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Modern cities with large populations need consistent and colossal supplies of volatile materials such as oil and natural gas, industrial chemicals, and consumable liquids, including water and milk. Tanker trucks are essential to transporting those materials from refineries and supply depots to local businesses—but like other massive commercial vehicles, tanker trucks are big and heavy enough to cause immense harm to anything or anyone they come into contact with.
Because of this, tanker truck operators have a particularly important duty of care to act responsibly while driving, and their employers are likewise responsible for ensuring their trucks and drivers are as safe and roadworthy as possible. If the driver’s or company’s misconduct caused you to suffer injuries in a recent tanker truck collision, the seasoned lawyers at Lowenthal & Abrams, PC, can help you demand compensation for the harm you have sustained. They have experience in handling claims involving tanker truck accidents in Philadelphia.
Are Tanker Truck Drivers Always at Fault for Accidents?
As is the case with all commercial vehicles that carry cargo, trucks with thousands of gallons of moving liquid in their tanks handle very differently than standard passenger cars do. Rather than absolving tanker truck drivers of liability for wrecks, this makes it more important—in the practical and legal senses—for them to obey traffic laws, pay attention to their surroundings, and not drive when drowsy or drunk.
That said, the fact that liquid cargo trucks were involved in collisions in Philadelphia does not automatically make their drivers legally liable for the ensuing injuries. Companies that own and operate tanker trucks can often be held vicariously liable for the negligence of their employees. If you contribute to causing your injuries in your tanker truck crash through your own negligent behavior, your available compensation may be reduced based on your court-assigned percentage of comparative fault for the accident.
Building a Strong Claim Within Filing Deadlines
If you want to sue over injuries a negligent tanker truck driver caused in Philadelphia, you must do so much more quickly than you might expect. The statute of limitations codified in 42 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes § 5524 generally allows personal injury victims no more than two years to formally file suit after the date on which they suffered harm through someone else’s misconduct.
While there are some circumstances under which the starting point for this two-year period can be tolled, or pushed back, for a few months or years, the courts make virtually no exceptions once the applicable filing deadline expires for the injured person. This is one of the biggest reasons that quickly seeking support from skilled legal professionals after your tanker truck collision can be vital to your case’s success.
Call Our Philadelphia Lawyers for Help After a Tanker Truck Collision
A collision with any type of large commercial vehicle can cause serious injuries with long-lasting repercussions. Even by those standards, though, tanker truck accidents in Philadelphia can be uniquely dangerous to everyone involved, especially if the crashes result in caustic chemicals, flammable gas, or combustible gasoline spilling onto public roads.
Fortunately, skilled legal support is available when you decide to demand fair compensation after your tanker truck collision. Contact the dedicated attorneys at Lowenthal & Abrams, PC, today for a free and confidential consultation.
