Fuel Truck Accident Lawyers

A fuel truck is a commercial vehicle that carries thousands of gallons of gasoline or other types of liquid fuel. Because fuel trucks are large, heavy, and carrying dangerous, flammable materials, accidents involving one can be devastating — and they’re sometimes fatal.

Fuel truck crashes are complex and proving liability is a big task. But the fuel truck accident attorneys at Nix Patterson are up to the challenge. They know how to hold companies and insurance companies accountable, and they’ll fight for your rights in the courtroom if need be. If you have suffered injuries and income loss from a fuel truck accident, Nix Patterson fuel truck accident lawyers may be able to help you recover damages.

How Do Fuel Truck Accidents Happen?

Like any commercial truck, a fuel truck can cause devastating accidents. Fuel trucks can crush smaller vehicles in high-speed accidents if a crash occurs. Worse, severe accidents might rupture the tanker, and the flammable liquid may catch fire or explode.

Some fuel trucks also have a pressurized tank that can explode and send deadly shrapnel around the accident scene. In addition, if the truck had hazardous chemicals on board, a HAZMAT team must come to the scene to mitigate the damage.

If you are hit by a fuel truck, moving away from the accident scene is vital. If you’re seriously injured and cannot move, dial 911 immediately. These accident scenes are hazardous, and severe injuries may often occur even after the initial accident.

What Are Common Fuel Truck Accident Injuries?

Fuel trucks are massive vehicles, and crashes with them can cause terrible injuries. These might include:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Burns
• Broken bones
• Crushed or amputated limbs
• Cuts and lacerations
• Internal bleeding and organ damage

Unfortunately, severe burns are common in fuel truck crashes. Recovering from severe burns is often a long and excruciating process. Depending on how severely burned, you may need to spend weeks or months in a burn unit or rehab facility.

Patients with the most severe burns may need multiple skin grafts and plastic surgery. In addition, some crash victims must wear compression garments daily to reduce scar tissue.

Holding a job as you recover from fuel truck burn injuries can be immensely challenging. The pain can be overwhelming; some patients are largely immobile because of skin contractures around the joints. In addition, the rest of your body may be susceptible to infection and muscle and organ damage.

If you have severe injuries from a fuel truck crash, it’s critical to be represented by a skilled personal injury attorney who can fight on your behalf.

How Do Fuel Truck Accidents Happen?

Fuel trucks are commercial vehicles that carry thousands of gallons of flammable or hazardous liquids. Fuel truck drivers have commercial driver’s licenses but may make the same driver errors as others. Unfortunately, a fuel truck crash can be much worse than other crashes. Some common reasons for fuel truck crashes are:

• Driver fatigue. Commercial trucking companies must follow federal hours-of-service rules that limit how long their drivers can be behind the wheel. Sometimes the driver or company defies those rules.
• Reckless driving. This can include speeding, illegal lane changes, tailgating, and failure to yield.
• Distracted driving. This can be talking or texting on a cellphone, eating, adjusting equipment, or other driver distractions.
• Improper truck maintenance. Poorly maintained equipment can cause accidents, especially worn brakes and bald tires.
• Inexperienced drivers. Novice drivers or those who aren’t properly trained are more likely to cause accidents than drivers with more time on the road.

Most fuel trucks contain flammable materials. A severe crash scene can transform into a deadly fire if the accident ruptures the tanker. After a fuel truck crash, try to get away from the scene immediately if you’re physically able to do so.

Who Is Liable in a Fuel Truck Accident?

Commercial truck drivers are often liable for victims’ injuries and other losses after a fuel truck crash. If the fuel truck driver drove unsafely and caused an accident, they can be held responsible in a civil lawsuit.

However, the truck driver might not be the only negligent party in the accident. For example, the company may be responsible for the injuries and damages when a commercial vehicle slams into a passenger car. This is because the fuel truck company is responsible for all vehicles they operate on public roads. In addition, most trucking companies must carry at least $750,000 in liability insurance for each rig, and sometimes more.

If the crash happened because of a truck defect or faulty part, the manufacturer of either could be liable. Also, the repair company could be responsible if the fuel truck was recently repaired and the crash happened because of a maintenance mistake.

Finally, any person or entity that loaded the fuel truck could be held responsible if improper safety or loading procedures contributed to the accident. For instance, the company that filled the tanker could be accountable for your injuries if it leaked because it was filled incorrectly.

Fuel truck accidents are often complex. But your Nix Patterson attorney can determine who is liable and hold them accountable.

What to Do After a Fuel Truck Crash

The first thing to do after a fuel truck crash is to call 911 if anyone is injured. You should next contact the police to report the accident. Then, if you are physically able, begin to collect crash scene evidence, including:

• Photos. Close-up and wide-angle photographs of injuries, vehicle damages, positions of the vehicles, and other crash evidence, such as vehicle debris and skid marks.
• Eyewitness testimony. Collect their names, contact details, and their statement about the accident.
• Driver information. Get the name of the driver, their contact information, and the company they work for. Your attorney will gather other important evidence later, including cell phone records, fuel truck black box data, and any available surveillance camera footage.

It also is crucial that you receive prompt medical care after the fuel truck crash. This is for your health’s sake and because you must show that your injuries are directly related to the accident. The doctor will note your injuries after the wreck and, if needed, can testify that your injuries were caused by a fuel truck accident.

Contact a Nix Patterson Fuel Truck Accident Lawyer

You might feel overwhelmed about the future if you are hurt in a fuel truck crash. How will you cover your medical bills and keep a roof over your head during your recovery? Don’t worry, our Nix Patterson fuel truck accident attorneys will hold the liable parties accountable. Contact us today for a complimentary legal consultation about your fuel truck accident case.