Las Vegas Trucking Accident Attorneys

Comprehensive Legal Support for Truck Accident Victims

If you’ve driven around Las Vegas or elsewhere in Nevada, you’ve likely seen many large trucks on their long-distance routes. Many of these truck drivers are independent contractors and do not work for a trucking company. These drivers own and operate their own trucks and are, in a sense, their own trucking company. If you have been injured in a truck accident caused by an independent contractor, there are legal complexities that call for the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney.

At Christiansen Trial Lawyers, we have handled numerous truck accident injury cases for clients throughout the Las Vegas area. Our Las Vegas trucking accident attorneys understand the hardships you are facing and are here to fight for your rights after you’ve been seriously injured.

Contact us today online or by telephone at (702) 357-9977 to speak with a knowledgeable trial lawyer who is prepared to take your case to court if necessary.

Catastrophic Injuries Trucking Accidents Can Cause

When truck accidents occur, the occupants of other vehicles involved are most likely to suffer severe injuries and deaths. This is because commercial trucks can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds (as opposed to passenger vehicles that typically weigh 3,000 pounds) thanks to their size and the amount of cargo they carry as tractor-trailers.

Victims of truck accidents are more likely to suffer from some of the following injuries:

• Broken bones: Trauma can lead to someone breaking their foot, leg, arm, hand, pelvis, ribs, facial bones, and other bones. While some can be healed in a matter of weeks, more complex fractures may require surgery and hospitalization, both of which can be expensive.
• Burns: Some trucks carry flammable or explosive cargo that can result in serious fires or explosions when accidents occur. People can also suffer burns when they come into contact with hot water from a broken radiator. These burns can be as serious as third and fourth-degree and require skin grafting.
• Spine injuries: A person’s vertebrae can be shattered in a trucking accident, exposing the spinal cord to damage. Severe damage often leads to paralysis and prevents a person from being able to use some or all of their limbs. People with paralysis accrue extensive damages ranging from medical equipment like wheelchairs to physical therapy and diminished earning capacity.
• Head and brain injuries: Brain injuries are some of the most devastating catastrophic injuries can and lead to permanent harm to one’s cognitive and physical abilities. Victims may require long-term care for the rest of their lives.
• Internal injuries: Trauma sustained in a truck accident can damage a victim’s internal organs like the kidneys, heart, or spleen. If your organs are ruptured or you suffer internal bleeding, you may require surgery and hospitalization.

The more severe the injuries, the more expensive the damages can be – from surgeries to medications to future costs of care, it can be overwhelming to deal with your debt. Some people suffer further when they lose their jobs because of their disabilities. Hiring a personal injury attorney to represent you is the best way to receive the full amount of compensation you deserve.

Common Causes of Trucking Accidents in Las Vegas

Trucks can cause rear-end crashes and head-on collisions like any other vehicle. However, there are some common causes of trucking accidents that are fairly unique to the commercial industry. It’s possible that the truck driver might not be entirely responsible for the accident, too.

Our team has worked closely with analysts, reconstructionists, and other experts to identify the following common causes of truck accidents:

• Truck driver fatigue: Because truck drivers have to transport cargo over long distances and often overnight, they’re more prone to suffering from fatigue. As a result, it’s not uncommon for truckers to cause crashes when they drift off or fall asleep at the wheel, speed without realizing it, or failing to pay attention to important road signs or signals.
• Trucking company negligence: Though independent contractors are often held individually responsible, sometimes trucking companies can be held liable for damages when the victim can prove that they were negligent in some way. One example is if the trucking company had negligent hiring practices or failed to train their drivers properly.
• Overloaded trucks/unsecured loads: Cargo loaders and companies that are independent of drivers can sometimes be responsible for accidents when they’ve failed to secure the cargo they’ve loaded. Cargo can go flying off the truck and pose a danger for the vehicles behind the truck, and unbalanced cargo can lead to a truck rolling over while making turns.
• Defective truck equipment: Independent contractors may not have the resources to maintain their trucks in compliance with federal regulations. As a result, defective truck equipment can cause serious accidents on the road. Sometimes fault can be applied to the manufacturer if it turns out an error was made in the manufacturing process, and often these defective parts will be recalled after accidents and injuries are reported.