Semi-Truck Tanker Crash Claims the Lives of 5 Illinois Residents

At least five people died as a result of a semi-truck crash in Effingham County, IL. Areas of the county had to be evacuated as the truck was carrying several thousand pounds of anhydrous ammonia. Residents near the crash had to be evacuated to safety until the tanker stopped leaking ammonia. Several more individuals were injured. The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting an investigation in concert with Illinois police as to the cause of the crash. The truck was carrying 7,500 lbs of anhydrous ammonia, a substance that is toxic to humans.

In this article, a Champaign, IL truck accident attorney will discuss the crash and potential angles of liability.

Analyzing liability in a truck accident lawsuit 

Large commercial trucks are obviously much more difficult to drive than smaller passenger vehicles. When a truck accident does occur, injuries and deaths are likely. In these cases, plaintiffs can file lawsuits against the trucking company for any injury they sustain when the truck driver is responsible for the crash. In this case, we know very little about how the crash occurred.

However, if the crash was related to operator error on behalf of the trucking company, the trucking company could face serious liability. Five were left dead and several more were injured. 500 people had to be evacuated due to potentially toxic exposure to a dangerous chemical.

When is a trucking company liable for an accident? 

A trucking company is liable for an accident when the truck driver is liable for the accident. In other words, there may have been some violation of traffic safety rules that occurred to cause the accident. If the truck driver violated any rule of traffic, then the liability would fall on the driver and the company that they work for.

Similarly, if a mechanical failure was responsible for the accident, the trucking company would also be liable. Truck drivers are required by law to perform safety checks on their tires and more to ensure that the vehicle is in roadworthy condition prior to going out on delivery. They are also required to perform routine safety checks on the vehicle during delivery. This includes checking the tires.

In this case, no lawsuits have been filed yet. But one can easily imagine numerous scenarios in which plaintiffs can file an actionable claim against this trucking company. It is still unclear what caused the accident to occur.

If you have been involved in a truck accident with a large commercial vehicle, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the company that owned and operated that vehicle depending on the severity of your injuries. In the case mentioned above, several individuals were severely injured including five that had to be flown to local hospitals. Five more were killed in the accident, and numerous others sustained substantial injuries.

Talk to a Champaign, IL Truck Accident Attorney Today 

The Champaign, IL truck accident attorneys at Patel Law, PC represent the interests of those injured in commercial trucking accidents. Call our office today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how we can help.

Source:

cnn.com/2023/09/30/us/illinois-anhydrous-ammonia-leak/index.html