Due to their immense structural size and weight, large commercial semitrucks pose a risk to people sharing the roads with them, even when not carrying any cargo. When a tractor-trailer is overloaded and carrying too much freight, that truck can become even more hazardous.
Overloaded/overweight truck accidents in San Diego pose an unreasonable risk. If you suffered harm in an accident because of an overweight truck, our dedicated truck accident attorneys at Singleton Schreiber can help you pursue the money you need to move forward.
What Makes an Overloaded Truck So Hazardous?
Overloaded trucks add an additional burden to our roadways and can lead to dangerous wear and tear on infrastructure, such as roads and bridges that cannot withstand extra weight. More importantly, overweight and overloaded trucks pose an elevated risk of accidents that can harm people for several reasons. For example:
- Excessive cargo puts extra stress on a truck’s components, which could lead to a mechanical failure, such as malfunctioning brakes or a tire blowout
- A truck that is too heavy could shift its center of gravity, making it significantly harder to control and leading to an elevated risk of rollovers or jackknifes
- Heavier trucks take longer to stop
- Overloaded trucks can take longer to build up enough speed to go uphill
- Overweight vehicles can pick up speed too fast going downhill, which can make them hard for drivers to control
- The cargo on an overloaded truck is less likely to be secure, making it more likely to shift, spill, or fall from the truck
Our experienced San Diego attorneys have a successful record of handling litigation following crashes involving trucks that are over their legal weight limit.
Who Could Be Liable if an Overweight Truck Caused Your Accident?
The federal and California state governments have recognized the dangers posed by massive vehicles and enacted strict weight limits to restrict overweight trucks. If the hauler that caused your San Diego accident exceeded the weight limits, you could potentially pursue a legal claim against any or all of the following parties:
- The truck driver who caused the accident if they drove negligently or recklessly and were aware that the truck had violated the weight limits
- The trucking company that allowed the overloading of the truck
- The truck’s owner for failing to exercise proper oversight
- The company in charge of loading the freight onto the truck
- The mechanic who was supposed to inspect and maintain the truck for failing to notice any wear and tear that led to the crash
Our hardworking legal team could search for evidence to identify who bears legal responsibility for the truck being overloaded or overweight.
Call a San Diego Lawyer To Discuss a Crash Resulting From an Overloaded or Overweight Semitruck
Overloaded/overweight truck accidents in San Diego should be entirely preventable. However, sometimes, trucking companies are more interested in their profits than in protecting the safety of those on the roads.
If a truck carrying too much cargo caused you or your loved one to suffer injuries in an accident, you deserve the chance to make things right.
Contact our attorneys at Singleton Schreiber, and let us fight for compensation for your injuries and losses.
