Jackson, MS Tanker Truck Accidents

Skill and discipline are required to safely operate a tanker truck due to the enormous size, high center of gravity, and weight of the truck – and that is without thousands of gallons being transported. The addition of cargo only adds to the difficulty of maneuvering the vehicle as well as the danger of driving it. Tanker trucks require greater distances to safely brake. Even briefly slamming on the brakes of a tanker truck or momentarily swerving slightly to one side could cause the tank to roll over and possibly leak the contents – which, if flammable, could lead to an explosion.

As such, there is an endorsement a commercial driver must have on their commercial driver’s license (CDL) in order to legally transport hazardous materials. This endorsement is called a HAZMAT endorsement. In order to obtain it, a commercial driver must pass a test regarding regulations and requirements. Unfortunately, the endorsement only requires drivers to know the bare minimum, so many drivers will need additional training to safely transport hazardous materials. That additional training could be the difference between a tanker truck driver safely transporting hazardous materials and causing a significant accident on U.S. Highway 80. It is important to hire an attorney when injured in a tanker truck accident in the Jackson area that understands how to obtain evidence of lack of compliance when faced with obstructive efforts, as the driver or trucking company may attempt to avoid presenting evidence that would highlight their failure to comply with training requirements and hazardous material regulations.

The tanker truck driver or trucking company may be held liable for negligence, depending on the details of your case. In order to successfully pursue damages for your claim, you must prove that the driver had a duty to drive safely, breached that duty, and injured you as a result. The driver’s employer may also be liable if the driver did not receive proper training or was hired despite the company knowing of his incompetence. For example, you are driving to Jackson State University at 1400 John R. Lynch Street, and a tanker truck driver aggressively attempts to pass you on the road but swerves too hard when cutting in front of you. As a result, the tanker truck rolls over and crushes the front of your vehicle. If, through discovery, you find out that the driver had a history of aggressive behavior, but the trucking company hired the driver anyway, negligent hiring may be established.

Many would call the previous scenario an example of reckless disregard for the safety of others, particularly if the tanker truck driver was driving between 90 and 100 miles per hour. Depending on the facts of the case, you could pursue punitive damages – which are primarily meant to punish the defendant and deter them from future reckless behavior – on top of your compensatory damages, such as loss of earnings, pain and suffering, medical bills, emotional stress, disfigurement, loss of consortium, and other economic or non-economic damages that may pertain to your case.