Large commercial trucks are towering behemoths of the road. A fully loaded tractor trailer in Clark County can weigh as much 80,000 pounds. They often are 20 or 30 times larger than a passenger car—and large trucks pose an even greater risk of motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Given their immense size and weight, it is crucial that semi-trucks are operated in the safest possible manner. When accidents happen, the consequences can be catastrophic, life-altering, or even deadly for a truck accident victim.
A business or property owner in Summerlin is not automatically responsible for a slip and fall/trip and fall accident that occurs on its premises. Instead, Nevada has very specific criteria that must be met by an injured victim who is seeking to bring a slip and fall accident injury claim. All of the following four elements must be established:
Nevada law requires all motorists in a crash to stop their vehicle, exchange information with the truck driver, and remain at the scene of the collision. There is an exception for medical emergencies. Make sure you report your accident to local law enforcement or state law enforcement right away, such as the Summerlin Area Command of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD).
Large truck accidents can result in terrible injuries. Of course, severe injuries require immediate emergency care. Beyond that, any other injuries still need to be evaluated by a licensed doctor. It is very common for truck accident injuries to arise with a delayed onset. It can take days to feel the full effects of whiplash, back pain, or a traumatic brain injury.
A semi-truck accident should be well-documented. You cannot rely on a trucking company, its insurance carrier, or your own insurer to conduct a fair and impartial investigation. Take photographs, get witness contact details, request a copy of the police, and secure any other relevant evidence.
Before you agree to provide a recorded statement to any insurance carrier, it is imperative that you set up a free consultation with a Summerlin truck accident lawyer. Your attorney will review your case, answer questions, explain your options, and help you take aggressive action to get justice and compensation. Many times a truck accident lawsuit is the best way to ensure you get full compensation.
In Nevada, a trucking company is not automatically liable for a crash. Our state is a fault-based motor vehicle accident jurisdiction, including for semi-truck accidents. To hold truck drivers, truck companies, or truck manufacturers liable for a collision in Summerlin, you must prove that their negligence contributed to the crash. The party found to be negligent—meaning they failed to act with the level of care that a reasonable person would in similar circumstances—can be held at fault.
Nevada is a modified comparative negligence state (N.R.S. § 41-141). Under this system, a truck accident victim’s compensation is reduced by their percentage of fault. For example, imagine that truck drivers are 75% at fault and that you are found 25 percent to blame for your own truck accident in Summerlin. If you suffered $40,000 in total damages, you would be liable for $10,000 of those losses (25 percent). However, if a victim’s liability exceeds 50 percent, they are denied the right to bring a claim by Nevada law.
