The truck driving industry is fraught with dangers and problems compounded by lower profit margins and greater competition. Poorly maintained equipment, unprofessional drivers and questionable industry tactics are but a few of the challenges that have the potential to impact the driving public at large.
In addition, an often hidden hazard in the trucking industry is an improperly loaded truck. In these instances, cargo has a tendency to shift and this can adversely affect the trajectory of a tractor trailer causing a number of scenarios.
For instance, in one case improperly loaded material shifted when a truck took a highway curve too quickly and the tractor trailer overturned. The driver was thrown from the vehicle and later died from injuries he sustained. The driver was not responsible for loading the material on the truck - and the accident remains under investigation while blame can be determined.
Recently, the Baumgartner Law Firm handled a semi truck accident case where a big rig rolled over and a passenger was seriously injured, in the case we sued both the driver and the company who loaded the semi truck.
Another example of an improperly loaded truck is one that has been overloaded. An overloaded truck can cause the tires to burst, the vehicle to roll over, difficulty in bringing the truck to a stop or causing the brakes to fail altogether, and jackknifing. Too, an overloaded truck may not be able to maneuver up a steep incline.
As you can tell, an improperly loaded truck - one that is under or overloaded or one in which the load has not been secured correctly - can lead to deadly accidents. This is just one more reason to give semi-trucks a lot of room on the open road.
Greg Baumgartner is a Houston personal injury lawyer and the founder of the Baumgartner law firm, which is dedicated to helping personal injury victims seek civil justice. If you would like to speak with a personal injury attorney in Houston call the Baumgartner firm.
