When you hire a San Antonio tanker truck accident lawyer at Trevino Injury Law, we identify the carrier, the shipper and every company that handled the cargo, preserve the evidence, and pursue full compensation for your injuries.
Tanker trucks haul fuel, chemicals, crude oil and oilfield fluids through San Antonio and the Eagle Ford Shale. A rollover, fire or spill can injure many people at once and leave families facing burns, toxic exposure and long recoveries.
We investigate federal hazardous materials and insurance rules, the driver’s training and hours, how the tank was loaded, and who controlled the shipment. Tanker carriers often carry higher insurance limits than ordinary freight haulers, and we make sure every policy is found.
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See What My Case Might Be WorthThe insurance company offered less than $20,000. I ended up with over $1 million. — Jackie Galindo
We secured a $17 million settlement in a head-on collision case involving three fatalities. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Tanker carriers and shippers control the shipping papers, loading records and engine data, so we send a spoliation letter, a legal demand that stops them from destroying evidence.
At Trevino Injury Law, our San Antonio truck accident lawyers obtain the carrier’s safety records, driver files and cargo documents, identify every insurance policy, and prepare your claim for trial when the companies dispute fault. Call 210-TREVINO for a free case review. You pay nothing unless we win. Se Habla Español.
Who Is Liable for a Tanker Truck Accident in San Antonio?
Liability for a tanker truck accident can fall on the driver, the motor carrier, the shipper that tendered the cargo, the company that loaded the tank, and the companies that built or maintained the tank and truck. Tanker shipments often involve several businesses, and each one may have broken a different safety rule.
- The driver: speeding on curves and ramps, fatigue, distraction, or failing to manage liquid surge.
- The motor carrier: negligent hiring, training or supervision, hours-of-service violations, and poor maintenance.
- The shipper or loader: overfilling or underfilling the tank, loading incompatible materials, or providing wrong shipping papers.
- Manufacturers and repair shops: defective valves, tanks, brakes or rollover protection.
Carriers also control the evidence. Texas courts can sanction a party that destroys relevant evidence, as the Texas Supreme Court explained in Brookshire Bros. v. Aldridge, which is why we demand preservation of shipping papers, loading records and truck data right away. Learn more about how trucking company negligence is proven in Texas.
Why Are Tanker Trucks So Dangerous?
Tanker trucks are dangerous because liquid cargo shifts while the truck moves, the tank sits high, and many loads are flammable, toxic or under pressure. A partially filled tank lets liquid slosh forward, backward and side to side, pushing the truck in the direction of the surge.
- Liquid surge: sloshing cargo can push a truck into an intersection after it stops or tip it on a curve.
- High center of gravity: tankers roll over more easily on ramps and sharp turns. Read more about truck rollover accident claims.
- Fire and explosion: fuel and chemical loads can ignite after a crash.
- Toxic exposure: spills can release fumes or chemicals that injure drivers, passengers and first responders.
Federal rules treat these vehicles differently. A “tank vehicle” is a commercial motor vehicle designed to carry liquid or gaseous materials in tanks with an individual capacity of more than 119 gallons and an aggregate capacity of 1,000 gallons or more (49 C.F.R. § 383.5). Vehicles carrying hazardous materials must also follow federal driving and parking rules in 49 C.F.R. Part 397, including rules on attendance, parking, fueling and smoking.
How Much Insurance Do Tanker Truck Companies Carry?
Federal law sets higher minimum insurance for many tanker carriers than for ordinary freight trucks. Under 49 C.F.R. § 387.9:
- $750,000: for-hire interstate carriers hauling nonhazardous property in vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more.
- $1,000,000: carriers hauling oil listed in the federal hazardous materials table, and other listed hazardous materials not covered by the $5 million category.
- $5,000,000: carriers hauling hazardous substances in bulk in cargo tanks, portable tanks or hopper-type vehicles, and certain explosives, poison gases and radioactive materials.
These are minimums. Many carriers, shippers and loaders have additional policies. Identifying every policy early often decides how much of a serious injury or wrongful death claim can actually be recovered.
How Do Eagle Ford Oilfield Tankers Affect San Antonio Roads?
Oilfield tankers that serve the Eagle Ford Shale carry crude oil, produced water and drilling fluids on rural highways south and east of San Antonio, often on long shifts. Two-lane roads, heavy truck traffic and fatigued drivers create serious crash risks for local drivers. See our guide to oilfield truck accident liability in San Antonio and how ELD data proves driver fatigue.
Large-truck crashes are deadly nationwide. In 2024, 5,340 people died in large-truck crashes in the United States, and 70 percent of them were occupants of other vehicles, according to the National Safety Council.
What Injuries Do Tanker Truck Accidents Cause?
Tanker crashes can cause the same catastrophic injuries as other truck crashes, plus burns and chemical exposure. Common injuries include:
- Burns from fuel fires and explosions.
- Chemical burns and breathing injuries from spilled or released cargo.
- Traumatic brain injuries. See commercial vehicle brain injury claims.
- Spinal cord injuries, broken bones and crush injuries.
- Wrongful death.
Medical bills can arrive long before fault is settled. Learn who pays medical bills after a truck accident in Texas.
What Evidence Proves a Tanker Truck Accident Claim?
Tanker claims are won with records the carrier, shipper and loader control, so preservation must start right away. We typically pursue:
- The Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report and fire department and hazmat response reports.
- Shipping papers and bills of lading showing what the tank carried.
- Loading records showing how full the tank was and who filled it.
- Engine control module, GPS, ELD and dashcam data.
- The driver’s qualification file, training records and hours of service.
- Inspection and maintenance records for the tank, valves and brakes.
- Photos, video and witness statements from the scene.
A spoliation letter puts every company on notice to keep these records.
Tanker Truck Accidents: Quick Answers
How Long Do I Have to File a Tanker Truck Accident Lawsuit in Texas?
Most Texas personal injury claims must be filed within two years of the crash. Claims involving a government entity can have much shorter notice deadlines, so speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.
Can I Recover If I Was Exposed to Chemicals After a Tanker Crash?
You may, if the exposure caused an injury that a doctor documents. Get medical care right away, tell the provider what you were exposed to, and keep every record.
Is a Fuel Delivery Truck a Tanker Truck?
Usually, yes. Fuel delivery trucks that carry liquid in tanks above the federal capacity thresholds are tank vehicles, and many must follow hazardous materials rules.
Who Pays If the Shipper Loaded the Tank Wrong?
The shipper or loader can be held responsible along with the carrier. Compare how liability works in 18-wheeler accident cases and commercial vehicle accident claims.
Why Hire a San Antonio Tanker Truck Accident Lawyer?
Tanker carriers, shippers and their insurers send response teams to the scene within hours of a crash on I-35, I-37 or an Eagle Ford highway. Trevino Injury Law secures the shipping and loading records before they disappear, identifies every company and policy, and prepares every case for a Bexar County jury. We secured a $17 million settlement in a head-on collision case involving three fatalities. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Don’t Guess About Your Rights. Get a Definite Answer
The insurance company is already evaluating your accident. Call 210-TREVINO Now to level the playing field, or contact Trevino Injury Law online. It’s confidential and you pay nothing unless we win.
Tanker carriers and shippers count on the complexity of hazardous cargo rules to wear families down. Injured families across South Texas trust a San Antonio injury law firm trusted across South Texas to cut through it and hold every responsible company accountable.
Call 210-TREVINO for a free, confidential consultation. Se Habla Español. You pay nothing unless we win.
