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Las Vegas Truck Accident Attorneys

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 380,000 large trucks were involved in traffic accidents in the United States in 2008, and 4,066 of those trucks were involved in fatal accidents. As a result of these accidents, a total of 4,229 people died, which was 11 percent of all the traffic-accident related deaths reported that year. An additional 90,000 people were injured in these truck accidents. Overall, about one out of nine traffic accident deaths in 2008 were the result of a collision that involved a large truck. In Nevada, 21 people lost their lives in large truck accidents in 2008, with hundreds more injured.

Nevada truck accidents can result in catastrophic injuries or even death. Very often, it is the occupants of the passenger vehicle who sustain major or fatal injuries in a collision as opposed to driver of the truck. Approximately 74 percent of the deaths that resulted in large truck accidents in 2008 were occupants of another vehicle, with another 10 percent being non-occupants. Only 16 percent of truck accident fatalities were occupants of large trucks. Victims of Nevada truck crashes would be well-advised to speak with a skilled truck accident attorney to discuss their legal options. Failure to act quickly and obtain skilled legal representation can have devastating financial consequences for victims, as they may not receive adequate compensation for their injuries and accident-related losses.

Causes of Nevada Trucking Accidents

Sometimes, truck drivers are not at fault for big rig accidents. However, in cases where they are to blame, the drivers as well as their employers could be held liable for the accident. The most common causes of truck accidents in Nevada are:

  • Fatigued driving: All truck drivers must adhere to strict government regulations regarding the number of hours they are allowed drive without resting. However, many truck drivers attempt to make difficult and unrealistic deadlines by continuing to drive no matter how tired they are. Driving while fatigued can be as dangerous as drunk driving, and truck drivers who fall asleep at the wheel can cause anyone and anything in the path of their truck to suffer catastrophic injuries and damage.
  • Improperly loaded trailers: When the weight a trailer is carrying is poorly distributed, it can result in a Nevada jackknife truck accident.
  • Inexperienced driving: It takes an incredible amount of focus and skill to safely operate an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer. Inexperienced truck drivers have a greater chance of making a mistake or reacting incorrectly to an emergency situation than experienced truckers, and their inexperience can result in a Nevada truck crash.
  • Limited visibility: Trucks have blind spots directly behind, in front, and on the sides. Drivers of passenger vehicles should do their best to stay out of truck blind spots to avoid being unseen. Truck drivers must signal when they are going to change lanes and they must take the effort to make sure it is safe before making a turn to lessen the likelihood of a collision with another vehicle.
  • Poor maintenance: A truck that has defective parts, such as faulty brakes or badly designed tires, can put everyone on the road at great risk. Truck owners, drivers, shipping companies, and mechanics must all make sure that the truck and trailer are properly maintained and inspected to reduce the chance of a Nevada truck accident occurring.

Steps to Take After a Truck Accident in Nevada

There are many steps you should take to ensure that your rights are protected following a Nevada truck accident. Make sure you write down the details of the truck driver involved in the accident, the location of the crash, how the accident occurred and the contact information for anyone who may have witnessed the crash. You should contact the authorities and make sure that a police report is filed. If you have a camera – even if it is a cell phone camera – take photos of everything at the crash site, including the injuries you suffered. Also, be sure to seek medical attention for your truck accident injuries so there is a medical record of what you have suffered.

Last but not least, you should contact an experienced Las Vegas traffic accident attorney at the law offices of Shook & Stone. It is not easy to investigate a large truck accident. Trucking companies get their attorneys and insurance adjusters at the scene of an accident right away so they can protect their best interests. It is important that you get a personal injury lawyer on your side immediately before important evidence, such as driver logs, maintenance records, and other important documents, are lost, misplaced, or destroyed by the trucker or their employer. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a truck accident in Nevada, please contact one of our skilled truck accident injury attorneys to better understand your legal rights and options. Call Leonard H. Stone at Shook & Stone 1-702-385-2220 for a free initial consultation today.