Commercial Truck Accidents Involving Chemical Spills Can Be Very Complicated

For all commercial trucks, a collision with the truck is one of the primary dangers you might face, but you will also need to worry about large amounts of fluids being sprayed out of the truck and onto the road. For example, a truck might run a red light and you may then collide with the vehicle.

Dangers Associated with a Commercial Truck Spill

With a commercial truck spill, you might not even collide with the truck. For example, the vehicle might be defective and this might lead to hazardous fluids leaking out of the vehicle in such a quantity that causes you to become injured. Chemicals can lead to burns, blindness, and excruciating pain. You will want to seek medical attention immediately so you can recover as quickly as possible.

The types of hazardous substances you can be exposed to include fuels, toxic substances, corrosive substances, radioactive substances, and flammable or explosive substances. In some cases, the injuries you have suffered might not immediately be apparent, such as with exposure to radiation, but may affect you over time.

Steps to Take After the Accident

If there is a hazardous spill after the accident, you will want to exit the vehicle especially if you are under threat of continued exposure to the spill and if you are able to exit the vehicle safely. Use your own judgment about whether it's safer to leave or safer to stay.

Then, you will want to contact an attorney experienced with truck accident cases. It can be very difficult to determine who is responsible for the accident. It may have been the driver, or the employer might have failed to adequately maintain the truck. The company that designed the tank that stored the hazardous substance might be responsible as well. 

However, finding multiple responsible parties can be useful because your damages might be so high that they exceed the policy limit of a single party. If this is the case, the only way to pay for all of your expenses is to seek compensation from multiple parties. 

How to Know What Your Settlement is Worth

When negotiating with a commercial insurance provider, they will likely make the lowest settlement offer they believe they can get away with. This is especially true with cases where your settlement can be very high. However, your commercial insurance provider can assist you in calculating the full extent of your damages.

To learn more, contact a trucking accidents attorney.