Overloaded/Overweight Truck Accidents in Greeley
Trucking companies and the truckers who work for them are often under significant pressure to deliver their loads as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. Unfortunately, in an effort to move more goods more quickly, they sometimes overload their vehicles.
An overloaded truck is hazardous to others on the road because excess weight affects the vehicle’s handling and stresses its mechanical integrity. When a truck is overloaded, it is more at risk of crashing and causing serious injuries to others on the road.
If an overloaded/overweight truck accident in Greeley left you seriously hurt, you do not wait to take legal action. A truck wreck attorney could help you pursue the compensation you need from the at-fault parties.
Why Overloading is So Dangerous
Laws regulate the size and weight of commercial vehicles carrying freight on the national interstate highway system and intrastate highways. Safe carrying capacity is usually expressed in pounds per axle. The maximum weight for a tractor-trailer with four or more axles is 80,000 pounds on an interstate highway and 85,000 pounds on a Colorado intrastate highway.
Trucks are designed to carry freight, but there are limits to how much weight they can carry safely. Cargo weight puts stress on the tires. Tire failure is one of the main causes of truck accidents. When a tire fails, the trucker loses control of the vehicle and might swerve into an adjacent lane. The debris of an exploded truck tire could hit other vehicles and cause accidents or injury. Overloaded trailers also could cause a truck’s axle to break.
Improper loading or overloading can interfere with braking and steering. Trucks decelerate slowly in any case, but when overloaded, brakes could overheat or fail for other reasons. Excessive weight in the trailer could compromise steering, making it difficult for a trucker to control the vehicle. Overloading also could raise the trailer’s center of gravity, increasing the likelihood of rollover and jackknife accidents in Greeley.
Proving Negligence When a Truck is Overweight
A person who seeks damages in a personal injury case must prove that another party’s conduct was the direct cause of their injuries. The injured person (plaintiff) must prove that the other party (defendant) was negligent, which means they did not use the appropriate degree of care in the circumstances.
Because trucks can be so dangerous to the occupants of other vehicles sharing the road with them, trucking companies and truckers must use the utmost care to operate safely. An overweight or overloaded truck is violating the legal weight restrictions that assure safety.
Violating a law or regulation that is in place to assure safety is negligence per se, meaning no other proof is needed. If an attorney could prove the truck was overweight when it got into an accident in Greeley, the trucking company and the driver would be negligent.
Potentially Responsible Parties in Overweight Truck Accidents
Multiple parties besides the driver and trucking company could bear partial responsibility when an overweight or overloaded truck crashes. A Greeley attorney could review the evidence and identify other parties who could be liable for an overloaded/overweight truck wreck.
The company that loaded the truck is often liable for crashes that are caused by overweight vehicles. Loaders know how much weight a truck is legally allowed to carry, and they have an obligation to comply with the rules. A vehicle manufacturer or maintenance company could bear partial responsibility if a mechanical problem caused the crash, even if overloading was a factor.
Taking Action Against Multiple Defendants
In some cases, there is more than one negligent party that contributed to an overloaded/overweight truck crash. Liable parties could include drivers, truck companies, manufacturers, and others. A skilled legal professional could negotiate with all the potentially responsible parties to ensure a fair settlement is reached.
Discuss Overloaded/Overweight Truck Accidents with a Greeley Attorney
There is no excuse for a commercial vehicle to be overweight. When a trucking company ignores safety-based weight restrictions in pursuit of higher profits and puts you at risk, it should be held responsible.
If an overweight/overloaded truck accident in Greeley left you injured, demand justice by seeking monetary compensation. Contact our team at Amy G Injury Firm to get started.
