Tanker Truck Accidents
Tanker trucks perform an important job transporting vital fuel, chemicals, and other liquids nationwide. However, their massive size and dangerous cargo mean that the consequences are often catastrophic when accidents happen.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a tanker truck crash, it’s time to understand your rights and options for seeking compensation. One of the most important steps is contacting an experienced Phoenix truck accident lawyer who can fight for the justice and financial recovery you deserve.
The Dangers of Tanker Truck Crashes
Tanker trucks are some of the largest and heaviest vehicles on the road. A fully loaded gas tanker can weigh up to 80,000 pounds—over 20 times more than a typical passenger vehicle. This size and weight make tanker trucks difficult to maneuver and much slower to stop than other vehicles.
Additionally, the liquid cargo transported in tanker trucks creates unique hazards. Liquid slosh and surging during transit can cause the truck to become unstable and roll over. Many tanker trucks also carry hazardous materials like gasoline, oil, chemicals, and other flammable or toxic substances. In an accident, spills and fires from this dangerous cargo can cause severe injuries, burns, and exposure to harmful fumes and chemicals.
For these reasons, tanker truck accidents are some of the deadliest crashes on the road. Occupants of smaller passenger vehicles often suffer the worst of the impact. Tanker truck accidents frequently result in serious and catastrophic injuries like:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Severe burns and disfigurement
- Crush injuries and amputations
- Broken bones and fractures
- Organ damage and internal bleeding
Many victims face a long and challenging road to recovery, requiring extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and time away from work and activities. The physical, emotional, and financial impact can be enormous. If this has happened to you, it’s time to consult with a truck accident lawyer to understand your legal rights.
Common Causes of Tanker Truck Accidents
Tanker truck crashes can happen for many different reasons, but some of the most common contributing factors include:
Driver Error and Negligence
Negligent or reckless truck driver actions cause many tanker truck accidents. These may include distracted driving, drowsy driving, speeding, tailgating, unsafe lane changes, running red lights or stop signs, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and other traffic violations.
Truck drivers are held to higher standards than typical motorists and must follow strict state and federal regulations. This includes limits on driving hours to prevent fatigue, rules against cell phone use while driving, required rest breaks, and more. When drivers fail to drive safely, catastrophic accidents can result.
Poor Truck Maintenance
Tanker trucks require frequent maintenance and inspection to ensure all components are in safe working order. Worn tires, bad brakes, broken lights, engine failure, and other maintenance issues can lead to crashes. Truck drivers and trucking companies are responsible for maintaining their vehicles properly. Failure to do so is negligence.
Improper Cargo Loading
Loading and securing cargo in a tanker truck requires special precautions. Unbalanced loads, overfilling, and insufficient securing measures can all lead to instability, rollovers, and spills. Cargo loaders and trucking companies must ensure tankers are loaded safely and comply with regulations.
Inadequate Driver Training
Operating a large tanker truck requires specialized skills and knowledge. Trucking companies must properly train their drivers and ensure they can safely maneuver these massive, top-heavy vehicles. Putting inexperienced or poorly trained drivers behind the wheel is very dangerous.
Evidence in Tanker Truck Accident Cases
To prove liability and build a strong case for maximum compensation, your lawyer will gather extensive evidence such as:
- Police accident reports
- Photos and videos from the crash scene
- Driver logs and records
- Black box data from the truck
- Cell phone records
- Truck maintenance and inspection records
- Truck company hiring and training records
- Witness statements
- Professional accident reconstruction analysis
Preserving evidence is key after a tanker truck crash, as trucking companies may try to repair vehicles or destroy records. Contacting a truck accident lawyer right away ensures securing key evidence.
Compensation in Tanker Truck Accident Cases
Victims of tanker truck accidents often face enormous expenses and losses. A truck accident lawyer will fight for full and fair compensation for all your damages, including:
Medical Expenses
Tanker truck accident injuries often require extensive medical treatment, which can quickly add to an overwhelming financial burden. Victims may face expenses for ambulance rides, emergency room visits, hospital stays, surgeries, medications, medical equipment, and more.
In addition to immediate medical needs, many serious injuries require ongoing care, such as physical therapy, rehabilitation, home health assistance, and future surgeries and procedures. A truck accident lawyer will fight to recover full compensation for all your past, current, and expected future medical expenses related to the crash.
Lost Income and Reduced Earning Capacity
Serious injuries from a tanker truck accident can keep you out of work for weeks, months, or even permanently. Your lawyer will seek compensation for all your income lost during physical recovery and medical treatment.
In addition, if your injuries result in permanent disability or limitations that impact your ability to work in the future, you may be entitled to compensation for your reduced earning capacity over your lifetime. This aims to bridge the gap between what you may have earned if the accident hadn’t happened versus what you will now earn with your injuries and disabilities.
Pain and Suffering
Not all accident injuries are visible. The physical pain and suffering endured in a serious crash can be excruciating and long-lasting. Chronic pain, headaches, nerve damage, and other conditions can severely impact every aspect of your daily life.
While no amount of money can erase what you’ve been through, compensation for pain and suffering aims to acknowledge the severity of your physical experience and offset the negative effects on your quality of life. A truck accident lawyer will fight for the maximum compensation that reflects the total impact of your pain and injuries.
Emotional Distress
The trauma of a catastrophic tanker truck accident can have deep and lasting emotional consequences. Victims may struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, insomnia, and other mental health challenges in the aftermath of a crash.
