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Accidents Involving Trucks Carrying Hazardous Materials

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When any type of truck crashes, the consequences can be devastating, and trucks carrying hazardous materials pose even greater dangers. Hazardous materials truck accidents can turn into far reaching events harming hundreds of people, causing fires and explosions and even evacuations. Among the many types of injuries which can occur in hazardous materials accident are burns from fires and explosions and chemical burns. Hazardous materials truck accident cases are complex and you need the help of an experienced truck accident attorney to win.

The Wide-Ranging Consequences of Hazardous Materials Accidents

Hazardous materials accidents can result in all of the injuries and damage that other types of trucking accidents cause and more including:

  • Chemical spills
  • Fires
  • Explosions
  • Bridge and overpass collapse
  • Damage to nearby buildings and homes
  • Release of toxic gases
  • Water contamination
  • Soil contamination
  • Evacuations

In addition to the injuries commonly sustained in truck accidents, hazardous materials truck accidents can cause:

  • Severe thermal burns
  • Chemical burns
  • Respiratory injury due to inhaling toxic gases
  • Neurotoxicity due to inhaling toxic gases
  • Injuries to pedestrians and people in nearby buildings

Victims of Hazardous Materials Truck Accidents

Victims of hazardous materials accidents can be numerous, sometimes in the hundreds, and can include:

  • Truck driver and their passengers
  • Occupants of other vehicles directly involved in the crash
  • Drivers on overpasses, bridges, underpasses, in tunnels, on other roads and in parking lots and parking structures near the accident
  • Pedestrians
  • People in nearby buildings damaged or otherwise affected by fire or explosion
  • People within miles of the accident who are exposed to toxic gases
  • Property owners

Hazardous Materials Transport Has Special Regulations

Examples of some of the regulations applying to hazardous materials (hazmat) transport include:

  • Hazmat truck drivers are required to have special licensing and extensive training above and beyond what is required for a basic commercial driver’s license (CDL).
  • Hazmat drivers are never to leave their trucks unattended.
  • There are very strict rules for how hazardous materials are to be secured to prevent spills and accidents as well as theft by terrorists.
  • Hazmat trucks are not allowed to travel near open fires, park near fires, or carry flares.
  • Trucks carrying explosive materials may not park within 300 feet of houses, tunnels, bridges, or places where people congregate.
  • Hazmat drivers must be given documentation of what they are carrying and what actions to take if something goes wrong.
  • There are additional regulations specific to the various types of hazardous material.

If you have been injured in a hazardous materials truck accident please search our directory for an experienced burn injury attorney in your state.

Fires and Burns Caused by Defective Vehicles

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Car fires are not uncommon after an accident, and you probably know that airbags can cause chemical burns when they deploy, but you may not know that some vehicle defects can cause fires without a crash and even when the vehicle is not in use. If the car is parked in a garage or near the house, it can lead to a tragic house fire. If your burn injuries were the result of a defective vehicle, you need the help of a highly skilled personal injury attorney who has extensive experience handling product liability and burn injury cases.

Fuel System Defects

Fuel system defects are a common cause of post-accident fires. Examples include:

  • Dangerous fuel tank design
  • Dangerous fuel tank placement
  • Fuel line defect
  • Fuel pump defect

Spontaneous Car Fires

Spontaneous fires occurring when there is no collision and sometimes when the car is not in use at all, are often involve electrical systems or batteries. For instance, in November 2020, Nissan recalled 450,000 vehicles worldwide due to fire risk caused by brake fluid leaking onto a circuit board which could cause it to short-circuit and catch on fire. The automaker advised owners to park the vehicles outside and away from structures if the antilock brake light comes on for more than 10 seconds.

In October 2019, Hyundai and Kia reached a $760million settlement in a class-action lawsuit over an engine defect leading to spontaneous fires in certain models of their vehicles.

Just how common are defects that can cause spontaneous fires? Too common for comfort. According to a February 2019 report by ABC News, there had been parked-car-fire-related recalls since 2017.

Defective Airbags

It seems that the saga of defective Takata airbags will never end. In December 2019, it was discovered that yet another version of Takata airbags have a defect that can cause fatal malfunctions, including causing the airbags to explode.

