Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers today to start working on your potential claim.