Every year, truck accidents occur throughout Maryland’s highways and roads, causing devastating injuries and even fatalities. Truck accidents in Maryland involving overloaded trucks are particularly dangerous.
When commercial trucks carry weight beyond federal regulations limits, they become hazardous weapons on the road, putting everyone at risk and necessitating an overloaded truck accident attorney in Maryland.
At Zirkin & Schmerling Injury Lawyers, our Maryland truck accident lawyer team understands the complexities of these cases and the severe impact they have on truck accident victims. As experienced Baltimore truck accident lawyers, we help victims of truck accidents navigate the challenging path to compensation. Contact us at 410-753-4611.
How a Maryland Overloaded Truck Accident Attorney Can Help You
When you’re recovering from injuries sustained in a truck crash, dealing with insurance companies and complex legal matters is the last thing you need. A truck accident lawyer can be your advocate during this difficult time.
A Maryland truck accident lawyer from our firm can help you:
- Investigate the truck accident to determine if the truck was carrying excessive weight
- Identify all potentially liable parties, including truck drivers, trucking companies, loading companies, and others
- Gather critical evidence from the truck accident before it disappears, including weigh station records, driver logs, and maintenance records
- Calculate the full extent of your damages, including medical expenses, medical bills, pain and suffering, and future care needs
- Negotiate with insurance companies to seek compensation that truly reflects your losses
- Represent you in court if a fair settlement cannot be reached after the truck accident
Many truck accidents result in catastrophic injuries that require extensive medical treatment. Our Baltimore truck accident lawyer team understands how to build strong truck accident cases that account for both your current and future needs.
Weight Restrictions for Maryland Semi-Trucks and Why They Exist
Maryland, like all states, has strict weight limits for commercial trucks and tractor trailers. These regulations aren’t arbitrary – they exist to protect everyone on the road, including the truck drivers themselves, and to prevent truck accidents.
The federal regulations governing weight restrictions include:
- Maximum gross vehicle weight of 80,000 pounds on interstate highways
- Individual axle weight limits (typically 20,000 pounds for a single axle)
- Bridge formula calculations that determine safe weight distribution
When trucking companies or commercial truck drivers ignore these restrictions, they put everyone at risk. Causes of truck accidents often include operating overloaded trucks, which are significantly more dangerous than properly loaded ones, making these limits a critical safety measure for trucking companies.
Why Safe Driving is a Challenge for an Overloaded Truck
When a semi truck carries excess weight, it transforms how the vehicle handles on the road. Even the most experienced driver with a commercial driver’s license will struggle to safely operate an overweight vehicle.
Some of the most significant challenges include:
- Increased stopping distance: An overloaded truck requires much more distance to come to a complete stop. When a truck hits smaller passenger vehicles, this stopping limitation can be fatal.
- Compromised steering: Excessive weight makes trucks less responsive to steering inputs, particularly in emergencies when quick maneuvers are needed.
- Greater risk of mechanical failure: Components like brakes and tires experience significantly more stress when carrying loads beyond their design capacity, increasing the chance of failures like tire blowouts.
- Reduced stability: Overweight loads raise the truck’s center of gravity, making rollover truck accidents and jackknife accidents more likely, especially on curves or during sudden maneuvers.
- Driver fatigue: Operating an overloaded truck requires more physical and mental effort, contributing to increased driver fatigue and potentially distracted driving.
These factors combine to make safe operation nearly impossible, putting both commercial vehicles and nearby vehicles at serious risk. Reckless driving decisions like overloading are among the common causes of truck accidents and often require a Maryland truck accident lawyer to ensure you recover compensation after truck accident injuries,
Damage an Overweight Load May Cause the Truck
Beyond the immediate safety risks to others on the road, overloaded trucks often sustain significant damage themselves. This damage can further contribute to serious accident risks and represents another form of negligence in the trucking industry.
Common types of truck damage from overloading include:
- Brake failures: Extra weight causes brakes to wear down faster and overheat during use, potentially leading to complete brake failure.
- Tire blowouts: The additional pressure placed on tires from overweight loads significantly increases the risk of catastrophic tire failures, which often leads to the driver losing control.
- Suspension damage: Truck suspension systems are designed for specific weight ranges. Exceeding these limits can cause components to break or wear prematurely.
- Axle damage: Overloading places enormous stress on axles, which can bend or break under extreme weight.
