(864) 582-0416 Large trucks, like 18-wheelers or semitrailers, transport goods all over the country, with drivers covering mile after mile to deliver cargo from distribution centers, ports, and airports. Any given truck can become overloaded with cargo and can become a greater accident risk than normal.
With the presence of a few larger interstate highways, such as I-26 and I-85, overloaded/overweight truck accidents in Spartanburg can endanger many drivers at once. If an overloaded or overweight truck causes an accident and you or a loved one are harmed, you should reach out to an attorney to help you file a legal claim for your injuries. Call Holland & Usry today for a free* case review.
All vehicles rely on a frame and the physics of a center of gravity to remain upright while in motion, allowing an engine to produce horsepower to the tires with control. As a vehicle gets larger, control becomes more difficult to maintain, and taller vehicles, in particular, raise the center of gravity higher off the ground.
A truck loaded with cargo can have a high center of gravity and will move with more force than an empty truck, making it harder to control and requiring more time and distance to slow down or stop. As much as truck drivers receive training to drive with a commercial license and might have experience operating their vehicle, an overloaded truck can be too difficult to manage safely.
Excess weight on a truck can also challenge the mechanics of the truck itself beyond the driver’s immediate control, such as by wearing out braking systems faster than usual. Part of understanding an overloaded/overweight truck accident is determining who is responsible for the extra cargo, such as the driver and their trucking company; a Spartanburg attorney can investigate who should be held liable for your injuries.
A truck that is so overloaded that it cannot be controlled can end up crashing into the back of another vehicle, end up jackknifing and sliding, or even rolling over onto other vehicles. As a result, the people surrounding such a truck can suffer serious injuries.
These injuries can threaten life and limb and can land you in the hospital and in need of care for months or even years after a crash. Traumatic brain injuries and nerve damage to the spinal cord can reduce your ability to govern your own body and live your life. Major injuries to your bones and internal organs can incapacitate you in many ways. Even less serious injuries, such as lacerations and bruises, can cause pain and trauma alongside more severe damage.
Injuries can become the basis for a compensation claim once translated into legal damages. Damages can include:
Expressing your injuries as damages in an overloaded/overweight truck accident claim is another part of how an attorney can assist you; a lawyer from Holland & Usry has experience handling Spartanburg injury claims and can properly estimate your damages and take action to prove them. For example, they can find a medical expert or a financial expert to show how your injuries have created and will create large costs now and well into the future.
As carefully as you might drive your own car, you still might not be able to avoid a wreck caused by an overloaded truck. A truck traveling with an unsafe amount of cargo can suddenly change your life by causing injuries, and you should have the opportunity to recover.
At Holland & Usry, we can develop and support claims based on overloaded/overweight truck accidents in Spartanburg. Contact us today for a free* case review and learn more about what compensation you may be entitled to.
