Tanker Truck Accidents

If you were injured in a tanker truck accident, you probably have hundreds of questions swirling in your head: What will my life look like moving forward? How will I pay for the property damage and my new medical bills? Those questions are valid, and the tanker truck accident lawyers at Munley Law have answers.

At Munley Law, we offer free consultations to new clients. You can sit down with an experienced truck accident lawyer who will assess your case, answer your questions, and lay out your legal options.

What is a Tanker Truck?

Because of the type of cargo carried, an accident involving tanker trucks can cause widespread devastation to other vehicles and their passengers in mere minutes. The impact of the truck accident can inflict a lifetime of hardship on each victim. Tanker trucks carry gasoline, diesel, and liquefied petroleum or natural gas. A truck accident with one of these vehicles can lead to car fires and explosions.

A tanker truck comprises two components—a truck cabin and a trailer. When the truck driver slams on his brakes to avoid an accident, it can force the trailer to swing out (a jackknife accident) and hit multiple passenger cars as it tries to stop. In a multi-car accident, passengers face collisions from every angle: head-on crashes, sideswipe crashes, T-bone collisions, and rear-end car accidents. Being hit by multiple vehicles on all different sides of the car can lead to life-threatening and even fatal injuries.

Beyond their sheer size and potential for rollovers, tanker trucks carry an additional layer of danger—their hazardous cargo. In the event of an accident, leaks or explosions can unleash toxic fumes, flammable liquids, or corrosive materials, causing widespread environmental damage, respiratory issues, and severe burns.

How Common Are Tanker Truck Accidents?

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), over 1,300 tanker trucks roll over yearly—an average of nearly four rollover accidents involving tanker trucks daily. Nationally, large truck accidents totaled 523,796 in 2021 alone, up from the year before, which totaled 415,444 accidents across the United States.

The Role of a Truck Accident Lawyer in a Tanker Truck Crash

A tanker truck accident lawyer steps in to help the accident victim navigate the legal complexities of a truck accident case. Ideally, these truck accident lawyers should have an expert understanding of the laws and precedents surrounding tanker truck accidents.

Here’s what a truck accident lawyer will do for your claim:

• Determine the liable party or parties: Determining who caused the accident is the first step in any personal injury case. After all, you need to know who you’re filing the claim against to file a claim. The truck accident attorneys will gather evidence from the accident scene, interview eyewitnesses, and analyze crash data to identify all parties that can be held accountable for the truck accident.
• File the paperwork: Legal paperwork is time-consuming and inconsistent. One mistake can render your claim void. A truck accident lawyer will handle all the paperwork and file your claim promptly.
• Build a strong case: After filing your claim, the truck accident attorneys will get to work proving negligence. They will pour over medical records, hire expert witnesses, confer with medical consultants and accident reconstruction specialists, and study relevant documentation to build a compelling case that reflects the extent of your damages.
• Navigate complex legal issues: Since tanker trucks often carry hazardous material, there may be environmental liabilities and hazardous material regulations in your case.
• Negotiate with the insurance companies: Your truck accident lawyer will handle all communication with the insurance company, aiming to secure a fair settlement that will offset the costs of the accident.
• Take your case to court: If a settlement cannot be reached, your truck accident lawyers will take your case to court, working to secure a favorable verdict.

Why Do Victims of Tanker Truck Accidents Need a Lawyer?

The chances of recovering maximum compensation greatly increase when you have experienced truck accident lawyers by your side. Truck accidents are usually complicated cases involving multiple liable parties, large trucking companies, and their powerful insurance companies. Having a truck accident lawyer advocate for you as you seek compensation is best.

The Cost of Hiring a Tanker Truck Accident Attorney

Our truck accident attorneys work on a contingency fee, meaning you pay nothing unless we win your case.

A tanker truck accident claim can indeed be costly to litigate. Your truck accident lawyer will hire medical consultants, accident reconstruction specialists, expert witnesses, investigators, and other legal minds. The investigation process includes countless man-hours of pouring over police reports, finding eyewitnesses, and communicating with the insurance company. All of that work will be on our dime, not yours.

