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Las Vegas Truck Accident Attorney

At Cogburn Law, our Las Vegas injury attorneys are often called upon to represent victims of truck accidents. These accidents are far too frequent in the Las Vegas area, and due to the massive size and weight of a semi-truck, a driver or passenger in a regular vehicle often suffers serious, permanent, or fatal injuries. It is critical that you retain a Las Vegas truck accident attorney to help you seek full compensation in a truck accident case.

white semi truck in the highway surrounded by forest

Nevada Truck Accident Resources:

Who is at Fault in a Truck Accident?

It can be difficult to determine who is at fault for your accident involving a commercial truck. A Las Vegas truck accident attorney from Cogburn Law can assist you in mapping out your legal strategy moving forward against the negligent parties. These policies may include:

  • Maintenance contractors. Liable for faulty equipment, service lapses, and unsatisfactory repairs.
  • Truck drivers. Liable for careless, impaired, or negligent behavior.
  • Trucking companies. Liable for lack of training, supervision, or safety standards for drivers.

Truck Driver Negligence

Las Vegas is one of the nation’s most popular tourist destinations for entertainment, recreation, and conventions. To provide for all the needs of residents and visitors, countless semi-trucks, eighteen-wheelers, big rigs, and other commercial trucks constantly move in and out of the area on Highway 15 and Highway 40.

Many of these trucks weigh up to 80,000 lbs. Because of the size and weight of commercial trucks, truck drivers are not only expected to obey the rules of the road, they are also expected to follow federal safety requirements when it comes to the operation of the vehicle. Truck drivers face long days on the road and often multitask at the wheel, leading to distracted driving. Some common distractions at the hands of a negligent driver known to cause accidents include:

If you’ve been injured in a truck accident in Las Vegas due to driver negligence, one of our truck accident attorneys can help you file claims and receive the compensation you deserve. Call today for a free consultation.

Federal Truck Maintenance Regulations

Commercial trucks are subjected to strict inspection, maintenance, and repair standards by the federal government. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations and Nevada state laws require regular examination of truck components. Drivers must also complete written inspection reports at the conclusion of each shift worked. Failure to do so may result in:

  • Brake failure
  • Disabled signal lights
  • Rollovers
  • Tire blowouts
  • Trailer detachments

Truck Accidents Statistics

There were approximately 475,000 reported crashes involving large trucks in the USA, with 104,000 causing injury and 3864 fatalities in a recent year, as reported by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). A breakdown of these truck crashes reveals the percentages in types of accidents:

  • 5% involved a collision with another vehicle.
  • 2 % involved a collision with a fixed object.
  • 1 % involved a rollover.

Any such collision could end in serious injury or wrongful death. In the Las Vegas metro area, and on the highways entering the city where traffic congestion is common, the risk of a truck accident is high. While it could be assumed that a commercial driver will follow regulations, the rules are consistently violated. Some of the most common truck driver conduct problems found to contribute to serious injuries and fatalities in a collision include:

  • Tired driver
  • Impaired driver (recreational drugs, alcohol, prescription medications)
  • Speeding
  • Unsafe lane changes
  • Unsafe load leading to jackknife

Federal Trucking Regulations

All aspects of large semi-truck operations are heavily regulated at the federal level. Some of the regulatory violations that have led to truck accidents include:

  • 392.3: Ill or fatigued operator: No truck driver may drive a semi or 18-wheeler or other large commercial truck while ill or fatigued.
  • 392.4: No truck driver can be on duty while under the influence or possessing illegal drugs.
  • 392.5: No driver may consume alcohol within 4 hours prior to operating a commercial truck.
  • 392.6: Truck drivers are required to operate the commercial truck at the speed imposed in the jurisdiction.
  • 392.80: Truck drivers are prohibited from texting while driving.
  • 392. 82: Truck drivers are prohibited from using a handheld mobile phone.

Hours of Operation Regulations and Tired Drivers

While hours of sleep and hours of work are heavily regulated, many truck drivers violate these regulations by driving more hours without rest than mandated. Under the hours of service regulations, a truck driver must have ten consecutive hours off-duty before a drive time of 14 hours. During this 14-hour driving stint, only 11 hours of actual driving is allowed, with 3 hours of rest time.

There are many other regulations regarding hours of service frequently violated by drivers who, to make a living, must deliver a load. Tired truck drivers create a serious risk to others sharing the roadways in the Las Vegas area.

Compensation and Damages in a Truck Accident Lawsuit

A truck accident can cause serious injuries, property damage, and in some cases, death. Our Las Vegas truck accident attorneys understand that no amount of money can truly amount to the trauma you’ve been through, but can go a long way to ease the burden of your accident in the future. We will evaluate your case, review the evidence, and fight to recover the appropriate compensation for your damages. These compensations in a truck accident claim include:

Contact Your Las Vegas Truck Accident Attorney

Contacting a Las Vegas truck accident attorney in the aftermath of an accident is imperative to the security and stability of your future. Our trial attorneys will help you obtain compensation for the damages you deserve. When the cause of the accident was truck driver negligence, full and fair compensation must be pursued, and that is when Cogburn Law excels.

If you or a family member has been seriously injured in a truck accident in the Las Vegas area, call the Las Vegas personal injury lawyers at Cogburn Law today for a free case consultation.

Here are the directions to our Las Vegas office.

I hired Cogburn Law as I was in a truck accident and they fought and were able to get me so much more compensation than I thought. I’m so thankful to everyone of the staff, especially Jamie who walked me through every step and contacted me about all updates on my case. I’m super Super thankful for their attentions! Would recommend 100%

Jennifer G.