Experienced Reno, Nevada
Truck Accident Attorneys
TRUCK ACCIDENTS
If you or your loved one have been involved in an accident with a semi-truck or any other large commercial vehicle, you may be entitled to compensation. Coulter Harsh Law, a truck accident law firm located in Reno, NV, can provide you with the legal help you need to ensure you get the justice you deserve. With decades of specialized experience and thousands of successful personal injury lawsuit outcomes, we are Reno’s top semi-truck accident law firm. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and let us help you get the protection and settlement you are entitled to.
We’re already in your corner before you call.
Semi-trucks, cement trucks, garbage trucks and other large commercial vehicles, which can be 20 times the size of your average family vehicle, can create havoc on our local roads. The danger these crashes pose is significant, with 110,000 large truck accidents reported by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in 2021 alone. Of those truck accidents, 5,904 were fatal crashes, an 18% increase from 2020.
These vehicles can weigh over 10,000 pounds or more, over three times an average sedan’s weight. You can imagine how any collision with a commercial vehicle immediately puts a passenger or driver in another vehicle at a significant disadvantage and risk of serious injury.
Because of the risk of severity when involved in a large truck accident, victims and their families must seek representation immediately and hold companies and commercial drivers responsible. We help ensure evidence is timely preserved from an accident.
Insurance standards for semis and other large trucks are extremely high, and insurance companies fight hard to save costs and prevent a payout. Fortunately, we know all the tactics they’ll use and the commercial driving regulations and circumstances that may affect your case. We’ll resolve your case swiftly and help you find relief from your suffering.
We’re committed to pursuing the highest compensation possible and have helped our truck crash clients secure just and appropriate compensation dependent on the facts of each case.
By scheduling a consultation with Coulter Harsh Law, you take the first step toward getting justice when you’ve been injured in a crash with a semi-truck, tractor-trailer, garbage truck or other large truck.
What Causes Semi-Truck Accidents?
Understanding what factors contribute to truck crashes is fundamental to outlining damages, determining liability, and establishing the appropriate legal compensation for the vehicles involved.
Operators of semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, and other large trucks can cause accidents through negligence and recklessness, though negligence is more common. According to the FMCSA, large trucks contribute to wrecks by running out of the travel lane; losing control by speeding, cargo shifts, system failures, etc.; and colliding with the rear end of another car, which can lead to a multi-vehicle “pileup.”
Hundreds of factors can contribute to or cause truck crashes, though some of the top factors include brake issues, failure to adjust to roadway conditions, prescription drug use, non-prescription drug use, and fatigue.
Remember that even though these factors can be present in car accidents, the ramifications can be much more severe when a semi-truck or large truck is involved. Because of the size differential, these trucks take much longer to stop and require special attention to turn and maneuver. Consequently, the damage they can cause can be extensive (fatal crashes are common). Operators of large vehicles who fail to drive safely and responsibly need to face the consequences for any suffering they cause.
Common Truck Accident Injuries
Truck accident victims can walk away with easily treatable, minor injuries or leave in an ambulance with severe injuries that require extensive, ongoing hospitalization and/or lifelong care. In some cases, these can be fatal crashes.
Our Reno truck accident attorneys always stress the importance of receiving immediate and thorough medical attention following an accident. Emergency medical personnel (first responders, EMTs, etc.) and medical providers at the hospital (e.g., surgeons) provide essential documentation that establishes the harm you experienced due to the accident. Even if you believe you’re okay, you should still allow qualified medical professionals to evaluate your condition; head injuries, in particular, can have delayed symptoms.
In the aftermath of a wreck, medical provider documentation is important as it demonstrates the symptoms as well as the severity of the injury. This helps assist the lawyer in determine what legal compensation you may be entitled to.
Our Reno law firm has helped clients outcome successful outcomes in the following types of injuries as a result of a trucking/large vehicle accident:
- Head and neck injuries, e.g., whiplash
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Concussions
- Spinal injuries, e.g., partial or complete paralysis
- Burns
- Lacerations
- Nerve damage
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Crush injuries
- Road rash
- Fractured or broken bones
- Amputations/loss of limbs
- Soft tissue damage
- Muscle damage
- Nerve damage
- Death
This list of physical injuries is comprehensive, though not exhaustive. You be eligible for a financial settlement after such an accident. The team at Coulter Harsh Law is ready to help you and your family recover.
How Common Are Fatal Crashes?
Fatal crashes accounted for about 5% of recent large truck crashes in 2021. However, compared to the early 2000s, the percentage of fatal crashes has increased with near record highs in the last few years. Semi-trucks and other large trucks are plentiful on the road with the surge in shipping and logistics routes to meet the demand for the movement of goods across our country. More large trucks on the road mean drivers must be pay attention to avoid accidents. Considering the risk of severe injury and fatal crashes, it’s more important than ever to be safe when traveling on our roads and highways.
What Other Damages Can a Semi Truck Accident Cause?
Semi-truck accidents can often cause victims to suffer emotional symptoms, too, such as anxiety, anger, irritability, panic attacks, and more. These emotional “injuries” are always part of Coulter Harsh Law’s considerations in establishing the extent of damages in a crash.
Similarly, we’ll assess any damage to your car, including any dents, scratches, or repairs you need to pursue, including the whole replacement of your car if it’s totaled.
Your legal team may be able to include other damages following large truck crashes, for example, lost wages from time spent off work recovering or even for changes in your ability to work due to a new disability.
Finally, if you or a loved one has been unable to carry on with life as usual after your accident, your family may be entitled to damages related to a change in your lifestyle or roles at home, including loss of companionship, inability to perform household duties, or changes in parenting roles.
