Under federal law, a tractor-trailer can weigh a maximum of 80,000 pounds while traveling on interstate highways or otherwise crossing state lines. Pennsylvania law broadly puts the same restrictions on trucks traveling in-state. That might sound like an incomprehensible amount of weight to you, and it is—but to a less than honest trucking company, it may not be enough weight to get their cargo where they want it quickly and cheaply.
Because of that, some trucking companies intentionally overload their trucks and break the law by doing so. As you may have unfortunately learned, that can significantly increase the risk of their truck drivers getting into avoidable and serious crashes. If you’ve been injured in an overloaded/overweight truck accident in York, our seasoned attorneys can help you take legal action against the trucking company responsible for the harm you’ve unjustly experienced. Call us today to speak with a respected tractor-trailer collision lawyer about your case.
Why Is Suing After an Overweight Truck Crash So Complicated?
It’s rare for any kind of personal injury lawsuit to be simple, especially one built around a collision between a massive tractor-trailer and a comparatively much smaller commuter car. However, overloaded truck accident lawsuits in York and throughout Pennsylvania tend to be uniquely challenging for one reason: the trucking companies that put overweight trucks on the road usually know exactly what they’re doing, and they’re not afraid to break the law for their own financial gain.
What that means is that it’s often very hard to get dependable information after this sort of incident about exactly what cargo a truck was carrying, how heavy it was, and who signed off on it starting a trip while illegally overweight. Trucking companies that are already acting illegally are usually willing to break the law even more by hiding or even destroying key evidence, so getting help from a skilled attorney quickly after a wreck can be important to finding and preserving the information you’ll need.
Getting Paid Fairly Within Filing Time Limits
Legal counsel can help you recover for every form of harm an overloaded truck crash in York has already caused you and is likely to cause you in the future. While every claim is different and not all claims will need to account for the exact same things, examples of “damages” that often factor into cases like this include:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional anguish and trauma
- Loss of life’s pleasures
- Short-term and long-term medical bills
- Lost work wages or working ability
- Personal property damage
Notably, you generally only have two years after initially getting hurt to file suit in the state of Pennsylvania. This is another reason why contacting an experienced lawyer should be a top priority after getting hurt in a wreck you weren’t responsible for.
Consider Working With a York Attorney on Your Overloaded/Overweight Truck Accident Claim
Trucks that are illegally overweight are more likely to break down, harder for their drivers to control, and capable of causing serious harm to any vehicle or person they come into contact with. Put simply, they are illegal for very good reasons, and any trucking company that intentionally or unintentionally puts an overloaded truck on the road should be held accountable for the harm their misconduct causes any other person.
Taking action over an overloaded/overweight truck accident in York will be much easier with a skilled legal professional on your side. Call Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers today to discuss your legal rights.
