We all know that driving your car on the highway can be a chore, but when you add the presence of poor weather conditions, large trucks, extra cars during rush hour, drivers using their cell phones, road construction, and police monitoring, then your daily commute can be a true challenge to your sanity and safety.

Any of these typical, expected circumstances during your travels could lead to a car accident or truck accident.  However, some accidents occur because of human errors that took place before anyone got behind the wheel.

Overloaded trucks, unsecured loads, falling debris, and load shifts each trace back to mistakes made during the loading process, and they can all lead to catastrophic accidents.  If a trailer is loaded with the wrong type of cargo, the wrong amount of cargo, unsecure cargo, or unbalanced cargo, a rollover accident can occur when the load shifts.  If the load on a flatbed or open-topped truck is unsecure, it could result in falling debris and a trail of hazardous obstacles left on the highway.  Overloaded trucks are also more difficult to maneuver, go slower uphill, go faster downhill, damage roads with their weight, and take longer to stop.

A truck rollover or falling debris situation on the highway can lead to injuries, fatalities, and severe property damage.  The truck driver who failed to adequately inspect the cargo is not the only party at fault; the trucking company who helped to load and secure the freight should also be held accountable for the accident.    

No one wants to be responsible for a car or truck accident, but the risky practice of overloading trucks still occurs because truck drivers and trucking companies may seek to transport more cargo in fewer trips to keep costs down and profits up.  Federal and Texas state laws seek to regulate the weight of commercial trucks, and a driver or company that violates these regulations can be held liable for damages, injuries, or wrongful death when an accident occurs.

The attorneys at the McMinn Law Firm have expertise in conducting truck accident investigations.  With our knowledge of trucking regulations and our ability to conduct a thorough review of the maintenance reports, driver’s log entries, and loading records for the truck, we can provide you with the experienced legal counsel that you need.  If you have been in a car accident involving a truck, contact the McMinn Law Firm as soon as possible to seek your rightful compensation.