Overweight and Overloaded Truck Accidents
Experienced Nashville attorney with a record of results
Overloaded or overweight truck accidents can cause serious and life-threatening injuries or death. They are also avoidable and are the results of negligence but recovering compensation can be complicated.
At The Law Office of Eric Beasley, we understand what you’re going through because we’ve been helping Tennessee accident victims through tough times for more than 20 years. We know you’re probably under pressure from the insurance companies to sign away your rights to seek proper damages for a settlement.
If you were the victim of an overloaded truck accident, or if you lost a loved one in a crash, you’re probably in a lot of physical and emotional pain. You can’t work and the bills are starting to pile up. Your family needs you, but it’s hard to be the strong one right now.
Don’t give in. We can get the insurance companies off your back and set you on the path to financial stability and recovery.
Who is responsible for overloaded truck accidents?
In an overloaded truck accident claim there are often multiple parties or businesses responsible for your pain and suffering. In many cases, you can seek damages from the:
- Driver
- Driver’s employer
- Cargo owner
- Manufacturer of faulty truck parts
- Crew/company that loaded the truck.
What is an overloaded truck?
A semi-truck, big rig, 18-wheeler, or tractor-trailer becomes overloaded when it's overpacked with cargo. Every truck has a clearly identifiable cargo weight limit which the professionals in the shipping and trucking industry are aware of.
Under both Tennessee and federal regulations, the gross weight of a commercial truck cannot exceed 80,000 pounds. Many roads have specific weight limits, as well.
Why do tractor-trailers get overloaded?
Overloaded tractor-trailer accidents can almost always be prevented by observing safety standards before the rig departs. The two main reasons why an overweight semi-truck is on the road are carelessness or a greedy and willful disregard for people’s safety.
A greedy business owner may think that overloading a truck will result in savings by transporting more products for less money. Studies have shown that nothing could be further from the truth.
In addition to making the highways less safe by putting a top-heavy, hard-to-control, multi-ton tractor-trailer on the road, negligent owners are ruining their own vehicles and causing bigger truck maintenance and repair costs.
Why are overloaded trucks dangerous?
Trucks are only designed to carry so much weight. Going over a truck’s weight limit leads to:
- Blown tires
- Heavy steering
- Less control of the vehicle
- Rollover accidents
- Axle strain
- Added engine stress
Excess weight can diminish a truck's braking ability, and a trucker may not be able to stop in time to avoid a collision. When a truck is overloaded, it can also change the way the truck operates and maneuvers, which can impair the driver's ability to control the truck. Overweight loads are also more likely to become unbalanced and shift during transport, which can result in a rollover accident. Tire blowouts are frequently caused by overweight trucks, as well.
What are my rights after an accident?
In many cases, a plaintiff in a trucking accident case will be able to recover damages not only from the driver but if the driver was operating the truck in the scope of an employment relationship, against the driver's employer, as well. An experienced truck accident lawyer can help you identify all potential defendants.
As the victim of an overloaded truck accident, you can seek damages for your current medical bills, lost wages, totaled or otherwise damaged car, future lost income potential, disfigurement, diminished spousal support, or a lifetime of treatment for your accident injuries which may include chronic pain and multiple surgeries, among other needs.
We believe all victims of overweight truck and other types of accidents deserve quality, aggressive, and honest legal representation. No one should have to fight the insurance companies alone – especially after being hit by a semi.
We know Tennessee. We know the laws, the culture, the legal system, the insurance providers, and of course, our neighbors. Being a part of the community, we're fighting to make a difference. This gives us a passion for justice that other legal firms just don’t have. Let us help you win your claim and get you the compensation you need and deserve to recover from an overloaded truck accident. Contact us for a free case consultation. We take many accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means we don’t get paid until we win.