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Common Truck Accidents That Can
Lead to Financial Compensation
In our decades of serving people of all ages, backgrounds, and life circumstances, we remain committed to bringing strong lawsuits, when necessary, that reflect the unique circumstances of every crash victim. Some of the most common types of semi-truck accidents Coulter Harsh Law has successfully won lawsuits for are:
How Do You Prove Fault in Large Truck Crashes?
If you and your family’s daily life have been in one of the accidents we explained above, you might wonder how you can prove the other driver was at fault. When you choose Coulter Harsh Law to represent you in a personal injury lawsuit, we will coordinate with law enforcement, medical professionals, witnesses, and other vehicles involved to seek evidence of the truck driver’s liability. That may include medical records, police reports, witness statements, photographs, or your accident account. If you took photos of your injuries and car’s state or created a written account of your experience, we’ll need these materials, too. In the days and weeks following a wreck, we’ll also thoroughly document any lost wages you incur and psychological aftereffects that require treatment.
A lawsuit can include any physical, material, emotional, and financial damages. The legal system can be complicated and filled with potential pitfalls. You should not have to carry this burden alone. The truck operator or trucking company that caused you and your loved ones to suffer should face the consequences.
How to Choose a Truck Accident Attorney
After a collision, you need experienced attorneys to help you defend yourself in court against trucking and insurance companies.
Because these accidents can be far more complex than a car accident, it’s essential you find a law firm with experience addressing these types of claims for the best possible legal outcome.
Never settle for less than a team of personal injury attorneys who are experts at preventing trucking or insurance companies from attempting to minimize or avoid paying you a commensurate settlement for your pain and suffering.
The right attorney for you and your family will listen to the details of your case, diligently compile evidence to establish liability, pursue legal recourse for the full extent of the damages you experienced, and be a source of guidance from start to finish of your case.
Coulter Harsh Law offers legal services for anybody injured in semi-truck accidents backed by decades of successful outcomes. We want to speak with you if you’ve recently been in an accident with semi-truck, tractor-trailer, garbage truck or other large vehicles.
Experienced Lawyers for Your Reno Truck Accident Claim
Semi-truck accidents can devastate the driver and occupants of the other vehicle, especially if you’re driving a smaller car that stands little chance against a large truck. The aftermath of these collisions can result in painful injuries, lifelong disabilities, financial hardship, or even loss of life. If you’ve been involved in an accident with a semi-truck, school bus, or other truck as a driver or passenger, contact Coulter Harsh Law as soon as you can. With our team supporting you through the legal process, we will ensure you receive the legal payment you deserve to cover the costs of your damages.
How Can Our Reno Truck Accident Law Firm Help?
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a crash, we understand how badly you need relief. These large truck accidents can be incredibly physically, emotionally, and financially draining. With a qualified truck accident attorney by your side to handle the legal complexities of your lawsuit, you’ll be able to focus primarily on your recovery.
Questions Truck Accident Clients Ask
When should I hire a truck accident attorney in Reno?
Your first priority after a large truck crash should always be receiving the medical attention you need, whether on-scene treatment from emergency medical personnel or in a hospital setting. Once you’ve taken care of your immediate physical needs, it’s best to contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.
Although those harmed in semi-truck accidents have up to two years to file a lawsuit in Nevada, starting the process sooner is better. Gathering evidence, filing paperwork, and working through the legal process until you receive payment takes time. The sooner you start that process, the sooner you may see payment.
How do you establish liability in a truck accident case?
Whether you or a loved one can successfully recoup damages after a crash depends on the extent to which we can determine liability. Large truck crashes are complex, involving more than one car, and contributing factors often start days, weeks, or months before the accident, such as driver training and experience, maintenance schedule, highway conditions, and more.
Our role in your lawsuit is to gather all the evidence to prove who is liable for the accident. Depending on what we find, liability can rest on the truck driver, the trucking company, the truck manufacturer, or any combination of the above.
For example, truck drivers are responsible for upholding safety standards dictated by their professional licensure, which includes pre-trip inspections of components like the brakes and tires. Should a truck driver fail to conduct these inspections, and an accident results from faulty brakes or tires, they may be liable for the accident.
Similarly, if a trucking company fails to inspect its fleet or address any maintenance issues identified during these inspections, it may also be liable for negligence.
Besides negligence, as described above, there may also be evidence of recklessness (knowingly disregarding or ignoring potential safety issues). If a truck driver speeds above the posted commercial vehicle limits or consumes drugs or alcohol while operating a truck, we may be able to ascertain liability through reckless behavior.
What federal regulations are truck drivers subject to?
All trucking companies and their drivers must comply with the FMCSA regulations. These regulations include rigorous testing protocols, manufacturing standards, and vehicle-specific safety requirements. The FMCSA requires trucks to carry insurance at certain minimum levels determined by the vehicle’s commercial use. For example, insurance requirements depend on whether the truck transports hazardous vs. non-hazardous materials.
Because commercial vehicles are subject to complex regulations and backed by extensive insurance policies, it’s imperative anyone who has collided with a truck seek legal counsel; you need an expert by your side to ensure liable parties are held responsible for reimbursing damages.
Can I afford a Reno truck accident lawyer?
Large truck crashes leave you with your hands full, navigating the physical, emotional, and material costs of this traumatic experience. We understand if you have concerns about adding legal costs to what you’re already dealing with. When you choose Coulter Harsh Law, our priority is alleviating the costs of medical bills, vehicle repairs or replacements, lost wages, and more. We can help you financially recover from your truck accident by relentlessly pursuing justice for you and your family. A consultation can help assist with any questions you may have and provide peace of mind, knowing you have someone fighting for you.
Do You Have Questions?
We Have Answers.
If you or a loved one has suffered from a truck accident, it’s crucial you speak to a truck accident attorney who will go above and beyond for you to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us today to speak with one of our experienced lawyers.
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