Big Rig Accident Injury Attorneys in Las Vegas

Big Rig Accident Injury Attorney in Las Vegas

Big rig accidents can lead to devastating consequences or severe injuries that alter their victims lives forever. Apart from experiencing the trauma that involves being in a collision, often you will have to deal with medical expenses and other costs while trying to rehabilitate from your injuries.

Types of Big Rig Accidents

There are different types of truck accidents, some of the most common are:

• Rear end collisions: because of their size, big rigs need more space to stop, this is why, drivers must always maintain safe following distances from the vehicles in front of them to avoid any collisions. 
• Tire blowouts: they can result from worn out tires, improper maintenance, or loads too heavy. When a tire blows out it can cause the driver to lose control of the truck, and result in a collision. 
• Head on collisions: these are the most common types of accidents, representing almost 60% of all collisions.And they also are among the deadliest, because of the difference in size and weight of a big rig and a passenger vehicle.
• Rollovers: this type of accidents can occur due to speeding, negligent driving, or improperly loaded weight. Dangerous roadway conditions can also contribute to the production of these collisions.
• Lost Load: just as how there are regulations for the drivers of commercial trucks, there are regulations and certain procedures that must be followed when loading a cargo in a truck. One of the things to have in mind is making sure that the cargo is well balanced.
• Underride: this type of accident can occur with a rear end collision, the car crashes into the rear of the big rig and slides underneath it. These accidents can result from a truck with a faulty underride guard or that didn’t have one at all.
• Jackknife: this term refers to when a truck with two separate parts (a cab and a trailer) folds in on itself at the point of separation. The cab and trailer swivel forming a 90-degree angle “v” shape.

Common Causes of Big Rig Accidents

Some of the most common reasons for big rig collision include:

• Distracted driving: truck drivers like many others use their cell phones and other electronic devices while driving commercial vehicles even though it is banned at a federal level.
• Fatigued driving: because of this being a regular cause of collisions, there are federal Hours of service (HOS) regulations that dictate truck drivers have a maximum of eleven-hour limit per shift and are required to take a break of at least 30 minutes after eight hours of driving.
• Inexperienced drivers: Nevada requires drivers of semi-trucks or big rigs to obtain a commercial Driver’s license or CDL, nonetheless just because a driver has their CDL doesn’t mean they have the experience required to operate a large commercial truck.
• Driving under the influence: in some cases the collisions are consequences of truckers driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Dangerous road conditions: any loss of traction with the road can cause the weight of the truck to shift and the cab and trailer to slide. 
• Negligent maintenance of the truck: whether it’s hydraulic failure, brake failure, etc, the slightest malfunction can cause a truck to lose control and sway back and forth. 
• Defective truck parts
• Violation of FMCSA hours-of-service rules
• Mechanical failures

Sometimes the trucking company may play a part in the cause of the accident. This can happen when they hire drivers that do not have a commercial driver’s license.

Establishing Responsibility in Big Rig Accidents

Establishing responsibility in a big rig accident can be difficult. Sometimes there is more than one party responsible. Some of these are:

• Driver of the truck
• Employer of the driver: the company that employed the driver may be held liable in case of a big rig accident because they have a duty to ensure that their employees are qualified and that they have received proper training.
• Company that owns the truck: if a trucking company entrusted their vehicle to a driver without doing a background check of the driver, or if they failed to maintain the vehicle in proper conditions.
• Company that manufactured or loaded the truck: one common example of this is mechanical defects that the company failed to notice due to negligent care. If the loading company didn’t correctly balance the cargo, they could be held liable for the collision.

Most Common Injuries After Suffering a Collision with a Big Rig

Many of the injuries that result from a collision, especially from a collision with a big rig can be life changing because of the size of these trucks. Some examples of these are:

• Broken bones
• Nerve injuries
• Back injuries
• Soft tissue damage
• Traumatic head injury
• Spinal cord injury
• Concussions
• Organ damage
• Burns
• Amputations 
• Paralysis
• Whiplash injuries

These types of injuries can result in great medical expense, lengthy healing time, long-term or permanent disability, and emotional distress. Any type of truck accident can cause catastrophic injuries due to the size and weight of big rigs. Commercial trucks are allowed to weigh 80,000 pounds on interstate highways.

Tips to Follow After a Big Rig Accident

There are certain steps that you can follow after an accident that will help you to protect your health and your claim. 

• Call 911: if you’ve been involved in a collision with a truck, you should contact the police so they can send police officers to investigate the crash and medical personnel to the scene. 
• Seek medical attention: as soon as possible you should obtain medical attention for your injuries, these can also help you later if you want to present a claim. 
• Get contact information: try to get the contact information from the driver that caused the accident and any other witnesses of the accident. 
• Gather evidence: take pictures of your injuries, and of the scene of the accident.
• Obtain legal advice.

Damages for Which You May Obtain Compensation

If you or a loved one have been victims of a big rig accident, you are entitled to receive compensation for your economic and non-economic damages such as:

• Medical expenses
• Lost past and future income 
• Physiotherapy
• Nursing care
• Reduced earning potential
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Anxiety
• PTSD
• Loss of consortium