Car Accident in Arlington, Virginia Leads to Sewage Spill | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

What Happened: From a news story on nbc12.com, a car accident on Arlington Boulevard in Arlington, Virginia resulted in one of the vehicles involved—a sewage truck—spilling toxic substance from its carrier and down nearby storm drains. Police reported that the Don’s Johns sanitation service truck collided with another vehicle, resulting in the five people in the latter vehicle being taken to nearby hospitals for treatment of injuries. Because the sewage from the truck ended up in storm drains, and thus likely in public waterways, authorities advised nearby citizens to avoid a local river for several days until the danger of contamination passed.

Here’s the location of the incident near Arlington Boulevard and Fillmore Street in Arlington, VA:


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Trucks carrying dangerous materials have a special obligation to ensure that they do not get into accidents and release any toxic waste into the air, road or local waterways. A few months ago we reported on a dangerous chemical spill in North Carolina  which again pointed towards the reality that trucks with hazardous materials on board need to take special care against accidents; dangerous chemicals and substances can make a terrible wreck much more injurious, and to people that were not even at the scene of the accident at the time.

At this time, it’s not clear what caused the accident, or whether or not the truck driver or the drivers of the other vehicle were at fault. However, if the truck driver caused the accident, then the injured motorists in the other vehicle, or anyone who is injured by the sewage that was spilled from the truck, may have grounds to file a personal injury claim against the truck driver’s insurance company.

Trucks, in general, pose specific risks on highways and roads, especially semi-trucks and tractor-trailers, which are far larger and more powerful than the average vehicle. Truck accidents can be devastating to those injured by them. If you’ve been injured in a trucking accident, you might consider speaking to a personal injury lawyer regarding your options for legal redress and compensation. Because laws governing truck and tractor-trailer accidents are often different from standard traffic or highway laws, it’s important to speak to someone who is familiar with the ways the laws differ, and how they apply to your particular case.  

As well, you can click here to download a guide that offers a general overview to trucking accidents.