Commercial vehicles transport items of all types, including potentially hazardous chemicals, throughout the United States. When any truck accident occurs, it can cause not only serious injuries but also traffic disruptions that last for a long time. When a hazardous material is being transported in such situations, the potential for disaster is multiplied.
Such was the case on Interstate 10 elsewhere in Louisiana when a tanker truck collided with a passenger car. An official confirmed that the truck was carrying 4,000 gallons of waste chemical that had been picked up from a nearby refinery. Officials immediately closed I-10 in an attempt to contain a potential chemical disaster. However a portion of the highway was later reopened because it was found that the chemicals in the tank only posed a “contact hazard” and would not be hazardous if inhaled by the public. The truck driver and two people from the passenger vehicle suffered injuries and were transported to the hospital. The State Police Hazardous Materials team was sent to the scene to put down sand on the crash cite as a precautionary measure.
Collisions like this one can often have disastrous results. The cause of this accident is still under investigation, but it is known in the industry that commercial drivers are often overworked and are driving exhausted. This fact can sometimes result in serious or fatal injuries to those involved in the collision. When this occurs an attorney can work with the injured person in order to prove the negligence of both the driver and the trucking company involved.
After seeking the appropriate medical treatment, a person should consider seeking the experience of a seasoned accident attorney. An attorney can assess the case and help car accident victims maximize compensation for injuries and damages.
Source: The Times-Picayune, “Eastbound I-10 in Slidell partially reopened following tanker-truck accident,” Feb. 22, 2013