Compensation for emotional distress seeks to recognize the very real mental and psychological injuries that can result from a traumatic accident. Your lawyer may use professional testimony and evidence to demonstrate the extent of your emotional distress and fight for compensation to aid in your mental recovery.
Disability and Disfigurement
Some of the most devastating injuries from tanker truck accidents are those that permanently alter your physical abilities and appearance. Amputations, burns, significant scarring, and other disfigurements can be traumatic to endure and adapt to. No one should face these life-altering outcomes because of someone else’s negligence.
Your truck accident lawyer will seek compensation for the immense impact of permanent disability and disfigurement on your life. This includes money for the treatment and accommodations needed because of your altered physical condition, as well as acknowledgment of the emotional pain and suffering of the dramatic change in your body and abilities.
How a Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help
Tanker truck accident cases involve complicated laws, regulations, and multiple liable parties. Trucking companies and their insurers have teams of lawyers fighting to minimize or deny claims. Trying to handle a case alone puts you at a major disadvantage.
An experienced truck accident lawyer can level the playing field and be your advocate throughout the legal process. Your attorney will handle all aspects of your case, including:
Conducting an Independent Investigation
After a tanker truck accident, a skilled lawyer will launch a comprehensive investigation into the crash. This process involves going beyond the police report to uncover all the facts and details that can support your case.
Your attorney will visit the accident scene, take photographs, and secure any available video footage from traffic or surveillance cameras. They will identify and interview eyewitnesses to get independent accounts of how the crash occurred.
They may also consult with accident reconstructionists to analyze the physical evidence and determine key details like vehicle speed, braking, impact severity, etc. This thorough investigation process is critical for building the strongest possible case for compensation.
Gathering and Preserving Evidence
Strong evidence builds successful tanker truck accident cases. Your lawyer will work quickly to gather and preserve all the proof needed to establish liability and demonstrate the extent of your damages. This includes physical evidence from the accident scene, photos and videos, police reports, medical records and bills, income loss documentation, and more.
In truck accident cases, evidence like driver logs, black box data, and company maintenance and training records can be critical for proving negligence. Your attorney may need to file subpoenas or take other legal action to access these records before they can be altered or destroyed. Preserving evidence is key to a strong case.
Identifying All Liable Parties
Tanker truck accidents often have multiple contributing factors and responsible parties. The truck driver, trucking company, cargo loader, truck or parts manufacturers, and other third parties may share liability for a crash.
An experienced lawyer will cast a wide net in investigating your case and identifying all parties who may have played a role in causing the accident. You can pursue compensation through the insurance coverage or assets of these parties. The more potential sources of recovery your lawyer can identify, the better your chances of securing full and fair compensation for your injuries.
Consulting Expert Witnesses
Proving liability and damages in a tanker truck accident case requires specialized knowledge and testimony. Your lawyer may work with a network of expert witnesses to provide key insights and evidence for your case.
In truck crash cases, common professionals include accident reconstruction specialists, trucking industry professionals, medical professionals, life care planners, economists, and vocational rehabilitation specialists. These professionals can testify to the severity of the accident, the extent of your injuries and future medical needs, and the overall financial impact the crash will have on your life. Expert witness testimony is often essential for building a strong case.
Handling Insurance Communications
Insurance companies are in business to make money, not pay maximum compensation on every claim. After a tanker truck accident, insurance adjusters may contact you seeking a statement or pushing you to accept a quick, lowball settlement offer. It’s vital to avoid communicating with insurers before consulting with an attorney.
Your lawyer will take over all communications and negotiations with the insurance companies involved in your case. They will protect you from saying anything that can hurt your claim and ensure insurers don’t take advantage of you in a vulnerable time. A skilled truck accident lawyer will aggressively advocate for your rights and work to secure the highest possible settlement.
Preparing Your Case for Trial
Out-of-court settlements resolve most tanker truck accident cases. However, if the insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation for your injuries, your lawyer must be prepared to take your case to trial.
Building a case strong enough to win in the courtroom requires extensive preparation. Your attorney will gather and organize all the evidence, file necessary court paperwork, take depositions, hire expert witnesses, and prepare you for testifying. They will craft a powerful case to present to a judge and jury, demonstrating the other party’s liability and the full extent of your damages. A lawyer with significant trial experience can be a major asset in truck accident cases.
Fighting for Maximum Compensation
You only get one chance to recover compensation for your injuries after a tanker truck accident. Your lawyer’s primary goal is securing the maximum possible financial recovery to support you now and into the future.
A skilled attorney will aggressively pursue money for all your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, disability and disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, property damage, and more. They have the knowledge and resources to stand up to trucking companies and insurers and demand full compensation for how the accident has impacted your life. With an experienced truck accident lawyer fighting for you, you can focus on healing while your attorney works to obtain the best possible outcome in your case.
Tanker truck accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing upfront and only owe attorney fees if and when they recover compensation for you.
Don’t Delay – Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer Today
The legal process takes time, but there are strict deadlines for taking action after a tanker truck crash. Waiting too long can prevent you from recovering the compensation you need and deserve.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a tanker truck accident, don’t go it alone. Contact a skilled personal injury lawyer in Phoenix today for a free consultation. An attorney can review the details of your situation and explain your legal options. With a skilled attorney in your corner, you can focus on your recovery while they fight for the justice you deserve.