Virginia Tanker Truck Accident Attorney
A Virginia tanker truck accident lawyer can provide legal representation to help you recover compensation if you or someone you love has been injured in a collision with a tanker truck. Tanker trucks generally have a cylindrical tank designed to transport liquids, gases, and dry goods. These trucks often transport flammable or hazardous material and accidents involving tanker trucks are often much more serious than other types of truck collisions. In crashes that cause fatalities or permanent injuries, it is important to understand your rights and do everything you can to make a claim for compensation. An experienced Virginia tanker truck accident attorney can help you at every step of the way in your accident case.
Tanker Truck Accident Causes
Tanker trucks are some of the most difficult vehicles on the road to drive for many reasons:
- Liquid loads in the back of tanker trucks can cause the vehicle to become unbalanced and increase the risk of a rollover accident.
- Trucks are designed to be fully loaded, and may get less traction on the roads when empty.
- Tanker trucks may be difficult to maneuver due to their large size.
- Truck weight and load weight means tanker trucks have a long stopping distance.
Truckers must have a commercial license to operate tanker trucks and generally must have some experience operating commercial vehicles before a trucking company will hire them for these types of transports. However, even experienced drivers can sometimes violate safety rules or behave negligently. Truck drivers can cause tanker truck accidents to occur if they:
- Fail to balance and secure their loads correctly or they carry loads that are too heavy for truck capacity.
- Operate the tanker trucks when fatigued.
- Become distracted by a cell phone or other electronic device.
- Speed or drive too quickly for the current weather and road conditions.
- Operate the tanker truck while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Tailgate or follow too closely behind a lead car.
- Weave in and out of traffic.
If you can prove that a truck driver was the cause of a tanker accident, you can pursue a damage claim to obtain compensation for your injuries. A Virginia tanker truck accident lawyer will help you investigate and gather the proof you need to make a claim.
Compensation for Tanker Truck Accidents
Tanker truck collisions can cause serious injuries including:
- Burns.
- Broken bones.
- Spinal cord damage.
- Traumatic brain injury.
Victims of a tanker truck accident can pursue a claim against the driver and, in many cases, against the trucking company that employs the driver. The goal of a tanker truck accident claim is to recover full compensation for both economic and non-financial losses, including pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of wages and future earning capacity, or the wrongful death of your family member. This compensation can be recovered through a court trial or through the negotiation of a settlement. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires trucks carrying certain hazardous materials to carry a minimum of $5 million in liability coverage. Virginia law does not impose a general cap on damages that would apply to limit your recovery in truck accident cases, although Virginia Code Section 8.01-38.1 limits compensation for punitive damages to $350,000. Punitive damages are not available in all accident claims.
How a Virginia Tanker Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help
A Virginia tanker truck accident lawyer can:
- Help you identify individuals and companies to pursue a claim against after a tanker truck crash.
- Assist in conducting an investigation into the crash and finding expert witnesses to make your case.
- Work to negotiate a settlement with the truck insurer and/or represent you in a personal injury or wrongful death claim.
Contact a Virginia tanker truck accident lawyer today to learn more.
