Overweight / Overloaded Trucks

Knoxville Truck Accident Attorney

Overloaded tractor-trailers can cause serious accidents that result in devastating and life-threatening injuries, particularly to the non-truck driver. Knoxville truck accident lawyer Mark C. Hartsoe is committed to helping you if you were injured in a tractor-trailer accident. Mr. Hartsoe has been representing victims in personal injury cases for over twenty years, and over the past ten years, has focused a large part of his practice on tractor-trailer accident cases. He understands the complex nature of these accidents, and knows the steps necessary to ensure that you seek the maximum recovery for your injuries. Contact our office today to discuss how we can help you.

Overweight / Overloaded Tractor-Trailer Accidents

Overweight or overloaded tractor-trailers pose a major threat to other motorists. Trucking companies are under pressure to deliver goods quickly and cheaply. They may resort to overloading tractor-trailers as a result. An overloaded truck may shift in weight during lane changes or other turns, causing a driver to lose control of the truck.

While an overloaded truck is itself a danger on the road, other factors increase the likelihood that overloading will cause a serious accident. A recent study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found several driver-related factors that contributed to tractor-trailer accidents, including:

  • Speeding
  • Failure to stay in the proper lane
  • Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
  • Inattentiveness

Any of these factors combined with an overloaded truck raises the odds that an accident will occur, and also increases the severity of the injuries that may result from it. Recent data from the U.S. Department of Transportation shows that while traffic fatalities overall have decreased, deaths in truck accidents have increased. According to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, there were over eighty deaths attributed to truck accidents in 2012 alone.

Liability and Compensation for Overloaded Tractor-Trailer Accidents

Tennessee law dictates the gross weight for trucks and tractor-trailers in the state. Several state and federal regulations also outline the proper procedures for safe loading of tractor-trailers. Despite the law, tractor-trailers are often still overloaded in an effort to deliver materials as quickly and cheaply as possible.

In the case of tractor-trailers, several parties must exercise a duty of care when they operate the vehicle and load materials onto the trucks. If an overloaded tractor-trailer gets into an accident, a victim of the accident must show that a party:

  • Owed a duty of care;
  • Breached that duty; and
  • Caused injuries as a result of his or her breach.

Depending on who breached their duty, a victim may have a claim against more than one party. For example, the driver may be accountable for injuries if he was negligent in operating the vehicle. The driver’s employer may be liable if it overloaded the truck. Sometimes another party is responsible for loading, in which case, an accident victim would have a claim against that person or entity. It is also important to determine what insurance coverage any of the responsible parties may have, as this is a key potential source of recovery.

Given the special complexity of commercial truck accident cases, it is crucial that you retain an attorney with experience in this area. Truck accident investigation differs from car accident investigation in terms of the kind of evidence that must be collected (e.g. trucking logs), the multiple parties it must be sought from, and the expert analysis that may be involved in determining and proving the cause of the accident.

Compensation and Recovery

Tractor-trailer accidents can result in serious injuries that require extensive medical care. If you were involved in a tractor-trailer accident, you may be able to recover damages for your injuries and lost income from the person or entity responsible for the accident. Since more than one person or entity may be liable, it is crucial to gather all the facts and relevant evidence quickly and thoroughly to determine who is at fault.

If your relative was involved in a fatal tractor-trailer accident, you may file a wrongful death claim against the parties whose negligent actions caused his or her death. You can potentially recover for funeral expenses, medical bills, and loss of companionship.

Committed to Helping You

Knoxville personal injury attorney Mark C. Hartsoe has handled numerous truck accident cases over the span of his decades-long career. He understands the complexity of these cases, and is prepared to act promptly to safeguard your rights. Mr. Hartsoe can go to the scene of the accident to gather information, interview witnesses, and fight to hold the proper parties accountable for your injuries. If you were injured in a tractor-trailer accident, call us today at 865-804-1011 or contact us online for a free consultation.

Client Reviews
★★★★★
I was on my way to Atlanta and a huge truck rear-ended me and knocked me off the side of the road. I was scared. Didn’t know what to do. I tried working with the insurance company. They are just difficult to work with. I had to call somebody to take care of me. So, My brother told me to call Mark Hartsoe. As soon as I called Mark Hartsoe, he let me know real quick that everything was going to be okay and that he would take care of everything. And, he did. He got me a great settlement. He took the worry off of me. Mickey Anderson
★★★★★
I was hit coming home late at night by a drunk driver who took off. And the next day I was able to track down his vehicle and get the state police involved. At that point, a family friend recommended that I talk to Mark Hartsoe. Pretty much at that point, Mark handled the police, the insurance company and the guy who hit me. Settled with the actual person that hit me. Outside of that, everything came out great. Did not have to go to court. Got a great settlement. Got my car replaced. Got a check. Mark Hartsoe is my lawyer. Nate Holder
★★★★★
I was involved in a motorcycle accident. It was a head-on collision. I broke my arm, injured by knee. I was out of work for a long time and had medical bills, other expenses. A personal friend handed me a card for Mark Hartsoe. I called Mark Hartsoe from the side of the road and he took care of everything. My case was settled out of court. I received a great settlement. Bike was totaled, motorcycle was replaced. It was easy, painless. About as painless as something like this can be. This is why my lawyer is Mark Hartsoe. John Lusinger
★★★★★
I wanted to thank you for the excellent representation and your ability to handle the situation so well with such compassion and strength. We appreciate all of your help, concern and for answering my many questions. It has been a difficult road to travel but when we come across people like you, it really helps to lighten the load. We just wanted you to know how much we appreciate what you’ve done and your ability to handle the situation so well. S. Carter
★★★★★
Thank you so much for all the work you did on our case. We received more than we expected. You were great through the whole time from the first meeting until the last. Thank you so very much. Sam & Judy Kachar