Truck Accident Attorney in Las Vegas Serving Clients Throughout Nevada

Did you know that almost any serious Las Vegas truck accident results in severe and fatal injuries? While many car accidents in Las Vegas are debilitating, a truck accident is often worse due to the sheer size and weight of the vehicle. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), large trucks—which are also known big rigs, 18-wheelers, and semi-trucks—often weigh in excess of 10,000 pounds, and they have a very high ground clearance. Given that large trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds with cargo, these vehicles can weigh as much as 40 times as a passenger car. All of this means that a collision with a smaller passenger vehicle can be devastating.

Recovering from any personal injury can be difficult, but it can be especially tough to find a way to cover your extensive medical bills after a truck accident, especially when your injuries are so severe that you are unable to return to work. While some accident victims ultimately are able to return to a job in a limited capacity, many live the rest of their lives with permanent partial or total disabilities. You should know that you may be eligible to file a claim for compensation. An aggressive Las Vegas truck accident attorney can assist with your case.

Common Causes of Big Rig, Semi, Truck & 18 Wheeler Accidents in Vegas

Many truck & motorcycle accidents happen on highways or other major roads around Las Vegas. What causes a serious truck accident? There are many different reasons that truck crashes occur, according to a crash causation study from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), including but not limited to the following:

• Driver mistake or error;
• Improperly loaded cargo;
• Poor vehicle maintenance;
• Tire blowouts;
• Auto defect;
• Poor road maintenance;
• Inclement weather;
• Abrupt Lane Changes that result in Underriding;
• Rollover;
• Lost Loads;
• Jackknife;
• Not paying close enough attention to blind spots; and
• Inattentive semi drivers

All the above situations can lead to Semi Truck Accidents, collisions with non-emergency medical transport vehicles and even wrecks with garbage & disposal trucks.

Liability in a Truck Accident

Truck drivers have a duty to be careful when they are behind the wheel. Even if inclement weather plays a role in a truck accident, the driver may have been going too fast for the conditions and still may be liable for the accident. Unlike many car accidents in the Las Vegas area, these accident claims may have many different responsible parties. This is typically good for plaintiffs, since trucking companies or truck manufacturers tend to have deeper pockets than the truck driver. Examples of individuals who may bear some responsibility for a truck accident include but are not limited to:

• Truck driver;
• Truck owner;
• Trucking company;
• Company responsible for loading the truck;
• Employee of the loading company;
• Truck mechanic;
• Trucking company dealer that employs the mechanic;
• Truck part designer; and/or
• Truck part manufacturer.

Depending on the specific facts of your case, you may be able to hold multiple parties liable for a truck accident. For example, if the truck owner or trucking company failed to have the truck properly maintained, that poor maintenance could have played a role in causing the crash. Or, for example, if the mechanic was negligent, the company that does the maintenance on the truck may be liable. Moreover, if the truck accident results from a defect in the design or manufacture of the truck or one of its parts, the designer or manufacturer may be held responsible through a product liability claim.

When a truck driver’s negligence causes the crash, some of the most common reasons include but are not limited to:

• Aggressive driving, which can include speeding, running a red light, running a stop sign, tailgating or following too closely, weaving between traffic, and passing on the right;
• Drowsy driving, which can happen whenever a driver fails to get enough sleep and is too fatigued to be safely behind the wheel;
• Impaired driving, which can include having a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher or driving under the influence of drugs; and
• Distracted driving, which can involve taking your eyes, hands, or mind off the road and often results from using a cell phone or smartphone behind the wheel.

A dedicated Las Vegas truck accident lawyer can help you to determine the responsible parties in the crash who should be named in your claim, and we can get started on your case immediately.

