A fully loaded tractor-trailer may weigh as much as forty tons making it an extremely dangerous weapon in the hands of an inexperienced or careless driver. The massive weight of a tractor-trailer makes it less responsive and much more likely to cause serious collisions that may result in permanent debilitating injuries. Despite the inherent risk associated with these heavy vehicles, the pressure to increase profits sometimes entices trucking companies to overload tractor-trailers. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration promulgates regulations regarding safe loads and the maximum weight of tractor-trailers. Tractor-trailers are subject to periodic inspection and are equipped with a data recorder that can be used to determine that a vehicle is overloaded.
There are a number of specific ways that overloading a tractor-trailer may contribute to a collision. Many tractor-trailer accidents are caused by brake malfunction or failure. When a tractor-trailer is overloaded it puts more stress on the brakes and creates a greater likelihood that brake will fail. The increased weight also increases the distance that a tractor-trailer needs to stop to avoid a collision and makes it more difficult to maneuver to avoid an obstacle. A tractor-trailer that is overloaded is also difficult to control when descending from an incline. An overloaded truck also increases the probability of tire blowouts that play a factor in many commercial trucking accidents.
The enormous mass of an overloaded truck often causes fatal collisions or catastrophic injuries like spinal cord injuries, traumatic head injuries, broken bones, internal organ damage and amputation injuries. The financial costs associated with medical treatment for severe injuries like these can financially cripple a family. If the family member who is injured in a tractor-trailer collision with an overloaded truck is a primary wage earner, a personal injury recovery may be necessary for a family to maintain its standard of living.
If you or close family member is injured in a Mississippi tractor-trailer collision, the experienced trucking lawyers at Barrett Law have the experience and knowledge of trucking industry regulations and customs. We understand the tactics used by trucking companies to avoid liability and work diligently to obtain the compensation that our trucking accident injury clients need to move past their accident. The experienced Mississippi tractor-trailer attorneys at Barrett Law have been providing tenacious representation to trucking accident victims for over 75 years. We provide diligent legal representation and impassioned advocacy so we invite you to call us today at 662-834-2376 to learn how we can help.