Any accident has the potential to be traumatizing, dangerous, and even deadly. If one of the vehicles involved is carrying hazardous materials, those conditions become an even higher risk. If you or a loved one has been hurt in an accident with a tanker truck, you may need a Houston tanker truck accident lawyer to help you fight for your rights.
If the accident was caused by someone else, you have a right to compensation for any injuries and damages that occurred as a result of that accident. Make sure you get what you deserve by calling a Houston tanker truck accident lawyer at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law.
Our team has extensive experience with serious truck accidents. We will zealously fight for maximum compensation. Whether it’s helping you pursue an insurance claim, settling with the other party, or taking the case to trial, we will be here for you from step one. Call us now at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000 for your free case evaluation and to learn more about how we can help you and your family.
Are Tanker Trucks Dangerous?
Federal regulations are designed to keep tanker trucks, their drivers, and other travelers as safe as possible, but, by nature, these types of vehicles do pose a risk. When tanker trucks become involved in an accident, everyone affected faces serious physical and financial losses.
Tanker trucks are usually carrying flammable and toxic materials, which makes every accident a high-risk situation that could cause:
Spills and Leaks
If a tanker truck crashes and its hazardous materials spill onto the roadway, that can also increase the danger of the situation. Not only does this make surfaces more slippery, but it also exposes other travelers to chemical burns and internal injuries because of the hazardous fumes.
Fires and Explosions
Whether a tanker is carrying gasoline, ethanol, diesel fuel, or some other hazardous material, the risk of fire is always high. If the tanker was improperly maintained or constructed, or if it becomes damaged in the accident, fires and explosions can occur. This greatly heightens the risk of injury, death, and extensive damage.
These trucks are also extremely heavy, even when they’re not transporting hazardous materials. As you might imagine, this can also lead to dangerous situations. When conditions are wet, icy, or snowy, this extra weight can make the tanker more difficult to handle.
These are the details that make tanker trucks more dangerous than a standard vehicle or even a standard large truck. If you have been injured because of a negligent or reckless tanker driver, it’s time to call Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law.
Common Causes of Tanker Truck Accidents
Tanker trucks are inherently dangerous, so it helps to be aware of the other dangerous conditions that can contribute to an accident. Some of those are:
- Distracted driving
- Drowsy driving
- Speeding
- Inexperienced drivers
- Dangerous road conditions
- Unsecured loads
- Recklessness.
Of course, it’s not only the drivers of the tanker trucks who can add to dangerous conditions. The actions of other travelers on the road can also contribute to an unsafe situation.
How an Attorney Can Help You After a Houston Accident
Our Team Is Here When You Need Us
Whether the other driver was speeding, distracted, or behaving in some other unsafe way, an attorney can help you make sense of the situation and create a plan for moving forward. Of course, you are welcome to try to resolve your claims without the help of an attorney. But we encourage you to speak with a qualified attorney as soon as possible after a serious accident to make sure you get legal advice before it’s too late – and you have done something that will bar or hurt your future claims.
Helping You to File an Insurance Claim
After an accident, conversations with insurance providers can get complicated. This is especially true if your injuries were delayed or didn’t present themselves until hours or days after the accident. The Houston tanker truck accident lawyers at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law can help you assess the damages and losses and make sure you get what you’re owed from the insurance provider.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit
Another way a tanker truck accident attorney can help you is by filing a lawsuit on your behalf. If the other driver is disputing liability or trying to hide their insurance coverage, for example, this may be especially appealing.
If you schedule a free consultation with our tanker truck accident attorney, we can advise you on your next best steps. If a lawsuit is in your best interests, we will help you move forward on that path.
Determining Fault for the Accident
Immediately after a tanker truck crash, it can be difficult to dive into the facts of the case for yourself. A Houston tanker truck accident lawyer can help you evaluate the situation so you can decide what’s best.
One thing our team is happy to do is to delve into the issue of who was at fault for the accident. If drunk driving, tired driving, or reckless driving played a role, we will investigate the problem. From there, we’ll know how best to get you compensation for your unnecessary injuries, pain, and trauma.
These are just a few of the services our tanker accident lawyer can offer you. If you want to learn more about how we can help after an accident, simply give us a call now at (713) 973-8888.
Questions to Ask Your Attorney After an Accident
If you are feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of your first meeting with an attorney, don’t worry. Remember that our attorneys are here to make the situation clearer and easier to navigate. If you want to ensure that our first meeting is as productive as possible, you can do a few things to prepare beforehand.
If possible, we recommend that you come prepared with all of the documentation you have available. That might include medical bills, your insurance policy, and other documents & evidence related to the incident (e.g. property damage photos, injury photos, witness contact information).
It’s also wise to come prepared with any and all questions you have for our team. Those questions might include:
- Are there any deadlines I need to be aware of?
- How long can I expect the case to take?
- How often and how will we communicate throughout the process?
- What kinds of damages can I expect to recover?
- Will my future medical expenses be considered in a settlement?
- When and how should I speak with my insurance provider?
- Do you anticipate this case going to trial?
