Victims can suffer catastrophic injuries in truck accidents, including spinal cord injuries that can result in paralysis, and traumatic brain injury. Even minor truck accidents can cause broken bones, lacerations and burns. Some injuries take months or years to recover from. Others cause damage that lasts a lifetime.
There are many different types of truck accidents, and each can leave victims with serious injuries.
How did your accident happen?
We investigate your truck crash
After a crash, a truck driver is not likely to admit negligence. That's why you need a Las Vegas truck accident lawyer to help you find out what really caused your accident. We know where to look for evidence of negligence. We will review all relevant documentation, including accident reports and medical records. We will seek access to evidence compiled by the truck company, including hours of service logs and the truck's "black box" data that records speed and braking patterns. We identify and interview witnesses.
A driver may have been texting or was distracted in some other way before the crash. Or speeding or driving recklessly. The driver may also have been under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
We will also investigate the trucking company, who could also be negligent in your crash. They may have hired an inexperienced driver, or failed to properly maintain the truck. The schedule given to the driver may have been unrealistic, which made the driver work longer hours than allowed. There are federal regulations that apply to both drivers and trucking companies. We'll make sure they followed all the rules.
Al fights for you
Trucking accident cases can be complicated, because many parties are involved. There is the driver and the trucking company. One company may own the cab, and another the trailer. And another company may have loaded the cargo. Each party may have its own insurance company and lawyers.
Al Lasso is very familiar with trucking accident cases. He fights for you and makes sure you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Typically, this means a fight with the insurance companies, which are only interested in keeping their profits high and your payment low. Al builds the strongest case possible and is usually able to negotiated a settlement that meets your needs. If not, he will fight for you at trial.
If you were injured in a truck accident in Las Vegas, call us at 702-625-8777 for a free consultation. Al will go over the details of your case and explain all your options.
"How did your accident happen?"
Truck Rollover
In this type of accident, the wheels of a truck lift up off the road, and the truck rolls over. This can happen if a truck driver was traveling at high speed, made sudden changes in steering, hit an obstacle on the road or was driving with improperly loaded cargo. Jackknifing trucks also sometimes roll over. If the truck crashes into a car, it can cause severe damage and seriously injure the driver and passengers.
Return to Top
Jackknife
In this type of truck accident, the drive-axle brakes on an 18-wheeler lock up. This causes the trailer to skid and swing out from the cab, at an angle that is similar to a jackknife. Jackknifing accidents are extremely dangerous, especially on the highway when a truck is traveling at high speeds. The driver is unable to control the tractor-trailer, and it will crash into everything in its path before coming to a complete stop.
Return to Top
Truck Rear-Ended Car
This usually happens when a truck follows behind a car too closely. The car brakes suddenly, but because the truck is so large, it is unable to come to a complete stop quickly and crashes into the rear end of a car. Since a truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds when fully loaded, the damage it causes can be extensive. The driver and passengers in the car may suffer severe, even catastrophic, injuries.
Return to Top
Underride
In these types of accidents, a car rear-ends a tractor-trailer. The truck brakes suddenly, and the car is unable to completely stop in time. The car crashes into the rear of the tractor-trailer and slides underneath it. The driver and passengers in the car can suffer catastrophic injuries, such as traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injuries. These accidents usually happen because the truck had a faulty underride guard, or did not have one at all.
Return to Top
Tire Blowout
These accidents typically happen at high speeds. A truck is traveling down the highway, and suddenly a tire blows out. This makes it much harder for the driver to maintain control, and the truck crashes into one or several cars, leaving the people inside them injured, many times seriously. Tires can blow out because maintenance schedules were not followed or regular inspections were not done as required by federal law. In some cases, the tire may have been defective.
Return to Top
Wide Turn
Because tractor-trailers are much larger and heavier than cars, they need to make very wide turns. And because there is often not a lot of space to work with, the driver needs to make the turn slowly and carefully. When a driver makes the turn too fast or recklessly, the truck can crash into a passenger car. The impact of the crash can cause serious injuries to drivers and passengers in the car.
Return to Top
Lost Load
There are regulations and procedures that must be followed when loading cargo onto trucks. It's important to make sure such items are balanced and secure for safe transport. When these regulations and procedures are not followed, cargo can come loose while the truck is in transit. This makes it difficult for the driver to maintain control of the truck, which can crash into a nearby car. Or, cargo can spill out onto the road, creating a hazard for other drivers.
Return to Top
