Bronx Overweight Trucks Injury

Any accident involving a large commercial truck such as a tractor trailer, tank truck, or dump truck has the potential to cause serious injuries. However, when the accident involves a truck that is overweight, the consequences may be even more severe. When a truck is over its weight limit based on federal and state standards, there is a greater risk of a tire blowout, brake failure or rollover crash. In addition, oftentimes overweight trucks are overloaded with improperly secured cargo, leading to falling debris that may lead to accidents. Victims of truck accidents often suffer serious injuries such as a brain injury, contusions, broken bones, internal injuries, amputations, paralysis, or spinal cord injury. Many truck accidents are fatal. If you were injured in a truck accident caused by a brake failure, it is important that you immediately contact a Bronx Overweight Trucks Injury Lawyer as you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering through a personal injury claim. In addition, if while treating you for your injuries your doctor is negligent, resulting in a medical malpractice claim, the truck driver may be legally required to compensate you for that as well. This is th e case even if your injuries were due to a car accident, motorcycle accident, or some other type of accident.

Problems Caused by Overweight or Overloaded Trucks

Not only are trucks not permitted to carry more weight than the GVWR permits, with few exceptions on interstate highways, trucks must not exceed a GVWR of 80,000 pounds. In order for a truck to operate effectively and safely, it must not be overweight.

Speed changes. An overweight truck is likely to move faster going downhill and braking may be more difficult. Similarly, an overweight truck may have a decreased speed going uphill.
Prone to rollover. An overweight truck will be more prone to rollover.
Difficult to steer. The driver of an overweight truck may find it difficult to steer.
Cargo shifting. Cargo of an overweight truck is more likely to shift. Statistics shows that each year approximately 11% of truck collisions resulted from cargo shifts.
Tire blowouts. The tires of an overweight truck are more likely to blowout.
Brake failure. Too much weight can cause brake failure.
Damage to roads. Overweight trucks may be too heavy for certain roads, bridges, and overpasses, causing damage to these structures. A damaged road, bridge or overpass is will lead to an unsafe condition for other drivers and pedestrians.

Any of these problems that can be caused by a truck being overweight can cause the driver to have less control over the vehicle, resulting in collisions. Because it is a violation of the law to drive a truck that is overweight, if an overweight truck is involved in an accident, there may be a presumption that the truck driver and the trucking company were negligent.

Pursuing a Claim for an Overweight Truck Accident

Truck accidents can be devastating to a victim as well as to the victim’s family. Because of the size and weight of large trucks, even low-impact, low-speed accidents can have catastrophic results. Truck accidents can lead to devastating injuries such as a spinal cord injury, broken bones, brain injury, amputation, paralysis, and all too often, death. Through a personal injury lawsuit, New York law allows you to hold the negligent party responsible for the losses you suffered. Victims who suffer serious injuries in truck accidents have significant medical bills. In addition, because victims of serious injuries often have to miss a great deal of work or are unable to return to work at all, victims have the right to sue for lost wages and loss of earning capacity. If a family member was killed in a truck accident, you may be able to pursue damages in a wrongful death lawsuit.

Bronx Overweight Trucks Injury Lawyer

If you were involved in a truck accident that occurred because the truck was overloaded, it is important to immediately contact an experienced truck accident attorney at Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC to discuss the details of your case. Our staff is experienced in handling claims resulting from truck accidents, as well as SUV accidents, car accidents, and motorcycle accidents. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case.