When improper maintenance combines with overloading practices, the risk multiplies. Serious truck accidents can occur when mechanical issues compound the already dangerous situation of overweight loads.
Why Overloaded Trucks Increase the Risk of Rear-End Accidents
Among the most common truck accident injuries are those sustained in rear-end collisions. Overloaded trucks are particularly prone to causing these types of crashes.
An overweight truck is substantially more likely to cause a rear-end collision because:
- Extended stopping distance: When a truck driver needs to brake suddenly, an overloaded truck may require up to 40% more distance to stop compared to properly loaded vehicles, increasing the risk of a car accident in which victims sustain neck injuries and spinal cord injuries.
- Brake overheating: The excessive demands placed on braking systems can cause them to overheat and lose effectiveness, particularly on long downhill stretches.
- Increased momentum: The physics are simple—more mass equals more momentum, making it harder to slow down when traffic conditions change suddenly, increasing the likelihood of a truck crash.
- Reduced driver reaction time: The added stress of a heavy truck can slow a driver’s response to changing road conditions.
Even at relatively low speeds, an overloaded commercial vehicle can cause devastating damage in a rear-end collision. This is one of the key causes of truck accidents that can be prevented with proper weight management.
What To Do Immediately After an Overloaded Truck Accident, and Later on
If you’re involved in an accident with a semi-truck or tractor trailer that you suspect may be overloaded, taking the right steps immediately after the incident and in the following days can significantly impact your ability to recover compensation.
Immediately After the Accident:
- Prioritize safety and medical attention: Move to a safe location if possible and seek medical care right away, even if injuries seem minor. Some serious injuries may not be immediately apparent.
- Contact law enforcement: Make sure police respond to the scene and create an official accident report. This documentation is crucial for your accident claim.
- Document everything: Take photos of all vehicles involved, the accident scene, road conditions, and any visible injuries. Note the truck’s company name, license plate, and any identification numbers.
- Gather witness information: Collect contact details from anyone who witnessed how the accident occurred.
- Avoid making statements about fault: Do not apologize or admit fault, as these statements may be used against you later.
In the Days Following:
- Follow all medical advice: Attend all appointments and follow your doctor’s treatment plan fully.
- Document your injuries and recovery: Keep a journal of your pain levels, limitations, and how your injuries affect daily life.
- Preserve evidence: Save all medical bills, proof of lost wages, and any other expenses related to the accident.
- Avoid speaking with insurance adjusters: Refer all communication to your Maryland truck accident lawyer.
- Contact an experienced Baltimore truck accident lawyer: Reach out to a personal injury lawyer who specializes in truck accident cases as soon as possible.
Remember that trucking companies often dispatch investigators to the scene immediately after an accident occurs. They work quickly to build a defense against your claim, which is why having a Maryland truck accident lawyer is critical.
Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries You Can Receive from an Overloaded Truck Accident
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are among the most serious and life-altering injuries sustained in truck accidents. When an overloaded truck collides with a smaller vehicle, causing an auto accident, the immense force often results in severe head trauma for the occupants of the passenger vehicles.
Signs and Symptoms
TBIs can manifest in various ways, and symptoms may appear immediately or develop over time:
- Mild TBI symptoms: Headaches, confusion, dizziness, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, mood changes, and concentration difficulties
- Moderate to severe TBI symptoms: Persistent headache, repeated vomiting, seizures, inability to wake from sleep, pupil dilation, slurred speech, weakness in extremities, and loss of coordination
- Cognitive effects: Memory problems, attention deficits, difficulty with problem-solving, and impaired judgment
- Physical effects: Balance issues, sensory problems, sleep disturbances, and chronic pain
- Emotional effects: Depression, anxiety, personality changes, irritability, and mood swings
It’s crucial to seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms after a truck accident, as early intervention can significantly impact recovery outcomes.
Levels of Severity
Medical professionals typically classify TBIs into three categories:
- Mild TBI: Often called concussions, these injuries may cause temporary dysfunction of brain cells. Despite being classified as “mild,” these injuries can have serious and lasting effects.
- Moderate TBI: These injuries can result in longer periods of unconsciousness and more noticeable physical, cognitive, and behavioral changes that may persist for months or become permanent.
- Severe TBI: These catastrophic injuries often result in extended periods of unconsciousness, coma, or even vegetative states. They typically cause long-term or permanent impairments that fundamentally change a person’s life.
The severity of a TBI is often related to the force of impact, which explains why collisions with overweight trucks frequently result in the most serious brain injuries.
