Overloaded/Overweight Truck Accidents in Victorville
Sharing the road with tractor-trailers is always dangerous, but when the truck is carrying too much weight, the risk is magnified. Overweight trucks are prone to crash.
When you are in an overloaded/overweight truck accident in Victorville, contact a lawyer immediately. An experienced truck crash attorney could help you hold the responsible parties accountable for your injuries and other losses you suffered in the crash.
How Excessive Weight Affects Trucks
A truck is a more complex machine than a typical car, and its job is more strenuous. Truck manufacturers design trucks to efficiently carry a specified load that varies depending on the number of axles the truck has. Exceeding stated load limits strains the vehicle and increases the likelihood of a mechanical failure.
Tires are one of the most vulnerable components of a truck, and extra weight can cause tire failure. When the weight is improperly distributed, an axle might break. An excessive load can distort the steering system and extend a truck’s already lengthy brake time.
When excessive weight changes how a truck operates, its driver might have difficulty adapting. Sudden failures like a tire blowout could cause a rollover or another type of crash. A Victorville attorney could investigate any truck accident to determine whether excessive weight or incompetent loading led to the crash.
Holding Responsible Parties Accountable for an Overweight Truck Crash
Trucks carry cargo, and every truck is designed to carry a specific amount of weight. In addition, California Vehicle Code § 35551a limits how heavy a truck can be based on the number of axles and how far apart they are spaced on the truck’s chassis. When a truck exceeds its authorized weight, it is breaking the law and putting everyone on the roads at risk.
Truck owners, transportation companies, drivers, and cargo loaders know how much weight a truck can legally haul. When a truck carries too much weight, it is almost always a result of someone’s intentional or negligent act. Despite the legal and practical risks, trucks often haul more weight than they should.
When someone is hurt in a crash involving an overweight truck in Victorville, any parties that knew or should have known the truck was overloaded and presented a risk to the public could be liable for all or part of the damages. An attorney could bring claims against the transport company, the cargo loader, the driver, and any other parties whose negligence contributed to the crash.
Calculating Damages After an Overweight Truck Crash
When an overloaded truck causes losses to innocent people, the responsible parties are liable for damages. People injured in truck collisions often suffer significant or permanent injuries. Trucking companies carry commercial insurance policies with high coverage limits, and a severely injured person could secure a substantial verdict or settlement.
Compensation is available when a claimant’s attorney can prove another’s negligence was a direct cause of the losses. An injured person’s damages might include:
- Lost income
- Property damage to their vehicle and its contents
- Medical expenses
- Incidental costs such as household help, babysitting, and transportation to medical appointments
- Home renovations to accommodate an injured person’s disability
- Mental health treatment to cope with the trauma of the accident
- Compensation for pain, disability, disfigurement, lost enjoyment of life, other subjective impacts
Compensatory damages could also include the cost of future medical treatment and lost earning capacity when the injury prevents the injured person from returning to their job.
When a claimant shows another acted intentionally to harm or acted with callous disregard for others’ rights and safety, California Civil Code § 3294(a) allows them to seek punitive damages. Trucks are often overweight because a company puts profitability ahead of safety considerations. When a person suffers severe injuries due to that decision, a court might award punitive damages.
Contact a Victorville Attorney If an Overloaded/Overweight Truck Accident Harmed You
Truck accidents can cause devastating physical injuries and substantial emotional trauma. When a truck accident happens because the truck was overweight, the people who knew the risk should bear the burden of their decision.
When you suffer injuries in an overloaded/overweight truck accident in Victorville, reach out to an attorney as soon as possible. With the help of a dedicated legal professional, you could receive compensation for your losses. Call today.
