Charlie Whitt Injured In Teutopolis Ammonia Spill
Truck Accident - October 8, 2023
Charlie Whitt, of Green Castle, Indiana, Among 7 Injured In Effingham County Tanker Truck Accident That Resulted In Ammonia Spill
TEUTOPOLIS, ILLINOIS (October 7, 2023) – A man from Green Castle, Indiana identified as Charlie Whitt was injured in a Teutopolis hazardous material spill on Highway 40.
Effingham County officials are saying that the collision took place around 9:25 p.m. on Friday. There are reports that a passenger vehicle was attempting to pass a tanker truck before the vehicles were involved in a collision.
The force of the impact cause the tanker truck to overturn and leak around 4,000 gallons of anhydrous ammonia into the nearby area. Fumes from the leak were so strong that numerous people in the area were injured due to the exposure.
Charlie Whitt was identified as one of two people taken to the hospital in an ambulance. Another five people had to be airlifted to the hospital. Sadly, five people died due to their injuries.
Illinois officials evacuated all people within a 1 mile radius of the crash. A full investigation into the crash that injured Charlie Whitt remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Effingham County Tanker Truck Accidents
Thousands of people are killed or seriously injured every year in truck accidents. According to the National Safety Council, “In 2021, 5,700 large trucks were involved in a fatal crash, an 18% increase from 2020 and a 49% increase in the last 10 years. The involvement rate per 100 million large-truck miles traveled is up 7% from 2020, and up 22% in the last 10 years.” There are many steps that truck drivers should take in order to avoid collisions.
- Truck drivers should be well rested before heading out onto the road.
- Truck drivers should take periodic breaks during their routes.
- Truck drivers should check their blind spots before making turns.
- Truck drivers should make sure they are trained to handle the specific rig they are operating.
Truck drivers have a legal obligation to exercise due care in order to avoid collisions. Many truck accidents are due to truck drivers that make dangerous lane changes. Pursuant to Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5/11-709), “A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from such lane until the driver has first ascertained that such movement can be made with safety.” Many steps should be taken after any truck accident.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- Photos of the accident should be taken.
Truck accidents involving chemical leaks can be particularly hazardous. A person does not have to be near the chemical leak in order to be affected. If a a person is several hundred feet away, this could be enough to cause serious injuries or death depending on the chemical that was spilled. Any person that is injured in a chemical leak may be able to seek some measure of justice through a personal injury claim.
Investigating Effingham County Tanker Truck Accidents
We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our best wishes to Charlie Whitt and all of the other people injured in this collision. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. It is our hope that steps are taken to prevent similar tragedies.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in an Effingham County semi-truck accident? Our team of personal injury attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and get the justice that they are owed under the law. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free investigation into any collision we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.
