In Ohio, “bridge law” refers to a specific set of statutes and regulations applicable to commercial trucks and trailers.
These laws, including the Ohio bridge gross weight formula, are designed to protect motorists and others who share the roadway with commercial trucks, as well as help preserve roads, bridges, and infrastructure.
If a semi-truck or 18-wheeler violates any of these laws and an injury accident occurs as a result, accident victims may be entitled to pursue a legal claim for their damages.
You could be eligible to recover compensation for your medical treatment, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages.
If you or a loved one was injured in a truck accident, an experienced Ohio truck accident lawyer from Bensinger Law can help.
What Is the Ohio Bridge Formula?
Ohio’s bridge formula is adapted from bridge formula weights established by the U.S. Department of Transportation, a division of the Federal Highway Administration.
This formula, originally adopted in 1975, establishes the maximum allowable weight-to-length ratio for motor vehicles when crossing bridges within the U.S. interstate system.
Using a highly complex set of mathematical calculations, this formula can be used to determine whether a given motor vehicle is carrying more than the legally allowable weight limit. The calculation is based in part on how many axles the vehicle has and how far apart the axles are spaced.
How Does Ohio Bridge Law Affect Truck Accident Victims?
For motorists traveling the roadways of Ohio, trucking accidents can pose a significant threat of injury or even death. Large commercial trucks, including 18-wheelers, tractor-trailers, and semi-trucks, are heavy and unwieldy, increasing the potential for collision damage and resulting injuries.
Truck accidents also pose a significant legal challenge, especially when compared to collisions involving passenger vehicles. Documenting and building a persuasive truck injury case requires an in-depth knowledge of the laws and regulations that govern the trucking industry.
In addition to dealing with the truck driver, accident victims may also have to deal with the trucking company, shipping broker, shipper, and other parties, as well as the respective insurance companies.
If the accident occurred due—in whole or in part—to the truck being overloaded or overweight, the bridge formula may lend critical support to your claim.
Can an Ohio Bridge Law Calculator Help?
You might find bridge weight calculators online and wonder whether these tools could help you in your quest to pursue a legal claim against the truck driver, trucking company, or other at-fault party.
Unfortunately, unless you have a reliable means of determining the vehicle’s weight at the time of the accident, a calculator might not provide any real benefit.
After a trucking accident, time is of the essence. Contacting an experienced Ohio truck accident attorney as quickly as possible can help ensure the preservation of critical evidence.
Your attorney can take the necessary steps immediately to collect evidence from the accident scene, interview witnesses, and obtain other documentation to support your legal claim.
Contact an Ohio Truck Accident Lawyer for Help
If another party was at fault for your trucking accident, having a personal injury attorney can help in a number of ways. Your attorney can answer your questions and help you explore your options for pursuing a legal claim.
In Ohio, Attorney Aaron Bensinger of Bensinger Law assists truck accident victims throughout northwest Ohio, including Shawnee, Findlay, Lima, Elida, Van Worth, and Perry County. Contact us today to learn more about how Ohio bridge law could affect your truck accident and injury claim.
Aaron L. Bensinger is an Ohio attorney serving personal injury and civil litigation clients. He has extensive trial experience and makes client service is his primary focus. As a partner at Balyeat, Leahy, Daley, Miller & Bensinger, LLC, Aaron happily works in Lima, OH, and serves the entire Northwest region of the state and beyond.
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