Overloaded/Overweight Truck Accidents in Hutto
Under federal law, commercial trucks can weight a maximum of 80,000 pounds while traveling on interstate highways, with fairly similar laws applying to trucks traveling on state highways and local roads. Aside from being illegal, driving an overloaded truck is exceptionally dangerous both to the person driving the truck and to everyone on the road around them.
If you were injured in a traffic accident caused by an overloaded or overweight truck, you may have to navigate a complicated legal process to collect the compensation you deserve. Therefore, having help from a knowledgeable truck accident attorney can be vital to building the strongest possible claim, identifying all recoverable losses, and getting the positive case result you want. Overloaded/overweight truck accidents in Hutto deserve the best representation, so prioritize working with our experienced team.
Who Is Liable for an Overloaded Truck Crash?
Unlike many other types of truck accidents, individual truck drivers are almost never the primary parties at fault for overloaded truck crashes in Hutto. While truck drivers certainly have the same duty as every other driver to obey applicable laws and act responsibly while driving, they do not always have a say in exactly what they are hauling nor are they always involved in the process of loading and securing cargo prior to transit.
Instead, fault for wrecks like this often lies with the company that either directly ordered or implicitly allowed the truck to be overloaded in violation of federal law. Alternatively, liability may lie partially or primarily with a third-party supplier that put too much cargo into a trailer or failed to properly secure cargo before transit.
Unfortunately, proving that a truck was overweight and demonstrating that the truck’s owner knew it was overloaded can be exceptionally complicated, requiring evidence from multiple sources. Thankfully, a dedicated and detail-oriented legal representative can help with hunting down, preserving, and incorporating this evidence into a compelling civil claim.
Recovering for Both Past and Future Damages
All commercial trucks are heavy enough to cause catastrophic harm to the occupants of any commuter car they come into contact with, and overloading a truck just exacerbates the risk of serious injuries. Because of this, it can be especially important when filing suit over an overloaded truck accident in Hutto to demand compensation for both short-term and long-term forms of harm that accident-related injuries will lead to, including:
- Emergency medical expenses, plus expected costs of future care
- Lost work income and/or ability to work
- Car repair/replacement costs, plus related expenses like rental car fees
- Physical discomfort and pain
- Emotional and psychological distress
- Lost enjoyment of life
Once again, guidance from capable legal counsel can be essential to identifying, valuating, and proactively demanding compensation for all available losses.
Contact a Hutto Attorney for Help After an Overloaded/Overweight Truck Accident
Overloading a truck makes it much harder for even highly trained and skillful drivers to keep under control, and that unfortunately means it increases the risk of a serious accident. When collisions occur because of overweight trucks, though, anyone injured as a direct result generally has grounds to pursue civil restitution for the harm unfairly done to them.
Anyone dealing with severe injuries and losses following overloaded/overweight truck accidents in Hutto should make speaking with legal counsel one of their top priorities. Schedule a consultation by calling today.