Serious Injuries in Las Vegas Trucking Collisions

As we mentioned, trucking collisions typically result in severe and life-threatening injuries. In many cases, truck crashes prove to be fatal. Some of the most common injuries in a large truck collision include the following:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs);
• Spinal cord injuries (SCIs);
• Back injuries;
• Neck injuries;
• Broken bones or fractures;
• Internal organ damage;
• Burn injuries;
• Paralysis;
• Loss of limb or amputation; and
• Psychological trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Seeking Compensation: Compensatory Damage in a Nevada Personal Injury Case

What type of damages can you seek if you file a personal injury claim after being injured in a trucking collision? Under Nevada law (NRS 42.001), a plaintiff may be able to recover two types of compensatory damages, both of which are designed to compensate the victim for her injuries and losses in the accident:

Economic damages: any direct, financial losses like ambulance ride cost, hospital bills, surgery bills, prescription medication costs, follow-up doctor’s visit fees, physical therapy, and lost wages fall into this category.
Non-economic damages: any subjective, indirect losses on which you cannot put an objective dollar figure, like pain and suffering or the loss of enjoyment of life, fall into this category.

What about punitive damages?

In some cases, it may be possible to seek what are known as exemplary or punitive damages under Nevada law (NRS 42.005). Punitive damages are designed solely to punish the defendant (or defendants) for very bad acts. Typically, in order for a truck crash claim to result in a punitive damages award, the plaintiff would need to show that a product designer or manufacturer knew of a defect and engaged in fraud, or that another defendant acted with malice, which is defined as “conduct which is intended to injure a person or despicable conduct which is engaged in with a conscious disregard of the rights or safety of others.”

If a plaintiff is awarded exemplary or punitive damages, they are capped at three times the amount of the compensatory damages award if that award is $100,000 or more, or at $300,000 if the compensatory damages award is less than $100,000. A Las Vegas truck accident attorney can discuss possible damages with you.

Statute of Limitations for Your Truck Accident Claim

When you are injured in a trucking collision, it is extremely important to be aware of the statute of limitations. This is a law that specifies the amount of time you have to file your claim. If you do not file your lawsuit within the specific period of time that is outlined in the statute of limitations, you will be barred from filing a lawsuit.

Nevada law (NRS 11.190) says that the statute of limitations for a personal injury claim is two years. This means that anyone injured in a trucking crash must file a lawsuit within two years from the date of the collision or else be barred from filing a claim. Two years might sound like a lot of time immediately after the crash, especially when you are dealing with the physical and psychological toll of the accident. However, the sooner you contact a personal injury lawyer, the sooner we can begin investigating your claim and gathering valuable evidence to prove the defendant’s liability.

How Comparative Fault Affects Las Vegas Personal Injury Cases

What will happen if you were partially to blame for the truck crash? For example, what if you were going five or ten miles over the speed limit when a truck driver crashed into your vehicle? Nevada law (NRS 41.141) follows what is known as a “modified comparative negligence” rule. This rule says that as long as a plaintiff’s negligence or fault is not greater than the negligence of the defendant(s), the plaintiff can still recover damages. However, her award will be reduced by her percentage of the negligence.

To be clear, as long as a plaintiff is 50 percent or less responsible, she can recover. Once she is 51 percent or more responsible, she cannot recover damages.

To explain how the damages award is reduced by the plaintiff’s percentage of the negligence, imagine a plaintiff is 30 percent negligent. She receives an initial damages award of $100,000. However, that award will need to be reduced by her percentage of the negligence, which is 30 percent or $30,000. In this scenario, the plaintiff ultimately would recover $70,000.

FAQ: What Do You Need to Know About Filing Your Truck Accident Lawsuit?

We often receive similar questions from injury victims about filing trucking accident claims, and we want to help by addressing some of our most frequently asked questions.

• What Should I Do Immediately After the Truck Accident?
• Document the scene as best as you are able. This means taking photos and collecting contact information for anyone else involved in the crash or anyone who witnessed the accident.
• Do I Need to Visit a Doctor?
• You should see a healthcare provider as soon as possible after the crash. You will need detailed medical records about your injuries when you file a claim. Failing to seek immediate medical attention could result in your injuries worsening, which could lead the defendant to argue that you are partially responsible for the severity of your injuries. In addition, many injuries do not appear immediately, but a doctor can identify signs and symptoms quickly to ensure that you receive proper treatment.
• How Much Information Should I Give to My Insurance Company?
• Only give the facts to your insurance company. You will need to report the accident as soon as possible, but never offer your opinion to the insurance company, and always remember that the insurance company—even your own insurer—is not on your side.
• Should I Contact the Truck Insurance Company Myself?
• While you will need to let your own insurance company know about the collision as quickly as you can, you should not speak to the truck insurance company without the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer.
• How Long Will My Truck Accident Case Take Before I Receive Compensation?
• Every case is different—these cases can take anywhere from weeks to many months. Sometimes we are able to settle your claim quickly, while sometimes it is essential to take your case to court. Regardless, our team will be with you every step of the way, advocating for your right to compensation.

