We Will Fight to Hold Negligent Parties Accountable
Improper loading is the culprit behind many serious truck accidents. If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident, please call BD&J as soon as possible. Our improperly loaded truck accident attorneys in Los Angeles are prepared to investigate your accident to determine if overloading or improper loading was a factor in the collision. Driven by an unrelenting pursuit of justice, our team can help determine who can be held liable for the collision and pursue every dollar of compensation you are owed for your medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, property damage, pain and suffering, and more.
Get started on your Improperly Loaded Trucks case by calling us at (855) 906-3699 or filling out our online form today!
The Dangers of Overloaded Trucks
Commercial trucks cannot exceed 80,000 pounds. Unfortunately, due to a shortage of drivers and a desire to increase profits by moving the same amount of product in less time, some drivers and their employers ignore these rules and overload their trucks.
Trailers that are too heavy present the following problems:
- Too much weight in the trailer can increase the chance of the truck breaking an axle, which can cause a loss of control leading to an accident.
- The heavier the trailer, the more stopping distance a truck needs. If the driver needs to make a sudden stop, the weight of the trailer will make it impossible to stop in time to avoid a collision if they are following another vehicle too closely.
- Additional weight can make an already massive and heavy truck unwieldy to steer and control, especially in adverse weather conditions such as rain, snow, and high winds.
- The heavier the trailer, the higher the risk that the trailer may tip during a difficult turn.
- Added weight from overloading increases the strain on the vehicle’s brakes, increasing the chance of a potentially deadly brake failure.
Many people don’t realize how dangerous it is for a commercial trailer to be improperly loaded. As long as the truck is within the 80,000-pound limit, it doesn’t matter how the cargo is placed in the trailer, right? Wrong. In reality, failing to properly load and secure items in the trailer can have a dangerous adverse impact on the truck’s center of gravity. If, for example, one side of the trailer is loaded heavier than the other side, the trailer has a higher risk of becoming unbalanced. Similarly, if cargo becomes loose during shipment and moves around in the trailer, the resulting imbalance could increase the risk of the trailer tipping over or jackknifing after a sudden decrease in speed.
Who Is Liable When a Truck Is Improperly Loaded?
One of the first things an overloaded truck accident lawyer seeks to determine is who’s liable for the accident. Drivers are required to ensure their cargo is correctly loaded and weighed at appropriate points throughout their journeys. If the driver fails to do this, they could be considered liable.
However, if a driver did follow correct procedures and was given incorrect readings (for example, due to faulty equipment), the liability for the accident could lie elsewhere. Because of the complexity of these cases, it’s important to speak to an accident lawyer with experience in cases involving improperly loaded trucks.
Consult Our Attorneys Today
Being seriously injured is one of the most stressful experiences a person can face, especially when the injury is catastrophic in nature, such as a brain injury or spinal cord injury. If you’ve been hurt in a preventable truck accident that you didn’t cause, you deserve to have your voice heard. We encourage you to speak with a lawyer at BD&J to discuss your legal options and how we can fight for the compensation you need on your behalf. If you have suffered the untimely loss of a loved one, we can also discuss the possibility of a wrongful death lawsuit and how our firm can help secure your family’s future.
Fill out an online consultation form to get started. We help truck accident victims throughout the greater Los Angeles area and throughout the entire state.
Contact us at (855) 906-3699 or fill out our online form to schedule a FREE case consultation with our attorneys.
