Rollover Accident Lawyers — Serving Missouri Victims Statewide

While any vehicle can roll over under the right circumstances, those with a higher center of gravity — such as trucks, vans, and SUVs — are much more susceptible. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, vehicle rollovers accounted for just 3 percent of the 11 million traffic accidents reported in 2002. However, rollover accidents accounted for 33 percent of traffic fatalities that year. Typical injuries of rollovers include head injuries, paralysis, spinal cord injury, brain injury, and even death. If you or a loved one is injured as the result of a rollover accident, our car and truck accident lawyers — serving Springfield and Jefferson City, Missouri — can help.

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Vehicle Rollover

Statistics show that 85 percent of rollover fatalities are the result of single vehicle accidents. In most cases, driver error is involved — often the vehicle was traveling too fast to turn safely. Serious rollover accident injuries occur when:

  • The occupant is not wearing a seatbelt or the seatbelt fails — occupants can be thrown from the vehicle as it rolls.
  • The occupant is not held firmly in place by the seat belt and shoulder restraint — the occupant's head is thrown against the top of the vehicle.
  • The vehicle's roof collapses — the occupant may sustain severe head, spine, or back injuries.

Most rollovers are classified as “tripped rollovers.” This occurs when the vehicle is sliding sideways and the wheels hit an obstacle (such as a curb or shoulder). Tripped rollovers account for nearly 95 percent of rollover accidents. If you are a victim of a rollover accident, contact our truck and car accident lawyers – providing legal representation to Springfield, Jefferson City, and throughout Missouri.

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Truck Accident Rollover

Truck rollovers typically occur at exit and entrance ramps when a driver misjudges the sharpness of a ramp curve and enters it at an excessive speed. Possible contributing factors to a rollover accident include:

Driver Factors

  • Entered curve at excessive speed
  • Accelerated through curve
  • Did not anticipate sharpness of curve
  • Not aware of tractor / trailer limitations
  • Steered truck onto soft shoulder
  • Drifted off the road and abruptly overcompensated
  • Was impaired (fatigue, alcohol, drugs)
  • Was reckless

Vehicle Factors

  • Unusually top-heavy load
  • Improper cargo distribution
  • Load shift
  • Collapsed suspension
  • Under-inflated tires
  • Poor brake performance

Highway Factors

  • Speed advisory
  • Superelevation (banking)
  • Transition curvature
  • Shoulder condition
  • Weather

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Automobile Rollover Accident

SUV / Pickup Truck Rollovers

SUVs and pickup trucks are among the most popular automobiles in America. However, their high center of gravity contributes to their higher rate of rollovers. Other causes of SUV or pickup truck rollover include overloading, emergency braking, and avoidance maneuvers. Pickup trucks and SUVs have shown a high incidence of door failure during rollover. Occupants ejected during a rollover accident are more likely to suffer catastrophic personal injury or death.

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Design Defects

A number of design defects can contribute to the occurrence of rollover accidents. Design defects that may lead to injury or death in the event of a rollover accident include:

  • Defective handling and stability because the vehicle is top heavy and prone to oversteering by drivers.
  • Defective door latches cause passengers to be ejected during the rollover accident.
  • The vehicle is not equipped with laminated safety glass, which would prevent passengers from being ejected.
  • Insufficient roof strength, resulting in a collapse of the roof during a rollover accident.
  • Defective seat belts that do not automatically tighten during a rollover accident.

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Contact Our Car and Truck Accident Lawyers — Jefferson City, Springfield, Missouri

If you or a loved one is the victim of a rollover accident, contact Wiley & Terrell. Our car and truck accident lawyers provide exceptional rollover accident representation to victims in Springfield, Jefferson City, and throughout Missouri. To arrange a case evaluation with our truck or car accident lawyers, contact Wiley & Terrell today. Our experienced, knowledgeable lawyers can help victims achieve the compensation to which they are entitled.

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If you have been injured in a rollover accident, contact our car and truck accident lawyers — serving Springfield and Jefferson City, Missouri — and arrange a case consultation.






Wiley & Terrell Law Office, L.L.C.

Crane Office
105 Cortney Lane
Crane, Missouri 65633

Phone: (866) 383-7684
Fax: (417) 723-5686