Contact a Las Vegas Trucking Accident Attorney

If you or someone you love suffered injuries in a crash, a Las Vegas truck accident lawyer can speak with you today about your case. Contact Ladah Law at 702-252-0055 to learn more about our results from other truck accident cases and to get started on your claim with the help of an aggressive personal injury attorney.

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Common Truck Accident FAQs

Do I Need to Give a Statement to the Trucking Company or Its Insurer?

At some point, you probably do. But you can control when you give the statement. You only want to give a statement after you have had some time to reflect on what happened and only when you are not in the grips of pain.

Do not be surprised if the trucking company has an investigator on the scene of the crash soon after it occurs. Trucking companies do not want to pay money to injured victims unless they have to, so they thoroughly investigate crashes. In truth, the investigator is also looking for information they can use to show that you are to blame for the accident, which would relieve them of liability.

If an investigator approaches you at the scene of the accident, take their card but do not speak with them. Tell them you aren’t feeling well and that your attorney will be in touch.

What is Black Box Data?

Most trucks are now outfitted with data boxes that record important information about the truck, such as how long it has been on the road and whether the truck was accelerating or braking right before the collision. These black boxes are not yet required in every truck, but many of them have it. Your truck accident attorney should know how to gain access to this information, which can prove critical for your case.

Truckers also now record their hours of service using electronic logging devices that have replaced the old paper logs. These devices are a boon to lawyers. In the past, many trucking companies kept two sets of paper logs—one for public consumptions, which was usually fraudulent, and one set for their own internal records, which was accurate. With the rise of electronic logging devices, your attorney can now find out if the trucker was on the road when they shouldn’t have been and can help you establish negligence.

Does Compensation in a Truck Accident Differ from Other Cases?

A little bit. Typically, truck accidents cause more serious injuries, possibly even death. The amount of compensation our clients can receive often rises when the injuries are more serious. This means that people injured by trucks can typically come away with a larger settlement than someone struck by a regular passenger car.

Of course, every case is different. If your injuries are minor, it doesn’t matter whether a truck or a passenger sedan struck you. Your compensation is determined by the severity of your injuries, the amount of money you have lost because of the accident, and your degree of fault.

Three Things to Consider when Dealing with Truck Accident Injuries

One reason to hire an experienced truck accident attorney to handle your case is that it frees you up to focus on your recovery. But there are three things you must remember.

First, you should always follow your doctor’s advice. If your doctor advises bed rest, then stay in bed. Do not go out walking with your spouse or children. Also, don’t rake the yard or decide now is the time to install new lights on your porch.

Second, you must realize that some trucking companies will actually hire investigators to find out if you are as injured as you claim to be. These people might camp outside your home with video cameras, hoping to catch you drag the trash can to the curb, which they will use as evidence that you are not seriously injured.

Third, you should not share information about the accident or your injuries on social media. In fact, it is a good idea to set social media profiles to private. Some insurance companies comb through social media accounts looking for information to use against you. For example, if you state that you have left the state to attend a wedding, they might claim you are not seriously injured.

How Do I Know I Have Hired the Right Trucking Accident Attorney?

Look for a track record of success. Also listen closely to the attorney describe your case. Confident, experienced attorneys understand the law inside and out but can explain it in a simple manner. This is the real sign that you have hired the right lawyer to seek compensation for your injuries.

Should I see Another Doctor if I am Not Improving?

Yes. Sometimes, an initial doctor does not diagnose your problems correctly. In other situations, the damage you have suffered could be more serious than initially realized. Get a second opinion.

The last thing you want to do, however, is to self-diagnose your problems. Chances are you will not get the treatment you need, and your condition might worsen. If so, you can receive less in compensation than you might otherwise qualify for.