What to do After a Colorado Springs Tanker Truck Accident

Colorado Springs Tanker Truck Accident

Written by Jeremy D. Earle, JD

January 17, 2023

INJURY CLAIMS FOM TANKER TRUCK ACCIDENTS

Tanker truck accidents in Colorado Springs don’t happen often, but when they do, you need a trusted truck accident attorney on your side to protect your rights. Our personal injury attorneys specialize in truck accident cases.

When most people see tanker trucks on the road, they seldom consider what happens when these big vehicles carrying liquid cargo collide with a passenger car. Here is what to do after a Colorado Springs tanker truck accident. A trucking accident lawsuit is not something to let your neighborhood personal injury lawyer handle. They do not have the skill or experience to handle complex truck accident claims.

Non-hazardous liquids, such as milk, are transported by certain tanker trucks. On the other hand, others transport dangerous items that might result in catastrophic injuries in the event of a traffic accident. Here is what you should know about tanker truck accidents. The trucking company is against you from the beginning.

Tankers are enormous and hefty in and of themselves, but their liquid payload adds to the weight. A small tanker truck can carry around 3,000 gallons of liquid, whereas a big tanker truck can transport 11,600 gallons. Tanker truck drivers must be held accountable. Commercial trucks are dangerous instruments and you deserve a truck accident lawyer that knows how to take on trucking companies.

Even an empty tanker truck may injure another vehicle’s passengers. According to the Federal Highway Administration, no tanker truck may weigh more than 81,000 pounds, yet this is a huge difference compared to the typical passenger automobile, which weighs just 4,000 pounds.

TRUCK ACCIDENTS WITH TANKER TRUCKS

Like any other big vehicle, tanker trucks have huge blind zones and are prone to jackknifing and overturning incidents. Because they are so enormous and heavy, they are far more difficult to stop and control than a conventional passenger vehicle if an automobile abruptly stops or swerves in front of them. The scenario might become considerably more dangerous if they are transporting a toxic liquid.

Like other big vehicles, tanker trucks have air brakes that might fail, loads linked to a hitch that can be poorly connected, and tanks that are often pressurized or insulated depending on the goods they transport. Trucking companies will try to hide evidence along with the insurance companies.

In truck accident lawsuits, the defense attorneys and truck accident lawyers will square off, and we know how to win.

COMMERCIAL TRUCK ACCIDENTS INVOLVING TANKER TRUCKS POSE A HIGHER RISK

All traffic accidents offer dangers to anyone involved, but the dangers are multiplied when a tanker truck is involved. Because of the tanker’s height and instability, a truck accident is more likely to end in a fire, chemical leak or spill, explosion, or a rollover. Hazardous materials and toxic fumes are a real danger after the tanker truck driver operates the commercial vehicle dangerously and negligently.

When there is a truck accident with tanker, it usually transports flammable goods, which increases the risk of a fire. Victims are more likely to have long-term injuries, such as burns, than in a typical car accident. When there is a tanker truck accident, the likelihood of an explosion is greater, which means there is a bigger chance of death than in a regular automobile accident.

Tanker truck drivers aren’t the only ones who might be hurt in a truck accident. Other cars on the road may be forced to maneuver the wreckage to reach a safe area or be unable to avoid the collision.

Additionally, the fire or hazardous gases generated after a truck accident might affect adjacent homes and those working in nearby companies. A tanker truck incident has a far higher risk of several casualties than a collision involving passenger cars.

ACCIDENTS INVOLVING TANKER VEHICLES RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURIES

When you’re in an accident with a big rig, you’re more likely to get catastrophic injuries. Accidents involving vehicles, unfortunately, have a significant danger of mortality. Families who have lost a loved one in due to a fatal Colorado tanker truck accident should contact a Colorado commercial truck accident attorney right away.

Those who survive a collision with a tanker truck may have long-term health issues. The following are some of the most frequent injuries caused by truck accidents:

BURNS AND DISFIGUREMENT

A truck collision explosion may inflict major burns on the occupants and passengers of the vehicle. Scarring and deformity are almost invariably the outcomes of burns. For obvious reasons, a tanker truck is very likely to explode in serious car accidents.

