Overloaded/Overweight Truck Accidents in Columbus

At The Law Firm for Truck Safety, we have seen firsthand the devastation that overweight and overloaded tractor-trailers can cause on Ohio’s roads. These massive vehicles handle very differently from passenger cars, and when they exceed legal weight limits, the risks only increase. Excess cargo can make a truck harder to steer, slow down, or stop safely, creating a danger to everyone nearby.

Unfortunately, some trucking companies cut corners in how they load and operate their fleets, putting profits over public safety. Our experienced truck accident lawyers investigate every detail of these crashes, from the load’s weight and distribution to whether the company has a history of running overweight trucks, to hold negligent carriers accountable and pursue full compensation for our clients.

Reach out to our team if you or your loved one were injured or killed in an overloaded/overweight truck accident in Columbus.

What Is the Legal Weight Limit for Trucks?

Under regulations set and enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)The U.S. federal agency that regulates the trucking industry., commercial tractor-trailers cannot travel on the interstate highway system or otherwise cross state lines with a gross vehicle weight rating over 80,000 pounds. Additionally, a single axle should not hold more than 20,000 pounds of weight, and a tandem axle group no more than 34,000 pounds, assuming even distribution of the total gross vehicle weight rating across all of the truck’s axles and axle groups.

In Ohio, truck weight limits, which apply to trucks on routes that remain entirely within the state’s borders, allow slightly higher maximum weights for single axles and different types of tandem axle groups compared to the federal limits. State authorities also allow trucking companies to apply for special permits, which allow them to transport oversized loads over certain pre-approved routes within state lines. We can assist you in determining whether the truck involved in your collision exceeded the legal loading and weight limits in Columbus.

Holding the Right People Accountable for Overloading a Truck

Individual truck drivers rarely independently decide to carry more cargo in their trailers than the law allows. More often, crashes involving overloaded or overweight vehicles in Columbus are the result of trucking company managers and owners prioritizing profits over safety. Unfortunately, these companies will often continue to break the law until one of their vehicles is involved in an accident.

Beyond establishing whether a truck exceeded legal load limits, we can help establish fault by tracing the decision to overload the vehicle back to the specific person or group of people who knowingly chose to break the law. If necessary, we can help identify where trucking companies may have altered key pieces of evidence, such as shipping manifests and driving logs, to conceal the fact that particular trucks were over the legal weight limit.

Talk to an Attorney About an Overloaded or Overweight Vehicle Collision Lawsuit in Columbus

Carrying too much weight on a truck not only makes it harder for the driver to control but also generates more force during a collision. This means that overloaded/overweight truck accidents in Columbus are more likely to cause serious injuries to the people involved.

At The Law Firm for Truck Safety, we take a holistic approach to financial restitution for the serious harm you may have suffered due to a trucking company’s inexcusable and unlawful acts. We work tirelessly on behalf of you and your family to help you recover damagesIn a civil lawsuit, money designed to compensate an injured person. This includes economic damages (measurable financial loss like medical expenses) and non-economic damages (categories like pain and suffering or loss of love.) for your injuries and to ensure that other families do not have to suffer in the future. Call our office for a confidential consultation today.