Defective airbags can cause frictions burns when they deploy with too much force. Chemical burns can result from the chemicals used to deploy the bags.

If you or someone your love has suffered burn injuries due to a defective vehicle, whether the burns were crash-related or not, please search our directory for an experienced burn injury attorney in your area and schedule your free consultation right away.

Home Remedies for Burns

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Aloe Vera

Minor burns can be treated at home. Burns should be treated immediately for best results. However, most of us have picked up some bad information over the years, so now is your chance to refresh your knowledge and find out what you should avoid using to treat burns. And, of course, do not try to treat a third degree burn at home. For serious burns, or if you are unsure, seek emergency medical care.

First, Cool the Burn

Run cool water over the burn or submerge it in cool water for 15 to 30 minutes. If you don’t have access to running water, a cool compress will work. Do not use ice or very cold water. That can cause more damage to the tissue.

Clean the Burn

Wash the burn very gently, with saline or mild soap. Do not use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Both can damage or kill skin cells, causing the burn to heal more slowly.

Honey

Gently spread honey over the burn, and cover with dry, sterile gauze. Honey has been scientifically proven to help heal burns in numerous ways. It acts as an anti-inflammatory, prevents infection, and promotes wound healing. However, you don’t want to use just any honey you find at the store. You need raw, unfiltered honey or medical honey. You can also buy dressings that are already infused with honey.

Aloe Vera

If you don’t have raw honey, try Aloe Vera. Squeeze it right out of the plant if you have one. If not, use pure aloe gel. Be careful about commercially purchased aloe products. Most contain other ingredients, such as alcohol and perfumes, that can cause pain and make the damage worse.

And remember, never put butter on a burn.

Serious burns require immediate medical attention. Severe burns should be treated in a burn unit if at all possible. If you or someone you love has suffered serious burns as a result of someone else’s negligence, please contact an experienced injury attorney and schedule your free initial consultation right away.

Burn Injuries –Seeking Compensation through Premises Liability

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A burn injury can be painful and devastating. If you or someone you know has suffered a burn injury resulting from another party’s negligence, you may seek compensation for the damages caused by the accident by filing a personal injury claim. If the injury occurred on someone else’s property and resulted from the negligence of the property owner or manager, that person may be liable under a theory of premises liability.

Burn types

When your skin comes into contact with an excessively hot substance or surface, you will be burned. Burns are grouped into three main categories.

1- First degree burns

These are relatively minor burns. The burns result in reddening of the skin. The victim may also experience some topical pain. Recovery from these burns is relatively easy with proper care. The human body is able to heal the burned area with little need for medical intervention. These cases rarely justify the expense or time involved with a lawsuit.

2- Second degree burns

These are more severe than first degree burns. The pain is much deeper since deeper tissues are affected by the burning. These burns result in the skin swelling, reddening and blistering. Some medical intervention may be required to help in recovery and healing from these burns.

3 – Third degree burns

These are the most severe types of burns. These burns affect deep tissues in the body. They completely destroy the skin and the nerves. Third degree burns may result in blackened or visibly charred skin. The burned areas may be white where the skin has been completely destroyed. Recovery from these burns requires medical intervention. Scars are likely to last a lifetime.

Common causes of burns

Burns can result from exposure to various situations including:

  1. Overexposure to the sun
  2. Fire
  3. Radiation
  4. Steam
  5. Hot liquids
  6. Friction
  7. Corrosive chemicals
  8. Electricity

Negligence

Proving negligence when it comes to burn injuries can be a complex process. However, the at-fault party can only be held liable if there is evidence of negligence. Examples of situations that show negligence include:

  1. The victim getting burned after coming into contact with a frayed wire
  2. A fire that was not properly contained
  3. Burns may result from chemical spills or radiation leaks
  4. Burns resulting from poor maintenance of a building of the fire suppression system

Who should be held liable?

When the accident occurred on another party’s property (including a landlord property), the owner of the property may be held liable for the damages resulting from the accident. The victim may seek compensation for damages under a premises liability claim. However, the victim must demonstrate that the injuries suffered were a direct result of the property owner’s negligence.

If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of someone’s negligence, please contact an experienced burn injury attorney today.