For those involved in trucking management, loose cargo can be a big deal. When there is spilled cargo on a roadway, there are boundless financial implications for trucking companies as well as the possibility of costly legal liabilities.
Loose cargo on the roadways is usually a concern for flatbed trucks. However, van trailers can experiences this issue also. Because of the loose cargo risk, a trucking company must carry liability insurance to the tune of at least $1 million. Lawyers are well aware of this legal requirement, so anytime there is a trucking accident lawsuits against the trucking company are common.
The issues of loose cargo has resulted in a new specialization in the legal field. If you do a Google search using the words “loose cargo,” you are likely to see a long list of attorneys ready and willing to represent those who have been involved in accidents with an errant freight. One lawyer in Texas has gone so far as to bill himself as the accident attorney for flatbed trailer trucks. Can you imagine the title on his business card?
After being involved in the industry for so long, I have my share of loose cargo stories. One such experience involved a driver who was transporting a load for me on a van trailer. The load consisted of steel parts that were supposed to be placed securely on pallets. The parts were heavy but were not high in volume. Unfortunately, the driver did not secure the load correctly. He took a turn off an off-ramp too quickly and the load shifted sides causing the truck to tip over. This created quick a headache for my company and quite the financial ordeal.
