Burdett, NY — September 12, 2025, one person was killed in a truck accident at about 6:40 p.m. on State Route 227.

Authorities said a semi-truck with an overweight trailer overturned after negotiating a curve.

The driver, whose name has not been made public yet, died after being flown to an area hospital, according to authorities.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Schuyler County crash at this time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people read that a semi-truck overturned on a curve and someone lost their life, the question that naturally follows is: How does something like that happen? Curves don’t surprise experienced drivers. Overweight trailers don’t flip over by themselves. So what caused this truck to overturn?

At this point, the public has been told very little. We've been told the trailer was overweight. We know the crash happened while the truck was negotiating a curve. But that’s about it. We don’t yet know whether the driver was speeding, whether the brakes failed or whether the cargo was improperly loaded. Without that information, it’s impossible to say with certainty who should be held responsible.

One area that deserves close scrutiny is the truck’s electronic control module (ECM), what some people refer to as the truck’s “black box.” That device can reveal the truck’s speed, braking, engine torque and steering input leading up to the crash. If it turns out the driver was going too fast for the curve, that points in one direction. If the data shows mechanical failure or a sudden shift in weight distribution, that points somewhere else entirely.

Another major issue is the load itself. The report says the trailer was “overweight,” but doesn’t explain by how much or whether the load was balanced correctly. That matters. I’ve handled cases where an improperly distributed load made the vehicle dangerously unstable, and even a routine curve became a rollover risk. That kind of instability can come from overloaded axles, unsecured freight or cargo that was stacked too high. All of these are preventable, if the right people do their jobs correctly.

That’s where the trucking company’s role often comes into question. Who planned the route? Who approved the load? Who signed off on the vehicle’s roadworthiness? It’s not just about the driver. If someone at the company knew that trailer was overweight or improperly loaded and sent it out anyway, that’s not just bad judgment. It’s a serious failure of responsibility.

Until investigators look into the truck’s mechanical condition, its load configuration and the actions of both the driver and the company, we’re left with more questions than answers. But those answers do exist, and they’re not going to come from speculation. They’ll come from evidence.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s unclear whether speed, mechanical failure or load imbalance caused the truck to overturn.
• The truck’s black box data could shed light on vehicle behavior just before the crash.
• The trailer was reportedly overweight, raising questions about loading practices and company oversight.
• Investigators must examine who approved the load and whether the truck was safe to operate.
• Full accountability depends on gathering hard evidence, not assumptions.