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Why tanker crashes are different
A tanker carries liquid or gas that can move inside the tank. When a driver brakes hard or turns quickly, the load can surge and push the truck, making a rollover or jackknife more likely. A tanker that leaks or catches fire can hurt people who were never touched by the truck, through burns, smoke or fumes, and can close a freeway for hours.
Because the load is often fuel or chemicals, these crashes bring in fire departments, hazmat teams and sometimes several government agencies. Each one may write its own report. Under California law, the agency that prepared a traffic collision report must release it to people involved, such as an injured person or their attorney, and may charge only its actual cost (Vehicle Code 20012).
Insurance for tanker trucks
Federal rules set minimum liability coverage for for-hire interstate carriers, and the amount depends on what the truck hauls (49 C.F.R. 387.9). Non-hazardous property requires at least $750,000. Oil and most listed hazardous materials require $1 million. Certain bulk hazardous substances, explosives and some other dangerous loads require $5 million. The truck’s placards and shipping papers show what was in the tank.
These are minimums, and many companies carry more. A tanker may also be pulled by one company, owned by another and loaded by a third. Our page on truck insurance minimums explains the numbers, and our page on who is liable in a truck accident covers how responsibility can be shared.
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Driver and company records
Federal hours-of-service rules limit a property-carrying driver to 11 hours of driving after 10 hours off duty, with no driving past the 14th hour on duty and a 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving (49 C.F.R. 395.3). Carriers must keep duty status records, including electronic logs, for six months (49 C.F.R. 395.8). After that they may be gone, so ask early.
After a fatal crash, and after some injury or tow-away crashes where the driver gets a citation, the employer must test the driver for alcohol and drugs (49 C.F.R. 382.303). You can also look up the carrier’s crash and inspection history on the federal SAFER website (FMCSA SAFER and SMS). See how to look up a trucking company’s safety record.
What to do now
Get medical care right away, and tell the doctor if you breathed smoke or fumes or touched any liquid. Some effects from chemical exposure show up later. If it is safe, take photos of the tanker, its placards, the company name and USDOT number on the cab, and the scene. Get witness names, the report number and any claim numbers. Keep every receipt.
In California, a personal injury lawsuit generally must be filed within two years of the injury (Code of Civil Procedure 335.1). In Washington, the general deadline is three years (RCW 4.16.080). If someone died, read our page on a family member killed by a semi truck. Do not sign a release or give a recorded statement before you talk to a lawyer.
- Get checked by a doctor, including for smoke or fume exposure
- Photograph the placards, company name, USDOT number and scene
- Write down witness names, the report number and claim numbers
- Do not sign a release or give a recorded statement yet
- Keep medical bills, hotel bills from evacuations and other receipts
How we can help
Tanker cases can involve the carrier, the tank owner, the company that loaded the product and several insurers. We work to identify each one, request the logs and testing records before they are lost, and deal with the adjusters for you. Call (310) 552-6959 or use the form on this page. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.
We handle truck crash claims in California and Washington. Learn more on our California truck accident lawyer page or our Washington truck accident lawyer page. You can also browse all accident questions for answers about medical bills, settlement value and how long a truck case takes. The earlier you call, the more records we can still request.
Common questions
How much insurance does a tanker truck have to carry?
For for-hire interstate carriers, federal minimums are $750,000 for non-hazardous property, $1 million for oil and most listed hazardous materials, and $5 million for certain bulk hazardous substances, explosives and some other dangerous loads. Many carriers carry more. A lawyer can find the actual policies.
Can I make a claim if I was hurt by fumes or a fire, not the truck itself?
You may. Injuries from a spill, a fire or smoke can be part of a claim even if the tanker never touched your car. Get medical care and tell the doctor about the exposure. Keep records of any evacuation, missed work and expenses.
How do I find out what the tanker was carrying?
Look for the diamond-shaped placards on the tank, and note the company name and USDOT number on the cab. The police and fire reports often list the cargo. A lawyer can also request the shipping papers from the carrier.
Was the tanker driver tested for drugs or alcohol?
After any fatal crash, the employer must test the driver as soon as practicable. Testing is also required after some injury or tow-away crashes when the driver gets a citation. An alcohol test not done within 8 hours and a drug test not done within 32 hours must be abandoned.
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Car and truck accident lawyer — Beverly Law
If you were hurt in a car or truck crash in California and Washington, talk to a personal injury attorney. Free, confidential, English or Spanish. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.
Related pages
Can I sue a truck driver for hitting me? · Who is liable in a truck accident: the driver, the trucking company or the broker? · Rear-ended by a semi truck: what to do · Hit by a semi truck on the freeway: your rights · Jackknife truck accident: who is at fault? · All car and truck accident questions
Sources
Important: This page is general information about California and Washington law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Last reviewed: November 5, 2026.