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What If I Was Injured by a Truck Carrying Hazardous Materials?

Riddle Brantley LLP   |  September 28, 2020   |  


Truck accidents can be devastating. But accidents involving trucks carrying hazardous materials (“hazmat” trucks) can be especially dangerous. If you’ve been injured in an accident involving a truck carrying hazardous materials, it’s important to consult with an experienced truck accident attorney about your legal rights and options for a claim or lawsuit.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss the complexities and dangers of truck accidents involving hazardous materials, and what you can do if you’ve been injured in a hazmat truck accident.

If you’ve been injured in a truck accident involving hazardous materials, don’t wait — the longer you wait to contact a truck accident lawyer, the harder it may be to win your case and recover the compensation you need and deserve. Truck accidents involving hazardous materials can be especially dangerous and even life threatening

There are no upfront costs or attorney fees unless we win your case and you receive financial compensation in your claim or lawsuit.

Those injured by trucks carrying hazardous materials deserve justice and may be entitled to compensation.

What Kind of Hazardous Materials Do Trucks Carry?

Trucks carry a wide range of hazardous materials, including:

  • Gases — these include flammable, non-flammable, and toxic gases
  • Flammable liquids — these include gasoline, jet fuel, propane, diesel fuel, ethanol, and kerosense, among others
  • Flammable solids — certain household and industrial materials may ignite under certain conditions, including magnesium, activated charcoal, and more
  • Explosives — these include any material that can explode or detonate, such as dynamite or fireworks
  • Toxic materials — these include any material that is poisonous or can be infectious, such as biological samples
  • Corrosive materials — these include products containing acids, such as certain batteries
  • Radioactive materials — radioactive materials like uranium can poison an environment for hundreds of years and are extremely dangerous

In most cases, federal and state regulations require that trucks carrying these and other hazardous materials carry signage identifying the type of hazardous material.

What Responsibility Do Truck Drivers and Trucking Companies Have in Transporting Hazardous Materials?

Federal and state laws require that truck drivers and trucking companies use caution and exercise certain safety measures in transporting hazardous materials.

These laws and regulations include:

  • Signage requirements — hazmat trucks must display signage designating the type of hazardous material being transported
  • Handling and storage requirements — drivers and companies transporting hazardous materials must adhere to laws and regulations governing the conditions, circumstances, and safety precautions surrounding the handling and storage of these materials
  • Road restrictions — federal, state, and local authorities may restrict usage of certain roadways by trucks transporting hazardous materials
  • Training and educational requirements — in order to transport certain hazardous materials, truck drivers may have to take special training courses required by federal or state law
  • Special licensing — in many states, a special license is required in order to transport hazardous materials

Injuries Resulting from Truck Accidents Involving Hazardous Materials

Any truck accident can result in serious injuries, but trucks carrying hazardous materials can cause unique and especially serious and even life-threatening injuries, including:

  • Burns — Flammable gases and liquids can ignite and result in serious and life-threatening burn injuries
  • Respiratory injuries — Toxic fumes and gases can result in respiratory injuries, including serious lung damage
  • Cancer and long-term illness — In the most serious cases, exposure to toxic fumes, gases, and materials can result in long-term illness and cancer

In truck accident cases involving hazardous materials, the immediate investigation can be especially importantIf you’ve suffered any of these injuries after an accident involving a truck carrying hazardous materials, contact an experienced truck accident lawyer today.

There is never any obligation and you won’t pay any attorney fees unless we win your case and you receive financial compensation.

Liability in Truck Accidents Involving Hazardous Materials 

In instances in which injury results from truck accidents involving trucks carrying hazardous materials, liability can be complicated.

Parties that may be liable for injuries suffered due to truck accidents involving hazardous materials (hazmat) include:

  • Truck drivers
  • Trucking companies
  • The company responsible for truck maintenance
  • The company responsible for loading the truck with hazardous materials
  • The hazardous material manufacturer or distributor

An experienced truck accident lawyer can help determine who may be liable for an accident involving a truck carrying hazardous materials.

There is no obligation and you won’t pay a dime in attorney fees unless we win your case and you receive financial compensation.

“I’ve been injured in a truck accident involving hazardous materials. What can I do?”

If you’ve suffered injury due to someone else’s negligence in a truck accident involving hazardous materials, you deserve justice and we would love to help however we can.

Our award-winning attorneys have been helping injured victims since 1985, and have more than 220+ years of combined legal experience (see disclaimer below).

Recent settlements won on behalf of deserving victims include a $9.45 million settlement, a $1.8 million settlement, and a $2.25 million settlement (see disclaimer below).

There are no attorney fees unless we win your case and you receive compensation in your truck accident caseWe know the law in North Carolina and are experienced holding negligent drivers, trucking companies, and insurance companies accountable.

If you’ve been injured by a truck carrying hazardous materials, be aware that these claims and lawsuits can be extremely complex. We have an on-staff team of accident investigators who can help prove liability, and we will often bring in outside experts to help with the investigation and strengthen your case.

We work on a contingency basis, which means there are never any upfront costs and you won’t pay any attorney fees unless we win your case and recover compensation for you.

Justice Counts for those injured in truck accidents involving hazardous materials. Please call 1-800-525-7111 today and let’s review your case.

 


*** Disclaimer: An attorney must meet certain requirements to join these organizations or receive these awards. For more information on Membership Criteria for Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Super Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers Top 100, The National Association of Distinguished Counsel, AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, and the Litigator Award, please visit our Membership Criteria page. These awards and memberships should not be construed as a promise or guarantee of a similar result. Each case is different and must be evaluated separately.

*** Disclaimer: The results mentioned are intended to illustrate the type of cases handled by the firm. These results do not guarantee a similar outcome, and they should not be construed to constitute a promise or guarantee of a particular result in any particular case. Every case is different, and the outcome of any case depends upon a variety of factors unique to that case.