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Car passengers engaged in a collision with a truck will be flung about within their vehicle, even if they are wearing their seatbelts. Serious injuries can happen to the head and neck areas, including traumatic brain damage. Big rig trucks often cause brain injuries.

SPINAL CORD INJURIES

When a car collides with a truck, the force involved may cause catastrophic spinal cord injuries, leading to paralysis. People who have suffered a spinal cord injury may need long-term care at home or a full-time institution.

INTERNAL INJURIES

Internal injuries are prevalent due to the force with which a truck collides with an automobile. These injuries may result in organ ruptures or other damage that can lead to long-term health problems.

After an accident involving a tanker truck, victims may suffer from these and other typical injuries. Other injuries, such as broken or fractured bones, amputations, and back and neck injuries, prevalent in automobile accidents, are more likely to occur in tanker truck accidents.

Like other types of accidents on Colorado roads, tanker truck accidents may occur for a variety of reasons. Commercial drivers aren’t faultless, and their behavior may endanger other motorists. Truck drivers who are distracted and fail to recognize changing road conditions may crash with other vehicles suddenly.

Drivers impaired by drugs or alcohol may not respond as quickly or may overreact, resulting in an accident. Despite statutory rest hours, driver weariness is another significant issue with tanker trucks and other commercial vehicles.

TRUST AN EXPERIENCED TANKER TRUCK ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

Unfortunately, certain scenarios, such as an imbalanced load that sloshes about while in transportation, might result in incidents over which a truck driver has little control. An unsteady tanker may rollover as a consequence of this. If the driver needs to rapidly slam on the brakes to avoid another vehicle or a roadblock, a full tanker may be prone to jackknife incidents.

AFTER A TANKER TRUCK CRASH, THE SCENE IS CHAOTIC

Because most tanker trucks transport dangerous goods, so a tanker truck accident scene is always chaotic and a serious accident. Hazmat crews must be sent to mop up any spilled chemicals, and fire trucks and emergency vehicles are stationed around the area. Law enforcement authorities may be seeking to get information about the accident from the victims and prospective witnesses. Flammable materials makes tanker truck accidents extremely dangerous.

Still, they may find it difficult to do so with everything going on around them. If police authorities question you at the site, just give them a straightforward and accurate account of your memories of the accident without embellishment or acceptance of guilt.

VICTIMS ARE ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION

Victims of tanker truck accidents almost invariably get bodily injuries due to the collision, and they may feel powerless. After an accident, sufferers are often transported by ambulance to a medical institution. They are subjected to a battery of examinations, are treated for their injuries, and are often administered painkillers. While accident victims are in the hospital, insurance adjusters may call them, and law enforcement authorities may visit them to interview them.

In most circumstances, accident victims should refrain from answering any questions until they have spoken with a qualified personal injury lawyer who has dealt with truck accidents. Hazardous cargo must be dealt with exceptionally carefully, when it’s not, you become a victim of a tanker truck accident. The tanker truck driver usually also carries their own insurance that applies to a tanker truck crash.

ACCIDENTS INVOLVING TANKER TRUCKS MAY BE DIFFICULT TO RECOVER FROM

Victims of tanker truck accidents frequently have a lengthy healing time. They may need several surgical operations, regular diagnostics, pain medication, rehabilitation programs, and being out of work for a lengthy period. Tanker truck drivers must use extreme caution, because the serious injuries that result are usually life long. What results is almost always a serious accident.

BURN VICTIMS

Tanker trucks carry hazardous cargo. Burn victims face a very lengthy and painful rehabilitation process that may include skin grafts, infection treatment, and reconstructive surgery to address scars. An accident involving a tanker truck may be physically and emotionally damaging. Passenger vehicles do not stand a chance of protecting you from toxic fumes and hazardous materials.

The financial consequences of a tanker truck accident may be devastating. Even unemployed victims are still liable for paying their usual expenditures, such as their mortgage or rent, insurance, and utility bills. Many victims discover that they have depleted their money before completing their therapy, causing them and their families extra worry.

