Experiencing a crash with a semi-truck can have life-changing consequences, potentially impacting your ability to interact with your loved ones, enjoy a fruitful career, and engage in enriching hobbies. When you are in this position, take solace in knowing that the law may provide you with a pathway to pursue compensation and justice from those who harmed you. By taking steps to hold the trucker and their employer accountable, you may gain access to funds to help you pay your mounting healthcare bills and replenish your finances while you are out of work.
At Shook & Stone, we commit ourselves wholeheartedly to helping people recover compensation after a devastating incident uproots their lives. Our knowledgeable tractor-trailer crash attorneys have decades of experience representing victims of distracted driving truck accidents in Las Vegas. We put people over profits and respect the need for trust, understanding, and transparency in the fight for justice.
Understanding Why Truckers Get Into Distraction-Related Wrecks
Due to their long hours on the road, someone operating an 18-wheeler may find it difficult to keep their attention on the task at hand. For example, the pressure to meet tight deadlines and financial incentives may lead truckers to forego much-needed breaks for sleep. As a result, they may become overwhelmed by fatigue, making it difficult for them to keep their eyes open and make rational and timely driving decisions.
Likewise, bored truckers with an exceptionally long journey ahead of them may use their phones to pass the time, in violation of Nevada Revised Statutes § 484B.165. Additionally, a trucker may decide to multitask while operating their vehicle by eating, combing their hair, or even changing clothes while driving. All of these distractions increase the risk of slow reactions to critical situations, such as avoiding a collision when a car in front of them has to stop suddenly.
When you are the unsuspecting target of these dangerous practices, you may face the alarming prospect of a life-altering accident because of a trucker swerving into your lane, overcorrecting after drifting off the road, or suddenly making a turn without warning. A Las Vegas attorney could help gather the critical evidence needed to prove the truck driver’s distraction was the cause of the incident. For example, the skilled lawyers at Shook & Stone could request and review photographs from the accident scene, eyewitness testimony, and the commercial truck’s black box, which records vital information about the vehicle’s driving and maintenance history.
Filing a Legal or Insurance Claim After a Big Rig Collision
In Las Vegas, initiating the claims process for a fair settlement after a distracted driving truck collision can help you navigate the immense emotional, financial, and physical costs of the crash. To get started, you would first notify your insurance company about what happened and try to negotiate a possible financial compensation arrangement that addresses the full extent of your losses. If these discussions are unsuccessful—or if you choose to take the matter to court instead—you may write and submit a legal complaint to the appropriate court.
Under Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190, you only have a couple of years to take action, depending on whether you are asking for relief because of personal property damage or physical injury. However, there may be exceptions that give you more time. The seasoned Shook & Stone attorneys could help you determine what your filing deadlines are and how to meet them.
Call Shook & Stone When You Get Into a Crash With a Distracted 18-Wheeler Driver in Las Vegas
A collision can have cascading consequences on your sense of stability, purpose, and self. While seeking compensation for your losses against the responsible party cannot put you in the same position you were in before the incident occurred, it may provide you with a sense of justice while also connecting you with a much-needed settlement.
We proudly stand by those affected by distracted driving truck accidents in Las Vegas in their search for answers and restitution as they try to rebuild their lives. Contact the community-driven attorneys at Shook & Stone to schedule a free consultation today.
