Federal law restricts how much commercial trucks traveling on interstate highways can weigh and how much weight they can place on individual axles; Missouri imposes similar restrictions for in-state roads. Any truck driver or trucking company that puts an overweight truck on the road is not just breaking the law—but also putting every other driver, passenger, and pedestrian around that truck at risk of catastrophic harm.
If you believe a traffic accident you were involved in stemmed from a commercial truck weighing more than it was permitted by law, you have important legal rights—and our reliable tractor-trailer collision attorneys can help you enforce them. Litigation involving overloaded/overweight truck accidents in Creve Coeur can be uniquely complex. Our legal team at OnderLaw can lift the burden of taking on a lawsuit from your shoulders so that you can focus on taking back your life.
Under federal law, the most a truck traveling across state lines on interstate highways can legally weigh is 80,000 pounds across its cab, trailer, and cargo combined. Unless they have a special permit and comply with strict additional rules, trucks traveling within Missouri’s borders exclusively on state roads and highways must follow the same weight limit rules. This might make it sound like filing suit over an overweight truck accident in Creve Coeur is as simple as weighing the truck involved and finishing some paperwork, but unfortunately, that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Trucking companies that overload their trucks generally know very well that they’re breaking the law and putting other people in danger. They’re often more than willing to break the law repeatedly to hide what they’ve done after a serious accident. Healing physical and emotional wounds is hard enough. Sorting through potentially doctored shipping logs and manifests, piecing together documentary and circumstantial evidence, and creating a comprehensive picture of what actually happened can be next to impossible without guidance from qualified legal professionals who know exactly how to handle this specific type of case.
Another big reason why retaining legal counsel can be so vital to achieving success from a civil case built around an overloaded truck wreck in Creve Coeur is the fact that Missouri state law puts roadblocks along every step of your path to recovery.
For example, Missouri recognizes what’s called comparative fault. This means that an injured person can be found partially at fault for causing their injury because of their own negligence. For example, if the court finds you are 40 percent liable for your injury due to something you allegedly did, you would lose 40 percent of the compensation award. Defendants and insurance companies will do everything possible to take advantage of that, including contriving possible scenarios or using your own words out of context against you.
In addition, Missouri Revised Statutes § 516.120 sets a hard deadline of five years after a personal injury of any kind occurs for the injured person to file suit. This window of time can run out shockingly fast while you’re dealing with serious injuries and the losses that come with them. A common tactic insurance companies use is to delay your claim until after the statute of limitations has expired. Unfortunately, if this deadline expires before you can build a strong claim, you won’t get a second chance to ever seek compensation. Time really is of the essence. If you retain our trusted lawyers at OnderLaw right away, we won’t let this happen.
Taking action against an irresponsible or law-breaking trucking company is often the only way you can be paid fairly for all your crash-related losses—but to do so by yourself is to risk your own financial recovery.
The dedicated and compassionate lawyers at OnderLaw are here to help. We stand with you, by your side, every step of the way. We protect your rights so that you can move on with your life. Call today for a free consultation with one of our committed legal professionals.
