Tanker trucks are a very common sight on the highways of the United States, as they are the most preferred means of transportation to transport cargo, which is liquid in nature. A tanker truck is a truck that has a tanker attached to it, which is typically used to carry liquid cargo.

All types of commercial truck accidents can be very dangerous, and account for about 5,000 fatalities every year. But when the commercial vehicle accident happens to be that of a tanker truck, there can be added catastrophes, due to the nature of the cargo that is usually carried by tanker trucks.

Dangers of Tanker Truck Accidents

Along with the usual dangers that are associated with commercial truck accidents, there are some added dangers that are usually related to tanker truck accidents. These are:

• Fires: Tanker trucks generally transport liquid cargo, most of which is flammable in nature. If a tanker truck carrying oil, gasoline, or other petroleum products gets into an accident, there is an increased risk of the cargo catching fire, due to its flammable properties. Such fires can cause burn injuries in people who are involved in the tanker truck accidents. In addition to causing harm to people, the fires resulting from a tanker truck accident can also cause enormous damages to property as well.
• Explosions: Once again, due to the nature of the freight that is usually transported by tanker trucks, an explosion is a very real possibility in tanker truck accidents. If the impact of the accident itself was survivable, yet an explosion occurs because of a tanker truck accident, then the possibility of any survivors in the vicinity of the accident is very remote.
• Sloshing: If a tanker truck is not carrying a capacity load, or at least a load that is three-fourths of its capacity, then the liquid inside the tanker has a tendency to ‘slosh’ or move around. This sloshing can cause the driver of the tanker truck to lose control of the truck, because of the continuous shifts in weight, and ultimately an accident is the end result.
• Leaks and Spills: If the tankers are not closed properly or if there is any kind of defect in the tanker, it can cause spilling or leaking of the cargo from the tanker truck. Such spillage can cause a tanker truck accident. Even if it does not actually cause an accident, spills can still be dangerous to other vehicles, as they can crash because of the spills, while also being dangerous to people who can slip and fall, and end up hurting themselves badly.
• Chemical Burns: If a tanker truck carrying chemicals is involved in an accident, the people involved in the accident may have to additionally contend with chemical burns and reactions as well. And if the tanker truck is transporting some radioactive materials that leak in the tanker truck accident, then the resulting radiation can harm even those people who are in no way related to the accident, but are in the vicinity.

Tanker trucks also have more of a tendency to get into rollover accidents, as the rollover threshold of tanker trucks is much lower than other types of commercial vehicles. Because of all these various factors, which are typical to tanker trucks, such accidents can be very devastating.

Legal Aspects Of Tanker Truck Accidents

If you have been injured in a tanker truck accident, or have lost a loved one to such a crash, you should consult with a lawyer who has experience in personal injury claims and wrongful death lawsuits. You are entitled under the law, to recover actual damages as well as compensatory damages for any injuries sustained because of a tanker truck accident.

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