TANKER TRUCK ACCIDENTS AND INSURANCE ADJUSTERS

Because Colorado is a no-fault insurance state, victims must file a truck accident claim with their insurance carrier. Many insurance companies want to reach an agreement with their insured as soon as possible because they feel it is in their best interests. A tanker truck accident is not a time to think the insurance company will be nice and have you in good hands.

The issue is that they often settle without considering the costs that the individual would incur throughout their recuperation period or the length of time that they will be out of work.

Because Colorado is a no-fault state, substantial harm must have occurred before a personal injury case may be filed. However, whether or not an accident victim suffers serious and lasting scars or disfigurement is one of the elements that courts evaluate when considering whether or not the victim is qualified to pursue a personal injury claim.

This permits victims of tanker truck accidents who have suffered significant burns or other catastrophic injuries to launch a personal injury claim against the company liable for their injuries.

THE PARTY AT FAULT WILL BE REVEALED THROUGH INVESTIGATION

Those who cause an accident are responsible for their conduct. The other motorist might be totally to blame for the collision if they were speeding, driving recklessly, or distracted.

Issues with the vehicle, such as brake failure, rollovers caused by unbalanced loads, or hazardous leaks that cause an accident, maybe the responsibility of the driver’s employer or the maintenance firm.

THE BLACK BOX

Trucks, in most circumstances, are equipped with a black box that may give law enforcement investigators information such as the driver’s speed at the time of the tanker truck accident and other details that may aid the investigation. The trucking companies and insurance companies will try to destroy the blank box data.

Suppose you have been in an accident with a tanker truck, regardless of the circumstances. In that truck accident case, you should consult with an experienced attorney about your memories of the event before speaking with anybody else about the facts.

Insurance adjusters, police enforcement authorities, and the truck driver’s company may ask you seemingly harmless questions that might be used to blame you, the victim, for the tanker truck accident. They may also ask you questions such as “how are you feeling?” to encourage you to downplay the severity of your injuries.

OBTAIN THE SERVICES OF A KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY

You may believe that you can deal with your insurance provider independently, but this is a mistake. Insurers want you’ll settle your truck accident claim quickly since a quick settlement means they’ll pay far less than if you hired an attorney to negotiate a full and fair payment on your behalf.

Keep in mind that insurance firms profit from your premium payments. When they have to pay truck accident claims, they lose money.

When you work with an experienced personal injury lawyer, it means getting a complete picture of your injuries, financial losses, and non-financial losses from someone who has your best interests at heart and has negotiated comparable truck accident cases. The insurance company will always be smoke and mirrors.

he attorney may then negotiate with your insurance carrier to ensure that your compensation is reasonable and considers all of the variables that contributed to your loss. When the insurance company refuses to be reasonable, an attorney may take your truck accident case to court and show the judge or jury that a bigger payment is more acceptable given the facts of your truck accident case.

A wrongful death attorney can assist a family who has lost a loved one in a tanker truck accident in recovering the financial costs of their loved one’s end-of-life treatment, burial fees, and funeral expenditures. Although no amount of money will ever compensate for the death of a loved one, your family should not have to suffer financially due to such a tragic loss.

EXPERIENCED TANKER TRUCK ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS

Any truck accident in Colorado may result in significant injuries. The truck driver must be held accountable for causing a serious tanker truck accident. When a tanker truck is involved, though, the danger is substantially larger. Tanker truck crashes often entail hazardous chemicals and a greater risk of burn injuries and death.

Victims of these catastrophes will have to heal for a long time, especially if they have been burned. Many people have setbacks on their journey to recovery due to infections and subsequent disorders that need further surgical treatments. Our tanker truck accident attorney is caring, skilled, and experienced.

FREE CONSULTATION WITH A SERIOUS TANKER TRUCK ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

Contact an experienced Colorado personal injury attorney if you or a loved one has been injured in a tanker truck accident. Warrior Truck Accident Lawyers provide free consultations so that you may learn more about your rights and make an informed decision about how to proceed.

Warrior Car Accident Lawyers

1902 W. Colorado Ave., Suite 100

Colorado Springs, CO 80904

719-300-1100

Free Consultation

NO FEE UNLESS WE WIN

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