Texas Tanker Truck Accidents

Types of Tanker Trucks

Our tanker truck accident attorneys handle injury and wrongful death claims involving:

• Oil Tankers
• Gasoline Truck
• Natural Gas Tankers
• Liquid Food Tankers
• Water Tank Trucks
• Chemical Tankers
• Agricultural Tankers

Tanker trucks are intended to carry liquids and cases. The trucks might be insulated or non-insulated, pressurized or non-pressurized. Some carry one product, while others are compartmentalized to carry multiple liquids or gases at once. Though there are differences among these vehicles, they are all extremely heavy and can cause catastrophic damage in a freeway accident.

Hazards Unique to Tanker Trucks

Tanker trucks are often carrying petroleum products, natural gas, or industrial chemicals. These are flammable, and a collision or rollover accident could result in a tanker truck explosion. Tanker truck fires can be massive and hard to control. They’ve been known to shut down Texas highways and burn for hours. Anyone involved in the crash could suffer significant burns and respiratory injuries from smoke inhalation.

Tanker explosions aren’t the only danger, though. If the tank is damaged in a collision or tanker truck rollover, a harmful chemical could lead out. Crash victims might suffer chemical burns, respiratory injuries, or eye injuries if they come into contact with it. The chemical might leach into nearby soil and water, creating a hazard for nearby residents.

Tanker Truck Accident Statistics

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 372 cargo tank trucks were part of fatal crashes, and 3,505 cargo tanks were involved in injury crashes in 2017. These accounted for 8% and 6.2% of all fatal and injury crashes, respectively.

In all types of commercial trucks, hazardous materials were present on 3% of large trucks involving in fatal crashes and 2% of large trucks in non-fatal crashes. Hazardous materials were released from the cargo compartments of 16% of placarded trucks in all crashes. Gasoline, fuel, oil and other flammable liquids accounted for 63% of the hazardous materials that were released in fatal crashes and 45% of hazardous materials released in non-deadly accidents.

Common Causes of Tanker Truck Accidents

When tanker trucks are well-maintained, their operators are highly trained, there’s almost no reason why one should cause a crash. Unfortunately, despite the high standards for trucking companies and truckers, negligence routinely leads to preventable accidents. At Begum Law Group, we have years of experience investigating the underlying factors in tanker truck accidents. Many accidents are caused by:

• Operator distraction
• Operator fatigue
• Unsafe speed
• Unsafe lane change or merger
• Operator intoxication (DUI)
• Brake failure
• Systems or mechanical failure
• Poor road conditions
• Bad weather

You might have an idea of what caused the accident or none at all. That’s typical for truck accident victims and why it’s important to have an attorney look into the case. Even if you think you know what happened, an investigation might uncover new information.

We Handle Cases Involving All Types of Injuries from Tanker Truck Accidents

Tank truck accidents can lead to serious and catastrophic injuries. We have tackled cases involving all sorts of injuries, from multiple broken bones to traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury. We often represent tanker truck accident victims recovering from disfiguring and catastrophic injuries.

Burns are all too common following fuel truck accidents. We have worked with clients suffering third-degree burns. They require ongoing medical care and might need numerous surgeries over the years to improve their skin’s appearance and their physical capabilities. The burn scars can impair their ability to work and build a normal social life. All of these physical and emotional injuries are why you should have an experienced law firm fighting for maximum compensation.

We Hold Negligent Tanker Truck Drivers and Trucking Companies Responsible

When you or someone you love is hurt in a tanker truck accident, we recommend you call an attorney immediately. Trucking companies almost always have a head start. The company and its insurer will send out investigators right away, and of course, they have control of important evidence: the truck.

To hold your own against the trucking company and its insurer, a qualified lawyer should represent your interests. We immediately take steps to protect your interests, including sending the relevant parties Preservation of Evidence letters.

Then, we move forward with a lawsuit to get started with the discovery process right away. Discovery is the phase of litigation where the sides can demand information from each other. We will use numerous legal tools to get information related to the trucker, trucking company, truck maintenance, and more. We’ll also demand a copy of any electronic data the truck’s system gathered, such as from an electronic data record or “black box.”

We are thorough in gathering evidence in tanker truck accident claims and hire experts to dig into the data. Trucking experts and accident reconstructionists can recreate the crash and determine who was at fault. If your case needs to go to trial, these experts can testify about what caused the crash, and in many cases, show the jury diagrams, models, and even 3D imaging of the accident.

Let Our Tanker Truck Accident Lawyers Fight for You

After any tanker truck accident, you should pursue compensation for your injuries. But you shouldn’t do it alone. Let Begum Law Group focus on the investigation, litigation, and insurance settlement negotiations while you focus on getting better. You can be confident that we will fight for the maximum financial recovery possible. To schedule your free initial consultation, contact us online or call 866-523-4167.