Being in any truck accident in Homestead or any South Florida community is already terrifying. When a trucking or big rig accident also leads to a conflagration, however, the situation can become even more tragic and frightening. Fire can cause serious burn injuries, environmental injuries, and other trauma.
Big rigs and tractor-trailers used diesel fuel, which is less flammable than gasoline used in cars. For most trucking accidents, fire will not happen if the fuel tank is simply pierced. However, if a flame is introduced or if a truck is carrying highly flammable materials, fires can and do occur.
When a fire occur, the size of the truck as well as the size of the fuel tank can mean the blaze becomes far more dangerous than it would with a passenger car. If a tanker carrying gasoline, for example, goes up in flames the chances are the fire will be serious and large enough to spread into nearby homes and cause serious damages. Trucks and tankers carrying flammable materials can even explode and in some cases the toxic chemicals they carry can be dangerous to everyone in the vicinity – including drivers not involved in the accident.
If you have been in a trucking accident and there is a serious blaze or risk of fire, there are several things you will need to do:
- Contact emergency services
- Get out of the way
- Help others get out of the way of the flames
Do You Have A Claim?
There many ways you may have been injured if a trucking accident cause a serious fire:
- If you’re in the trucking accident, you may have suffered smoke inhalation, burns, and other serious injuries as a result of the flames.
- If you are a homeowner in an area where a trucking accident involving fire took place, you may have suffered property damage or you may have an environmental claim for your Homestead or South Florida home if your home’s value was affected by the event.
- If you’re a bystander or pedestrian, you may have a claim if you have suffered from smoke inhalation, burns, toxin exposure, or other serious injuries.
- If you were on the road and suffered injuries as a result of a chain reaction accident caused by the accident and fire, you may have suffered head injuries, fractures, and other serious injuries, even if you weren’t directly affected by the flames
In all cases, you may have a claim if the fire and truck accidents were caused by negligence. For example, if a tanker was not properly maintained or if the cargo was not properly secured and this led to the flames, you may have a claim against the truck company or other liable parties. If the driver took unnecessary risks while on the road, you may have a claim against the trucking company or driver.
In some cases, it is not immediately apparent whether you have a claim. For this reason, it is useful to contact Flaxman Law Group. Our attorneys have more than 60 years of combined experience helping plaintiffs. We also have a network of investigators, accident reconstruction experts, and other professionals we can call upon to help get you answers about your accident and to help build your case. Your first consultation with us is always free, confidential, and comes with absolutely no obligation, so contact us at any time to discuss your injuries.