The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA) recognizes nine different categories of hazardous materials that properly licensed and trained truck drivers can transport on public roadways. While not everything classified as HAZMAT is deadly if you’re exposed to it without protection, any traffic collision involving a vehicle transporting HAZMAT can be uniquely dangerous in numerous ways.
It can be hard to act proactively after any kind of traumatic truck accident, especially after a wreck that leads to corrosive, flammable, explosive, or even radioactive substances spilling on or near your vehicle. Here’s a brief overview of what to do when hazardous materials spill during a truck crash so you can be better prepared to protect yourself and your loved ones if you end up involved in one. A truck accident attorney is ready to help with your claim for compensation.
Evacuate the Area as Quickly and Safely as Possible
Usually, you’re supposed to stay at the scene of a serious traffic accident until police can respond to the scene, but exceptions can be made if you’ve suffered a serious injury needing emergency medical care or if staying at the scene would be hazardous to your health. That latter exception often applies to HAZMAT crashes. Getting a safe distance away from any hazardous material spill—potentially with safety equipment provided by the HAZMAT truck driver, such as a respirator—should be your top priority after this sort of wreck.
Call 911 and Report the Accident
Once you are safe from immediate danger, the next thing you should do when hazardous materials spill during a truck crash is contact emergency services. Make sure to mention that the wreck involved a possible HAZMAT spill, but refrain from explaining how the crash happened or admitting any fault. That could negatively impact your ability to seek civil compensation later on for your crash-related injuries.
Get Contact and Insurance Information from Everyone Involved
Whenever possible, you should get contact details and insurance information from the truck driver involved in a HAZMAT wreck before leaving the scene, as well as information about the vehicle they were driving and the specific material they were transporting. It can also be helpful to get contact information from people who witnessed the accident but weren’t directly involved since they could provide testimony later on about how the incident actually played out.
Seek Immediate Professional Medical Care
As soon as possible after leaving the scene of a truck crash involving a HAZMAT spill, you should get checked out at an emergency room or urgent care clinic or an appointment with your primary care physician. In addition to traumatic injuries from the crash itself, you may also have suffered harm from exposure to hazardous materials, and prompt medical treatment can be vital to minimizing the long-term effects of that kind of exposure.
Contact a Truck Accident Attorney to Discuss a Possible HAZMAT Claim
It’s always important to have help from seasoned legal counsel if you want a good chance at getting fair financial recovery after being hurt in a truck accident. Contacting a winning truck accident lawyer is one of the most important things to do when hazardous materials spill during a truck crash, given how uniquely complicated both the circumstances and the aftermath of this type of wreck can be. Call Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers today to learn more about what our attorneys can do for you.
