Tractor-trailers tend to be the heaviest vehicles on any road, even when they’re empty. When they’re loaded with cargo, the difference between their weight and the weight of other veiles is measurable in tens of thousands of pounds. Federal and state laws place very specific restrictions on how heavy a commercial truck can be, both for the safety of others around these massive vehicles and that of the professional drivers operating them.
A trucking company that inadvertently or knowingly puts an illegally heavy truck on the road may be responsible for any ensuing collision. When you are injured in an overloaded/overweight truck accident in Brentwood, a reliable truck accident lawyer at OnderLaw can help you pursue legal action to hold the negligent trucker or trucking company accountable for the harm they caused you. At OnderLaw, we’re not just on your side; we’re by your side.
The exact rules—and accordingly, the exact weight limits—applicable to tractor-trailers and other commercial vehicles change somewhat depending on what types of roads a particular truck will travel on and where their destination is. Federal regulations apply to trucks traveling across state lines or on interstate highways. In contrast, state-level laws govern trucks traveling within state lines and on state highways or local roads.
Under federal law, the maximum gross vehicle weight rating—the total weight across cargo, cab, and trailer combined—a single tractor-trailer can have is 80,000 pounds. Additionally, no truck can place more than 20,000 pounds of weight on a single axle, or more than 34,000 pounds of weight on one tandem axle group.
Missouri law likewise limits most trucks to a maximum gross vehicle weight rating of 80,000 pounds. However, trucking companies that apply for and are granted special permits may travel within state lines while carrying up to 160,000 pounds, provided they put no more than:
If you have any questions about these weight requirements or suspect your crash was caused by an overweight or overloaded truck, contact one of our experienced Brentwood attorneys at OnderLaw. We can help you seek justice.
Proving that a truck was overweight in a way that made it unsafe to operate can be harder in practice than you might expect. This is because many trucking companies that put overloaded trucks on the road know they’re breaking the law and will continue to hide their misconduct. With help from capable legal counsel, you can more effectively demand compensation for harm you suffered from an overloaded truck accident in Brentwood, including:
In some cases, the court may impose additional punitive damages against a trucking company that engaged in especially egregious negligence or intentional misconduct.
Any traffic accident involving a tractor-trailer is likely to cause serious injuries just based on the massive size and weight of the truck. A truck that is illegally overweight is exponentially more dangerous and more likely to end up crashing, making it especially vital to hold companies that violate federal and state weight limits responsible for their actions.
Filing a lawsuit over an overloaded/overweight truck accident in Brentwood could be much easier with support from one of our experienced truck accident lawyers. Call OnderLaw today to get the dedicated representation you deserve.