Outcomes
The long-term outcomes of TBIs from truck accidents vary widely:
- Some victims make a complete recovery with appropriate medical treatment and rehabilitation.
- Many experience lifelong impairments that require ongoing care and assistance.
- Some victims require round-the-clock care and are unable to return to work or independent living.
- The most severe cases may result in permanent vegetative states or death.
The medical expenses associated with TBIs and spinal cord injuries can be astronomical, often reaching into the millions over a lifetime. This is why having skilled personal injury attorneys who understand the full impact of these injuries and the pain and suffering associated with them, is essential when pursuing a truck accident claim.
Why Determining Liability in an Overloaded Truck Accident is Complicated
Establishing who is responsible for an accident involving an overloaded truck is often complex, as multiple parties may share liability. This complexity is one reason why working with experienced personal injury lawyers is crucial for accident victims.
Several parties may be held responsible in a truck accident in Maryland:
The truck driver: If they knowingly operated overweight or failed to verify the load weight
The trucking company: If they encouraged overloading practices or failed to implement proper weight verification procedures
Loading companies: If they improperly loaded the truck or failed to accurately weigh cargo
Cargo owners: If they misrepresented the weight of goods being transported
Maintenance providers: If they failed to ensure the truck could safely handle its intended loads
Government entities: In some cases, if they failed to enforce weight restrictions or maintain weigh stations
Determining liability requires a thorough investigation and expertise in both trucking regulations and personal injury law. Our Maryland truck accident attorneys have the knowledge and resources to identify all potentially responsible parties and hold them accountable.
When is the Truck Driver Liable for an Overloaded Truck?
While multiple parties may share responsibility, truck drivers have specific duties that can make them directly liable.
A truck driver may be held responsible when:
- They knowingly operated while overweight.
- They failed to verify the weight of their load before transport.
- They skipped required weigh stations to avoid detection of overloading.
- They falsified weight records or logbooks.
- They engaged in reckless driving, distracted driving, or other unsafe practices while operating an overloaded truck.
- Driver negligence contributed to the accident, in addition to the overloading issue
Commercial truck drivers have a professional responsibility to ensure their vehicles comply with all safety regulations, including weight restrictions. When they fail to uphold this duty and an accident occurs as a result, they can be held legally accountable for the damages.
However, in most cases, both the driver and their employer (the trucking company) will share liability, as employers are typically responsible for the actions of their employees while on the job.
Maryland’s Comparative Fault Law and How it Affects Your Total Compensation
Maryland follows a strict contributory negligence rule, which significantly impacts truck accident claims. Under this rule, if you are found to be even 1% responsible for the accident, you may be barred from recovering any compensation.
This harsh standard makes it especially important to work with knowledgeable Maryland truck accident attorneys who can:
- Build a strong case demonstrating that the truck driver and/or company was fully responsible for the accident
- Counter any allegations that you contributed to the crash
- Preserve and present evidence of regulatory violations
- Demonstrate how the weight of the truck directly caused or contributed to the accident
- Protect your right to compensation against aggressive defense tactics
The contributory negligence rule is just one reason why insurance companies fight so hard against truck accident claims in Maryland. They know that if they can assign even a small percentage of blame to you, they may avoid paying any compensation at all.
Our personal injury attorneys understand these tactics and know how to build cases that overcome these challenges, helping accident victims know their truck accident case worth and receive the compensation they deserve for injuries sustained in truck accidents.
Why You Need an Experienced Maryland Truck Accident Attorney
When you’ve been injured in a rollover accident or a jackknife truck crash, you’re up against powerful adversaries with extensive resources. Trucking companies and their insurers have teams of attorneys working to minimize their liability and reduce the compensation paid to truck accident victims.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident in Maryland, don’t wait to seek legal help. The sooner you contact a Maryland truck accident lawyer, the sooner we can begin preserving evidence and building your case.
At Zirkin & Schmerling Injury Lawyers, our truck accident lawyer team has extensive experience handling complex truck accident cases. Call us today at 410-753-4611 for a free consultation with an experienced truck accident lawyer. Our personal injury lawyers serve clients throughout Maryland, including Baltimore, Owings Mills, Pikesville, and surrounding areas.
Remember that there are strict time limits for filing truck accident claims in Maryland, so don’t delay in seeking the legal representation you deserve. Let our dedicated team help you navigate this challenging time and fight for the compensation you need to move forward.
