Delaware Truck Accidents Caused by Overloaded Commercial Trucks

Experienced injury attorneys protecting the rights of those injured in truck accidents in and around Wilmington, Newark and Seaford, DE

You have most likely experienced feelings of dread when an 18-wheeler is barreling down the highway making you feel unprotected in your small, passenger vehicle. Big trucks seem like a nuisance sometimes, but when a large, commercial truck is overweight, or overloaded, it creates the conditions for a terrible accident to occur. Truck drivers are professionals, and they are responsible for knowing the weight of their load when they head out on the highway. The weight of the load of a large, commercial truck will have a negative impact on its stopping distance, and the truck’s maneuverability. Overweight trucks can cause significant damage to the roadways, and overloaded trucks with cargo that is not properly secured can cause a truck accident and injuries if any of the cargo should break free and become a projectile on the highway.

At the injury law firm of Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, we have a firm grasp of the complexities involved with investigating truck accidents caused by overweight or overloaded trucks. We investigate the accident and we determine who may be at fault. In many cases the fault may lie with multiple parties from the driver to the trucking company, to the company that owns the cargo. From our Delaware offices in Wilmington, Newark, and Seaford, we work diligently to obtain justice in the form of fair compensation when you have been injured due to the negligence of another.

Accidents from overweight and overloaded trucks

A commercial truck is already huge and heavy when it is empty, but the more weight it carries, the harder it is to stop the truck. It is also more difficult to maneuver up steep grades, and it is hard on the brakes when it is traveling down a long hill. The government has established cargo load limits in order to keep the rest of the traveling public safe by making sure that drivers have full control over these massive trucks that can cause significant injury and death to the innocent occupants of passenger vehicles.

Overweight trucks can cause truck tires to blowout causing an accident, and they tend to have a higher center of gravity which can make them prone to tipping over. Federal regulations dictate that a truck’s cargo must be secured properly so that nothing leaks out or falls off creating debris in the road that can cause an accident.

The occupants in passenger cars that must share the road with large, commercial trucks can receive severe injuries in a truck accident from broken bones, amputations, spinal injuries and burns to traumatic brain injury, paralysis, and other catastrophic injuries.

Federal load limits for commercial trucks

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) promulgates the size and weight regulations for commercial vehicles. Each state establishes vehicle height and weight limits. For Delaware, the height and weight limits for commercial trucks can be found in Chapter 45, Title 21 of the Delaware Code.

How a truck accident attorney can help when you have been injured

Dealing with the aftermath of a truck accident can be complicated and confusing. When you have the support of an experienced truck accident attorney from the law firm of Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, you can set your worries about your case aside and focus on healing because we take on the legal burden on your behalf. We investigate the accident, determine the cause, and figure out who is liable for your injuries and losses. We fight for the best compensation possible whether through a settlement or litigation.

We protect your rights to fair compensation after an injury in a truck accident

If you have been injured in a truck accident caused by an overloaded truck, the knowledgeable attorneys at Silverman, McDonald & Friedman will fight to protect your legal rights. Our legal team will fight for the best settlement or verdict possible on your behalf. Please call us at 302-888-2900 or complete our contact form to schedule a consultation. We serve clients from our offices in Wilmington, Newark and Seaford, Delaware for your convenience.