Accident on I-80 Overturns Both Semi and Sedan
An overturned semi in Natomas on May 11 ended up backing up traffic. The incident was reported by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) around 9:37 p.m. along westbound I-80 at southbound I-5. The accident blocked all the lanes when the semi turned over on its side and was reportedly leaking gas. Vehicle parts and the semi’s load were blocking the entire road.
Additional Vehicle May Have Been Involved in the Overturned Semi Accident
Apparently, a sedan was also involved in the collision. It was reported by the CHP that the sedan had overturned multiple times and landed on its wheels at the same time and location as the semi-truck. Other vehicles sharing the roadway ended up passing on the right-hand side, however, this did not prevent the traffic from backing up all the way to Truxel Road. At the time of this report, information on injuries in the collision was not released.
The Dangers That Can Lead to an Overturned Semi
Because semis are so large and heavy, when they are involved in an accident, severe injuries and fatalities are common, especially with those driving smaller passenger vehicles. A tractor-trailer rollover can occur for a number of reasons, including:
- Overloading the trailer of a big rig can affect its center of gravity, increasing the risk of an overturned semi.
- An unsecured load being hauled by a big rig can shift, resulting in a rollover that impacts other nearby vehicles.
- A trucker who slams on the brakes can end up causing a rollover accident or jackknife.
- Inexperienced truckers who don’t realize how different semis are to handle than a passenger vehicle can cause an overturned semi.
- Speeding down a hill without reducing the speed first can lead to an overturned semi accident.
Investigating to Determine the Cause of a Big Rig Accident
Because of the complexity of an accident involving a big rig, it is important that an investigation be conducted to determine the exact cause. If this is not done, the injured party will not be able to place a claim to recover compensation. Over the years, our injury lawyers at AutoAccident.com have successfully resolved many accidents caused by negligent truckers or the companies that employ them. During an investigation, we do the following:
- Our investigators go to the accident site as soon as possible to uncover the cause of the overturned semi.
- The logbooks of the driver are examined to see if state or federal regulations on driving hours and rest breaks were violated.
- Surveillance cameras in the area are examined to see if any of them captured the accident on film. This type of evidence is widely accepted both by civil courts and by insurance companies.
- The background of the company that employs the driver is checked to see if they have a history of infractions.
- Accident reconstruction is performed, which can show how the overturned semi accident occurred and point toward which driver was at fault.
- Maintenance records on the truck itself are examined to ensure that inspections were made and the vehicle was in good condition.
- Any witnesses to the collision are interviewed. In some cases, a witness may have filmed the accident on their smartphone, which can provide good evidence to support the client’s compensation claim.
Once the evidence collection is completed, our injury lawyers use it to construct a strong case to benefit the client’s compensation claim.
Natomas Truck Accident Lawyer
Ed Smith is my name, and I’m a Natomas truck accident lawyer. When a big rig causes your injuries because the driver or company was negligent, you have the right to recover compensation. Give us a call for our free and friendly advice at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. You can also contact us online.
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Photo attribution: Image by Denise McQuillen from Pixabay
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