Accidents in Los Angeles involving spillage of contents typically deal with large trucks, which pose a threat for passenger vehicles due to both their size and from the contaminants spilled onto the roadway.
Truck accidents can happen for a variety of reasons, no matter where you are in the country. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), some of the most common causes of truck accidents in the U.S. include speeding, driving under the influence, faulty brakes, traffic congestion, and distracted driving.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a truck accident in Los Angeles that included a spillage of contents, contact a Los Angeles spillage of contents lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. Our team of personal injury lawyers will investigate your accident and may be able to help pinpoint negligence and place liability on the responsible party.
Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 794-0444 to learn more about your legal recourse options.
How Spillage of Contents Accidents Can Happen
First and foremost, it is the responsibility of the truck driver and the shippers to ensure that the contents of the truck are loaded properly and safely. They must also ensure that the contents are distributed properly.
When the cargo involves hazardous materials, it makes this procedure even more important. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, CDL truck drivers must conduct the following procedures before driving:
- Inspect their cargo for safety and precautions.
- Weigh the cargo and ensure the truck is balanced.
- Keeping the cargo properly secured while also ensuring it does not obscure the driver’s vision of the road.
- Paying attention to cargo that needs special care and attention.
- Loading the cargo in a manner that does not block emergency equipment.
Furthermore, the California Department of Motor Vehicles advises that truckers are required to inspect their cargo after driving their initial 50 miles. This is in place so the driver can make any necessary adjustments to the load and check for safety concerns. The California Department of Motor Vehicles also states that drivers must check their contents:
- When the driver has driven 150 miles or three hours.
- During every break the driver takes on their haul.
Truck maintenance is another potential cause of a Los Angeles spillage of contents accident. Trucking companies must constantly check their vehicles before sending them out with heavy loads or when hauling hazardous contents. When a tire blows out, a truck driver may lose control of their vehicle and cause an accident with innocent passenger vehicles. A truck’s brakes should also be regularly maintained to avoid accidents involving sudden stops.
Determining Liability with a Spillage of Contents Lawyer
When you work with a Los Angeles spillage of contents lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we will work to establish negligence. Once we begin to build a case, we will consider the three potentially liable parties of a spillage of contents truck accident in Los Angeles:
- The truck driver
- The shippers
- The trucking company
As stated by the California Department of Motor Vehicles, truckers are responsible for regularly checking their loads. However, trucking companies are generally responsible for the behavior of their drivers. This means the trucking company may be liable for an unchecked, unsecured, or shifting load. The trucking company must also provide the truck driver with proper training when hauling hazardous materials in tanker trucks. Additionally, the trucking company may be liable if they have not properly maintained their vehicles or had them inspected.
Shippers, generally third-party agencies that load tankers and other tractor-trailers, must work with trucking companies that will safely deliver their products or contents.
To learn more or to get started with a personal injury lawyer, contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today.
For a free legal consultation with a Spillage of Contents Accidents Lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (800) 794-0444
Hazardous Spillage of Contents
When a truck is hauling hazardous contents, these vehicles pose an even greater threat to innocent drivers sharing our roadways. This includes cargo of flammable and toxic materials, such as gasoline.
In some cases, tanker trucks can become unbalanced when the truck is not at full capacity. Once the contents spill onto the roadway, they can cause cars to slide into other vehicles. Furthermore, the spillage of contents from a tanker truck could explode, could damage homes near the accident, or it could even cause chemical burns.
You may incur a variety of damages following a hazardous spillage of contents accident in Los Angeles. At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we can not only help you determine negligence and liability, but we will also help you calculate your total damages with a monetary value attached to it for your personal injury claim. Some of the damages you may receive financial compensation for include:
- Medical costs (current and future)
- Lost wages
- Limited earning capacity
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
Los Angeles Spillage of Contents Accidents Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
Speak with a Los Angeles Spillage of Contents Lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Today
At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, our team of spillage of contents lawyers is ready to help you investigate your claim in Los Angeles if we believe you qualify to take action. Pintas & Mullins Law Firm will work tirelessly at finding evidence of fault from a spillage of contents accident. This may include looking into the California Department of Motor Vehicles’ guidelines of transporting cargo safely, such as if the driver checked the load regularly, determining how the load was secured, if the contents were distributed in the trailer evenly, and more.
Our team of spillage of content lawyers will also gather a collection of evidence, such as your medical bills, police reports, and testimony from eyewitnesses.
To learn more about your options after a Los Angeles spillage of content accident call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 794-0444.
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