Overloaded/Overweight Truck Accidents

Even without any cargo on board, tractor-trailers are still the heaviest vehicles on most interstate highways by a substantial margin, and that weight makes them uniquely difficult to drive even with proper training and experience. If a trucking company or supplier overloads a truck’s trailer in an effort to save time and money, they might make the vehicle unsafe to drive and could thereby increase the likelihood of an otherwise avoidable accident.

Filing suit over an overloaded/overweight truck accident that occurs on interstate roadways may require substantial legal expertise and significant evidence of negligence by multiple parties. It may feel impossible to put forward such thorough and comprehensive evidence on your own. By working with a knowledgeable nationwide truck crash attorney, you could maximize your chances of achieving a positive case result and obtaining the compensation you deserve. Connect with an attorney to learn whether they could assist in your interstate truck crash claim.

Legal Weight Limits for Commercial Trucks Nationwide

According to federal trucking regulations established by the Motor Carrier Safety Administration, commercial trucks or tractor-trailers traveling on the Interstate Highway System can carry up to 20,000 pounds of weight per axle. Additionally, no tandem axle group can bear more than 34,000 pounds of weight, and the gross vehicle weight of a tractor-trailer—including the truck, trailer, and all included cargo and passengers—cannot exceed 80,000 pounds.

Every state has its own commercial trucking regulations for transit on state highways and roads, as well as its own system through which truckers can apply for temporary permits to carry extra weight across short distances. Outside of these exceptional circumstances, any trucker carrying more weight per axle, with or without a higher gross vehicle weight, than allowed under applicable laws is breaching the duty to act reasonably and safely while driving.

If this breach of care directly causes a crash that results in injuries, the trucker in question and/or their employer may bear civil liability for all ensuing damages. A qualified attorney who has handled overloaded and overweight truck accident claims nationwide could offer further clarification about what circumstances may or may not justify civil litigation.

Establishing Fault for an Interstate Overweight Truck Crash

Unfortunately, proving a trucker or trucking company liable for an overweight truck crash on interstate highways is rarely as simple as reviewing relevant cargo logs to determine whether the truck in question was carrying too much weight. It is not uncommon for nationwide commercial trucking companies engaging in this kind of reckless behavior to hide the fact that they are breaking state or federal laws by deliberately creating inaccurate records between trips or even destroying records after an accident occurs.

Because of this, building a comprehensive civil claim after an overloaded truck crash often requires collecting and compiling various types of evidence from a number of sources, including witness testimony, photos, and videos from the accident scene, input from accident reconstruction experts, and more. Support from seasoned legal counsel may be essential to finding relevant evidence and efficiently incorporating it into a lawsuit or settlement demand.

Talk to a Skilled Attorney about an Interstate Overloaded/Overweight Truck Accident Claim

Trucks carrying too much weight put every person and vehicle around them at risk of catastrophic harm. If you were injured because a truck driver lost control of their overloaded vehicle, demanding the compensation you deserve through civil litigation might be your best chance at preserving your future prospects.

Working with a lawyer who has fought on behalf of overloaded/overweight truck accident victims nationwide could dramatically boost your odds of a favorable case outcome. Call today to determine whether we could help you.