Extensive federal and state laws dictate the use of large trucks like cement mixers, tankers, tractor-trailers, and box trucks. Among these rules that drivers and trucking companies must follow are restrictions on weight.
Despite the clear need to comply with trucking laws, some truckers and companies ignore these standards, putting other motorists and pedestrians at risk of injury. If you’ve been in an overloaded/overweight truck accident in Connecticut, you may be able to pursue financial compensation for the harm you’ve suffered. The truck accident attorneys at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, have over a century of combined experience helping injured clients seek justice and fair compensation for their injuries. Contact us today to schedule a free in-person or virtual consultation.
Federal law dictates that large trucks cannot exceed 80,000 pounds in gross vehicle weight when traveling on interstate highways. There are also length and width standards set by the Federal government. In addition to these federal rules, Connecticut law also outlines how much weight a truck can carry based on the number of axles it has.
The Connecticut Commissioner of Transportation may grant truck drivers a permit for transporting loads that exceed the statutory limits. These permits may also restrict the roads on which a truck can travel, the maximum speed limit for the truck while carrying the excess weight, and the times that the truck can travel. Even in cases when a Connecticut trucker has a permit for an overloaded or overweight truck, they must still follow specific rules for transporting their cargo safely.
When Connecticut truck drivers ignore federal and state laws, they create an unnecessary risk for everyone on the road. Large trucks are already heavier than other vehicles on the road, and this is especially pronounced when they are overloaded with cargo. Trucks that are over the legal weight limit can experience:
If the truck driver that caused your accident was operating an overloaded truck without a permit, or they violated the terms of their overweight permit, you may be able to hold them liable for the harm they caused you. Financial compensation in overloaded/overweight truck accident cases is referred to as damages, and in Connecticut, injured parties have the right to seek economic and non-economic damages, including:
Obtaining fair compensation after a truck accident requires assistance from an experienced attorney. The many components of commercial truck accidents – multiple insurance companies, various policy limits, extensive legal considerations, catastrophic injuries – mean that navigating complex injury cases can seem impossible without help.
Whether you hope to settle your claim outside of court or pursue litigation, having an attorney is crucial to the success of your case.
At D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, we use our 100+ years of combined experience to help our clients fight for the compensation they need to get on the road to recovery. We promise that we will give our clients unwavering commitment to their cases. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation after an overloaded/overweight truck accident in Connecticut.
