Tractor Trailer Accident Results in Fuel Spillage, Injury

A tractor-trailer from FedEx recently jackknifed on the freeway in New Rochelle, resulting in a major accident and a fuel spillage.

The accident occurred on I-95 on the morning of Saturday, May 7 on the New England Thruway, between Crescent Avenue and the Center Avenue Bridge. According to the local fire chief, the accident resulted in 100 to 200 gallons of diesel fuel being dumped on to the roadway and into storm drains, as the truck’s saddle tanks ruptured in the incident.

The truck collided with a passenger vehicle, and a passenger in that car was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital to be treated for their injuries. At the time of the accident there was no information about the seriousness of those injuries.

What to do after an accident with a commercial truck

Accidents involving commercial trucks can be quite serious due to the size difference between those trucks and other vehicles on the road. They can also have some extra complexities in personal injury cases compared to litigation arising from accidents involving only passenger vehicles.

For one, it can be difficult to determine all of the potential defendants. It depends on the nature of the truck driver’s employment. Sometimes the driver is an owner-operator, other times they are employed by a company, and that company would be liable through the legal principle of vicarious liability.

There are also a variety of industry rules an attorney should understand when seeking to hold a truck driver or company accountable.

For more information about your legal options if you’ve been injured in an auto accident, contact an experienced lawyer at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia LLP.