Tanker trucks have far more strength and power than standard motor vehicles due to their sheer size and large engines. Add to that the thousands of pounds of cargo these haulers carry and you’ve got a potentially deadly weapon traversing the country’s many highways and byways.
Dangers of Tanker Truck Collisions
Tanker trucks, also known as tankers, can weigh 40 tons or more and hold up to 9,000 gallons of liquid, gas, or dry goods. The tankers transporting fuel, with an increased danger of flammability, are particularly vulnerable to impact.
The high center of gravity of tanker trucks makes them challenging to maneuver. Some tankers are also pressurized, creating a volatile environment should impact occur. Distribution of weight is also an issue with tank trucks: A tanker body that is only partially full may experience dangerous weight shifts upon braking or collision that cause the rig to overturn or jackknife.
Failure to perform legally mandated maintenance, follow safe driving practices, and execute proper cargo loading are a few of the reasons tanker accidents happen. And although stringent training is required to operate these specialized vehicles, there have been many cases involving drivers with inadequate experience.
Victims of tanker truck accidents may suffer chemical or fire burns, in addition to serious impact injuries such as brain injury and spinal cord damage. It is not unusual for drivers and passengers hit by tanker trucks to require multiple surgeries, suffer permanent paralysis, and even succumb to fatal injuries.
Investigating Tanker Truck Accidents
As you focus on getting your loved one necessary medical care, your tanker truck accident law firm can begin to utilize vast resources to attain the answers you need.
Your truck accident lawyers will look at a variety of potential causes, depending on the details of your tanker truck accident. A thorough review of the driver’s background and company compliance history, as well as in-depth evaluation of driver log books, will be conducted to identify causative factors like driver inexperience, fatigue, equipment failure, safety noncompliance, improper loading, and other factors. Once the factors are identified that caused unsafe conditions, your team can begin to develop a strategy for proving how negligence directly led to your severe injuries.
If you or a member of your family has been seriously hurt in a tanker truck collision, please click here to find a tanker truck accident law firm in your area.