(a) The owner, lessee or borrower of any vehicle, object, or contrivance driven or moved upon any highway or highway structure shall be liable for all damage which said highway or structure may sustain as a result of any illegal operation, driving, or moving of such vehicle, object, or contrivance, or as a result of operating, driving, or moving any vehicle, object, or contrivance weighing in excess of the maximum weight in this chapter but authorized by a special permit issued as provided in this article.
(b) Such damage may be recovered in civil action brought by the authorities in control of such highway or highway structure.
Structure West Virginia Code
Chapter 17C. Traffic Regulations and Laws of the Road
Article 17. Size, Weight and Load
§17C-17-3. Projecting Loads on Passenger Vehicles
§17C-17-4. Height and Length of Vehicles and Loads
§17C-17-5. Special Load Limits
§17C-17-6. Loads to Be Securely Fastened and Not Allowed to Leak, Escape, etc.
§17C-17-6a. Vehicles Transporting Compressed Gas Containers
§17C-17-7. Trailers and Towed Vehicles
§17C-17-8. Single-Axle Load Limit
§17C-17-8a. Tandem-Axle Load Limit for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways
§17C-17-9a. Gross Weight of Vehicles and Loads
§17C-17-11. Permits for Excess Size and Weight
§17C-17-11c. Designating an Industrial Road; Setting Weight Limits
§17C-17-11d. Establishing Maximum Road Highway Weights
§17C-17-12. When State Road Commission or Local Authorities May Restrict Right to Use Highways
§17C-17-13. Liability for Damage to Highway or Structure
§17C-17-14. Penalties for Violation of Weight Laws; Impounding Vehicles