Our injury lawyers believe that coping with pain, sudden physical limitations, and a new normal is enough on your shoulders. We’ll take the burden of the truck accident lawsuit. The standard fee you’ll pay if we win your case will never exceed the compensation awarded.

Choosing the Best Personal Injury Attorney For a Tanker Truck Crash

Selecting the right truck accident attorney to represent your tanker truck accident case is important to securing fair compensation. Here are key factors to consider when making this important decision:

• Success Rate: During your free consultation, ask the truck accident lawyer about their track record of success in these truck accident claims. How many tanker truck accident cases have they worked on? How many ended in a successful settlement or verdict? Does he or she have specific insight into Pennsylvania commercial truck laws?
• Resources: A truck accident claim can get complicated quickly. Your personal injury attorney should have the financial resources and network to conduct a thorough investigation and build a rock-solid case to ensure maximum compensation.
• Communication and Compassion: Your lawyer should be profoundly understanding that you never anticipated being their client. They should treat you and your family with compassion and care, ensuring your needs are met throughout the claims and trial process. They should be available to answer any questions you may have around the clock.
• Contingency Fee: Truck accidents put their victims into sudden, unexpected financial distress. Work with a law firm that wants to ease that by shouldering the case costs upfront and only asking for a fee if they win a settlement or verdict in your favor.

Common Causes of Tanker Accidents

Since tanker trucks transport a wide range of hazardous materials, they are a potential ticking time bomb in the event of an accident. Their immense size, volatile cargo, and potential for spills raise significant safety concerns.

Causes of tanker accidents can range from improper maintenance to driver distraction, each having enormous potential to cause a catastrophic accident. The most common causes include:

• Distracted driving
• Drowsy driving
• Speeding
• Leaks
• Drowsy driving
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Poor road conditions
• Bad weather
• Mechanical failure
• Improperly loaded cargo
• Explosions

Tanker Truck Accident Injuries

A tanker truck’s massive size and weight are enough to inflict catastrophic injuries in any truck accident. The different injuries sustained by tanker truck accident victims can include:

• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A traumatic brain injury happens when a sudden, external, physical assault damages the brain. A TBI can be a primary injury, which is when the injury occurs because of the initial clash with the truck. It can also be a secondary injury, which happens after the initial collision (i.e., a car passenger being ejected from the car and hitting her head on the pavement).
• Spinal Cord Injuries: A spinal cord injury is damage to the bundle of nerves and nerve fibers that sends and receives signals from the brain. The spinal cord extends from the lower part of the brain to the lower back. If the spinal cord is damaged, the victim may face partial or complete paralysis.
• Broken bones and fractures: Tanker truck accidents can result in broken bones all over the victim’s body: head, neck, back, upper and lower extremities, etc. A comminuted fracture is when a bone breaks in over two pieces or is shattered entirely. With severe breaks, the victim may require multiple surgeries to repair, risking infection in the wound.
• Whiplash: Whiplash is when someone’s neck forcibly thrashes back and forth, causing muscle, tendon, and nerve damage to the neck and spine.
• Internal Injuries: This can include organ damage and internal bleeding. Internal injuries are particularly dangerous since they are mostly invisible. Accident victims may even refuse medical attention because they’re unaware they’re injured.

Other serious injuries can include:

• Soft tissue injuries
• Amputations
• Lacerations
• Burns
• Disfigurement

Steps to Take Immediately Following a Tanker Truck Accident

The immediate aftermath of a tanker truck accident is chaotic, confusing, and overwhelming. Taking the right steps immediately following the accident can ensure your safety and the safety of the other occupants in the car. Here’s what you should do immediately after colliding with a tanker truck:

