Lakewood Overweight/Overloaded Truck Accident Lawyer

Trucking companies are a heavily sought-after services across different types of industries. Due to the high-demand for truckers and the tight deadlines associated with delivering a load, truckers may find themselves in a situation where they may have to overload a truck, potentially placing nearby drivers in harm’s way. If an accident were to occur, victims could potentially suffer life-threatening injuries.

If you or someone you love suffered harm as a result of a truck carrying a massive load, reach out to an experienced attorney today. A Lakewood overweight/overloaded truck accident lawyer could review the details of your case and help you develop a strategy that could prove to be successful. To get started, call today.

Ensuring a Truck is of Acceptable Weight

Trucking companies know and understand what exactly what is being carried in the truck and how much of that item is being carried. This involves organizing the load by recording the weight, which will allow a trucker to keep an organized view of what needs to be carried and switching to a different vehicle if necessary.

Carrying unnecessary equipment and materials will add to the overall weight of the truck. As a result, the trucking company can eliminate all such items to make sure the truck stays within limits. Every driver employed by a trucking company should know how to weigh their trucks using truck scales, and forklift operators could evenly distribute weight. Proper loading techniques to maintain safe balance on the truck should also be taught. If a trucking company often finds themselves in a situation where they are constantly worrying about transporting overweight trucks, they could obtain an overweight permit.

How Does the Law Define an Overweight Truck?

Given that trucks drive throughout the various states in the United States, the local regulations must be in conformity with federal truck regulations. The federal limits are 80,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, 20,000 pounds on a single axle and 34,000 pounds on a tandem axle. A three or more axle vehicle is limited to 54,000 pounds. For non-interstate vehicles, the limit is 85,000 pounds.

How Common is it to Operate an Overweight Truck?

Truckers are under great pressure from trucking companies to get their load delivered on time. This pressure could cause truckers and trucking companies to disobey the law. A recent study reported that approximately 30% of 18 wheelers and tractor trailer trucks in the United States were overweight and overloaded. Many companies knowingly violate the law due to the fact that the economic benefit of overloading a truck is worth the legal consequences, which is typically only a fine if there is no accident. However, a truck that is too heavy for its frame is more likely to be unable to break, tip over, and take up more space on the road.

Injuries Associated with an Overweight/Overloaded Truck Accident

The fact that trucks are so massively heavy in comparison with other vehicles on the road means that their mass will make any accidents or most accidents with other vehicles much more serious. Even if a truck is traveling at a low speed and is involved with an accident with another driver, they can cause significant damage to the other driver’s vehicle and consequently much more serious injuries.

Who Could be Held Liable for Operating an Overweight/Overloaded Truck

The trucker themselves can be held liable if the truck is owned by the truck driver itself. The trucking company might also be held liable for poorly maintaining the truck or allowing the truck to go on the road with a poor maintenance record including standard balding tires, overweight or poorly maintained trucks or other factors which can themselves contribute to the truck-auto and truck-pedestrian accidents.

Speak with an Attorney Today

Considering the drastic consequences associated with driving an overloaded truck, victims should take every measure possible to secure compensation for damages caused by the accident. This includes hiring a Lakewood overweight/overloaded truck accident lawyer for help with holding the appropriate party liable for damages.

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries through this type of accident, schedule a consultation today to learn more about your opportunities for obtaining monetary damages.