The more information you have, the calmer and more prepared you will feel. Legal proceedings can be physically and emotionally demanding. The more prepared you can be beforehand, the better. Our Texas tanker truck accident lawyer is here to help you get what you need.
FAQs About Tanker Truck Accidents
The more serious your accident is, the harder it can be to feel as though you will ever recover. At Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law, we believe that getting answers to your pressing questions is the first step to healing. Our Texas tanker truck accident lawyer wants to support you in whatever way you might need, so we’ve included a list of common FAQs about tanker truck accidents for your convenience.
Unfortunately, the answer to the question, “Can a tanker truck explode?” is “yes.” It doesn’t happen in every accident, but under certain conditions, the damaged truck and the flammable materials can cause an explosion. When this happens, victims may be left with serious burns and other devastating injuries.
A tanker truck accident can result in virtually any injury, but some are more common than others. Some of the injuries a victim might experience include smoke inhalation, spine and neck injuries, deep lacerations, chemical burns, and head injuries.
There are a lot of long- and short-term effects of a serious accident, and you deserve compensation for all of them. The specific things you can expect to be compensated for might include health care expenses, lost wages, and more. You might even deserve punitive damages if the other driver was especially reckless.
If you were partially to blame for an accident in Texas, you might still be entitled to compensation. There is a 51% rule that states that you can receive compensation so long as you are less than 51% to blame for the accident.
In Texas, the typical statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits, including those involving tanker trucks. You must file a lawsuit within two years, or your claim will no longer be considered valid. *Always speak directly to an attorney for the exact deadlines that apply to your potential claim(s).
What to Expect from a Tanker Truck Accident Case
Trust Us to Keep You In the Loop from Day One
A Houston tanker truck accident lawyer from Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law can tell you specifically what to expect from your case. But if you are interested in a general overview, here is a little bit of what you can look for.
We’ll start with an initial consultation to discuss the facts of the case as well as your options. Come prepared to ask and answer questions.
We’ll reach out to the potential defendants with our letter of representation, and make it clear that they need to begin communicating through us as your counsel. We will with you to make sure you can focus on treating your injuries – and return to the best health possible. Once you are finished treating, or we have a more complete understanding of your future medical needs, we will obtain the necessary medical and billing records to prove up the damages associated with your case.
From there, we will send a demand – and open the door to negotiations. Although we sometimes need to file suit much earlier (if not right away), often, we will file suit when it becomes clear to us that pre-suit negotiations will not produce an acceptable resolution of your case.
To file suit, we file the relevant documents with the court – and serve the appropriate parties. Thereafter, we will enter discovery. At this time, evidence will be exchanged and evaluated through required initial disclosures, requests for disclosure, requests for admissions, requests for production/inspection/entry, interrogatories, depositions, and/or mental/physical examinations.
Pretrial hearings and motions will happen next. These steps will be aimed at resolving the case before it goes to court.
Ideally, we will enter the settlement negotiation stage next. Both parties are usually interested in reaching a settlement to avoid a costly and time-consuming trial.
If we are unable to reach an acceptable settlement, we will be prepared to assist you through a trial. Although this process will take some time, you can expect our tanker accident lawyers to be with you every step of the way.
Every situation will look different, but, in general, this is what you can expect when you hire a Texas tanker truck accident lawyer for help with a serious injury or wrongful death.
The Types of Evidence that Will Help to Prove Your Case
Proving liability in a tanker truck accident case is often the hardest part of the process. A tanker accident lawyer will be able to help you compile the necessary evidence so you can move forward with the case.
To do that, we will start by evaluating the police report of the accident. We’ll also take a look at any other documentation from the scene, including any photographs that were taken. If we can gather the speed and braking data from the truck’s recording device, that information may prove especially helpful.
From there, we will also reach out to any special investigators who worked on the case upon direction from the state. We may be able to determine from an investigator’s findings whether mechanical failure had anything to do with the accident.
You should know that, as the victim of the case, you may also be investigated. Oftentimes, the other driver’s company and/or insurance provider will try to shift the blame to you. Our tanker truck accident attorney will work to ensure you are not unfairly caught in the crosshairs of an investigation.
In all, the investigative/evidence-gathering step is often the most important and most time-consuming part of the entire process. If you are stressed, overwhelmed, or have questions about this part of a personal injury case, give us a call. Our tanker truck accident attorney will answer all of your questions.
Why Choose Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law?
Now you know that the answer to the question, “Are tanker trucks dangerous?” is “yes.” But if you need more answers or would like to speak directly with one of our Texas tanker truck accident lawyers, please call us now at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000. Our case reviews are free and confidential.
Attorney Terry Bryant
Terry Bryant is Board Certified in personal injury trial law, which means his extensive knowledge of the law has been recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, setting him apart from many other injury attorneys. The 22 years he spent as a Municipal Judge, Spring Valley Village, TX also provides him keen insight into the Texas court system. That experience also helps shape his perspective on personal injury cases and how they might resolve. This unique insight benefits his clients. [ Attorney Bio ]