There are a number of potential causes that could lead to a commercial trucking accident, but one that often goes overlooked is the possibility that the truck was loaded past its carrying capacity. An overloaded truck represents a danger not just to the driver, but also to everyone else on the road with the 18-wheeler.

If you’ve been injured in a semi-truck accident and suspect that an overloaded truck was to blame, you deserve to be compensated by everyone responsible for the negligent cargo situation. A Salt Lake City overloaded truck accident lawyer from Craig Swapp & Associates can help you prove the truck’s weight, who was responsible, and why you deserve to be compensated for your injuries and losses.

 

Why Is a Cargo Overload Dangerous?

Trucks have restrictions on how much weight they can carry for a number of reasons. For one, an 18-wheeler that is overloaded is at serious risk for a tire blowout. When this happens, the trucker might lose control of the vehicle, potentially jackknifing or worse. Anyone near the tractor-trailer when the blowout occurs is at serious risk for injury.

Another reason is that an overloaded trailer can make it difficult to steer and control the big rig. For that matter, it can be difficult to stop in time, especially while going downhill. Much like with the tire blowout, this could lead to a situation that causes the brakes to fail, which would prove disastrous for anyone in front of the semi.

 

Who’s Responsible for an Overload?

Multiple parties could be responsible for an overloaded commercial truck, further complicating your injury claim. As Utah observes comparative negligence, each party is financially liable for a portion of the damages that is in proportion to their percentage of fault. This means that in order to recover full compensation, you’ll need to identify and name each at-fault party in your claim.

With an overload, the team who loaded the cargo is the obvious place to start. These workers may or may not be employees of the cargo’s owner. If the trucker was aware of the cargo weight and failed to address it, or if the trucker should have been aware of the cargo’s weight, then he or she might also bear some of the fault. Likewise with the trucking company, especially if they were encouraging the workers to load the truck past its weight limit with the goal of squeezing more profits out of each haul.

 

Connect with a Salt Lake City Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer

If an overloaded semi-truck caused an accident that left you injured, you have the option to seek financial compensation for your damages and losses. Craig Swapp & Associates has a deep understanding of truck accident law and the practical experience to put that knowledge to use.

Schedule a free consultation to discover how we can help you get the funds you are entitled to from the at-fault party. Just call 1-800-404-9000 or reach us through the online contact form below.