Philadelphia Overloaded Truck Accident Attorney
By overloading a truck it requires the driver to compensate both in stopping distance as well as in speed. Other dangers of overloaded trucks are a heightened risk for a potential tire blowout that can cause a driver to lose control of their vehicle and potentially jackknife dramatically changing driving conditions for all motorists on the roads. A chain-reaction car accident often follows a truck jackknife as a truck can quickly block lane access and create unpredictable driving conditions. If a truck driver with an overloaded truck does not leave ample distance, it increases the likelihood that the truck will be involved in a collision as it may not be able to stop in time to avoid striking a passenger vehicle or another truck. A Philadelphia overloaded truck accident lawyer at Rosenbaum and Associates has vast experience in representing their client’s best interests. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident with an overloaded truck, you may be eligible to pursue legal compensation for current and future medical expenses associated with the accident, including lost wages, pain and suffering from the liable party.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMCSA”) in recent years there has been a steady rise in truck fatalities throughout the United States, after several years of decline. The most recent statistical data available indicates that within the year 2011, 3,757 people died in collisions with trucks while another 80,000 were seriously injured. The National Highways Transportation Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) notes “one out of nine traffic fatalities in 2008 resulted from a collision involving a large truck.” The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (“FMCSA”) is the regulatory body for trucks and commercial motor vehicles. Federal law as well as state laws and regulations govern the trucking industry. Trucks that travel across state lines is also known as interstate commerce. The FMCSA regulates the length, width, and weight limits of each interstate commercial motor vehicle. Overloaded trucks are among the deadliest road hazards. Large trucks in general require extra time and space to come to a complete stop.
Large commercial trucks have a federal gross weight limit of 80,000 pounds, which includes the combined weight of the truck, trailer, and additional cargo. In order to ensure that the trucks are transporting cargo within their legal limit, truck operators are responsible for checking their own vehicle’s weight. Normally for a small fee, trucks can be weighed at truck stop scale. Large trucks are especially lethal in accidents involving smaller passenger vehicles. The NHSTA recent truck study found that when a fatal truck accident does occur, 74 percent of the time, occupants of the vehicle were the ones fatally injured as oppose to the 16 percent were the occupants of the large truck was the severely injured party.
If you or a loved one was injured as a result of another driver’s negligence, or reckless driving, you may be entitled to compensation for your lost wages, medical expenses, and other damages associates with the crash. To determine whether you have grounds for a case, please contact us online or call 1 800 7 LEGAL 7 for a Free Case Evaluation