• Call 911: This is the most important thing you can do for two reasons. First, the responding officer can call for medical attention for any passenger who needs it. Secondly, the officer will begin an initial investigation and generate an accident report, vital to personal injury claims. If the truck driver tells you not to call the police, there is probably a reason (suspended license, negligent driving, etc.). Never admit fault or say anything that resembles admitting fault, including saying “sorry” to the driver.
• Seek medical care: For your safety, you should always see a doctor following a truck or car accident, even if you don’t think you are injured. Injuries can worsen or develop over time. Seeing a doctor will also help your truck accident claim, proving to the insurance company that your injuries were serious enough that you had to seek medical help.
• Gather evidence: If your medical needs are met, gather as much evidence as possible. Take pictures of your car, the truck, the street you are on, the debris, everything. Take down the contact information of the other driver, as well as any eyewitnesses. Take down the truck’s license plate and the trucking company name. No information is too much information. If the driver won’t give you his contact information, do not press them. The police report will have all the information you need.
• Call your insurance company: Report your accident to your insurance company. Remember, insurance adjusters do not have your best interests at heart. Their job is to save money for the insurance company, not ensure you receive a fair settlement. They are known to manipulate facts and corner you at a vulnerable time to take a lower settlement than you’re owed. Do not speak with an insurance adjuster until you speak to a truck accident lawyer.

Once the initial shock of the truck accident has worn off, reach out to a trusted truck accident lawyer and file your claim. Truck accident lawsuits may take several months to settle (more on that below), so the sooner you file your claim, the sooner you’ll recover damages from your truck accident settlement.

Potential Liable Parties in a Tanker Crash Case

Multiple parties can held liable in a tanker truck accident. Potential defendants in these particular personal injury cases are:

• Truck Driver: If a truck driver error is caused by negligence or an accident, the truck driver may be held accountable for the crash.
• Trucking Company: The trucking company employing the driver could be held responsible for negligent hiring, inadequate training, failing to maintain the tanker properly, or pressuring drivers to violate safety regulations.
• Loading Team: The party or parties responsible for loading the hazardous materials into the tanker can be liable if they fail to follow proper safety protocols.
• Tanker Manufacturer: If a defect in the tanker, like a faulty valve or corroded tank, contributed to the accident, the manufacturer might be held accountable.
• Shipping Company: Depending on the specific circumstances, the company that shipped the hazardous materials could be liable if they failed to properly classify or package the materials, leading to dangers during transport.

What is the Timeframe for Filing a Truck Crash Lawsuit?

Most states have a two-year statute of limitations for truck accident claims. That means the injured party has two years from the accident date to file a lawsuit against the negligent driver who caused it.

After a disastrous accident, the last thing on your mind is a legal claim. However, the sad truth is severe injuries are expensive to treat. The quicker you file a claim, the quicker we can recover a fair settlement that will help offset all the new costs that resulted from your accident.

The last thing you need on top of dealing with physical pain and emotional distress is financial strain. The Munley truck accident attorneys will file your claim correctly and on time. Then, we will build a successful case to secure the compensation you and your family deserve.

How Long Will It Take to Settle My Case?

There is no set amount of time that a truck accident case takes. However, there are a few components that complicate the claim and may draw it out:

• Severe injuries
• Multiple parties involved (especially if multiple parties are found at fault, if multiple cars were in the accident, etc.)
• Failed negotiations with the insurance companies
• Complicated environmental concerns due to the tanker truck’s cargo

Potential Compensation in a Tanker Accident Claim

The damages your truck accident lawyer will fight to recover include:

• Current and future medical expenses
• Property damage
• Lost wages
• Loss of future earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Wrongful death

What Is the Average Settlement for a Tanker Truck Accident?

Like the case timeline, there is no guaranteed average settlement. However, your truck accident lawyer will fight for maximum compensation that will offset all current and future costs associated with the accident.

At Munley Law, our truck accident lawyers understand that medical bills start piling up immediately. We work to quickly resolve your case so your new medical bills don’t put financial strain on you and your family.

Choose Munley Law for Your Tanker Accident Case

Munley Law will fight for you if you’re facing a complex tanker truck accident. Our board-certified truck accident lawyers have a proven track record of success, recovering millions for past clients.

At Munley Law, we deeply understand what you and your family face. We’ll handle the legal battle so you can focus on healing. We will fight tirelessly for the justice and compensation you need to rebuild your life.

Contact our tanker truck accident lawyers today to schedule a free consultation.