Many people in Houston may view a motor vehicle accident as a singular event (and oftentimes, it indeed is). However, there may be cases when a crash results in a series of occurrences that continue to generate consequences long after the initial accident happens.
This may be particularly common with crashes involving large semi-trucks and tractor-trailers. The complexities of these vehicles (as well as that of the cargo that they transport) can result in conditions that cause a roadway to remain a hazard long after any accident they experience. The question then becomes at what point does the liability due to that accident end.
Fire truck struck hours after semi rollover
Such a question could potentially arise following a collision between a pickup truck and a fire engine in Orange. According to a KBMT-TV news report, the conditions which led to the accident resulted from a semi-truck rollover hours earlier on Interstate 10. The truck flipped on its side and drifted into the opposite traffic lanes, spilling diesel fuel on to the freeway in the process. The accident and subsequent spill required cleanup crews to remain at the scene for several hours. It was during this cleanup that the subsequent collision occurred. No firefighters sustained injuries in the accident, yet the driver of the pickup did require treatment at a local hospital.
Establishing liability for an accident and its aftermath
In such a case, one may make a strong argument that the liability for any accident caused by conditions resulting from a truck accident should fall to the driver responsible for the initial incident. Such liability might also extend to the motor carrier that employs them (if the accident occurred within the scope of their employment). Making such a claim, however, may require the assistance of an experienced legal professional.