Las Vegas Truck Accident Lawyer

• The driver, for fatigue, distraction, speeding, or impairment
• The motor carrier or employer, which is generally responsible for its drivers’ conduct on the job and for its own hiring, training, and scheduling decisions
• The truck or trailer owner, if different from the carrier
• A maintenance company, if brakes, tires, or lights were serviced improperly
• The cargo loader, if an overloaded or unsecured load contributed to the crash
• A parts manufacturer, if a defective component failed

Each party may carry separate insurance, so identifying all of them early affects how much coverage is available for a serious injury.

Federal Safety Rules That Can Prove Fault

Interstate trucking companies and their drivers must follow the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Violations of these rules are often strong evidence of negligence.

Hours of service (49 CFR Part 395): A property-carrying driver may drive no more than 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty, and may not drive beyond the 14th hour after coming on duty. A 30-minute break is required after 8 cumulative hours of driving. Weekly on-duty time is capped at 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days. A driver who exceeded these limits may have been driving fatigued.

Electronic logs: Most interstate drivers must record their hours on an electronic logging device (ELD). Federal rules require carriers to keep these records and their supporting documents for at least six months.

Inspection and maintenance: Carriers must inspect, repair, and maintain their vehicles and keep records of that work. Worn brakes, bald tires, and missed inspections show up in these files.

Insurance minimums (49 CFR 387.9): For-hire interstate carriers hauling general freight in vehicles over 10,001 pounds must carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage. Carriers of certain hazardous materials must carry $1 million to $5 million. Nevada’s minimum for passenger cars is $25,000 per person in bodily injury, so a truck claim has to be valued differently from a car claim.

The Evidence We Work to Preserve

Much of the evidence in a truck accident case is held by the trucking company, not by you. Our early work focuses on securing it:

• Event data recorder (“black box”) data: speed, braking, and throttle in the seconds before impact
• ELD and hours-of-service records: whether the driver was within legal limits
• Driver qualification file and drug and alcohol testing records: licensing, training, driving history, and test results
• Inspection and maintenance records: the condition of brakes, tires, and safety equipment
• Dispatch records and delivery schedules: whether the company pushed the driver to meet an unrealistic deadline
  Police reports, photos, witness statements, and surveillance footage from the crash scene

When records like these are at risk, a preservation letter puts the carrier on notice to preserve them.

Nevada Laws That Affect Your Claim

Two years to file: Nevada generally allows two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit (NRS 11.190(4)(e)). In truck cases, the practical deadline is often much shorter, because the carrier’s driving logs and supporting documents only have to be kept for six months.

When the trucking company blames you: Nevada’s comparative fault statute (NRS 41.141) lets an injured person recover so long as they were no more at fault than the parties they are suing, with the award reduced by their share. Trucking insurers often claim the car driver cut in front of the truck or braked suddenly. The truck’s own speed and braking data is frequently the best answer to that claim.

Wrongful death claims: If a crash took the life of a family member, NRS 41.085 allows the surviving heirs to seek damages for their grief, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship. The personal representative of the estate may separately recover medical and funeral expenses.

Compensation After a Truck or Commercial Vehicle Accident

These crashes can cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, multiple fractures, and injuries that require surgery and long rehabilitation. Depending on the facts, compensation may include:

• Emergency care, surgery, and future medical treatment
• Rehabilitation and long-term care
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
• Pain and suffering and emotional distress
• Permanent disability or disfigurement
• Vehicle and property damage

In a serious truck crash, future costs often include additional surgery, rehabilitation, home modifications, and lost working years. Because interstate trucking policies carry much higher minimums than car insurance, we document those future costs in full rather than limiting the claim to what a typical car policy would pay.

Working With Nwogbe Law Group

When you hire Nwogbe Law Group, you work directly with your attorney. Whether the crash involved a semi-truck or a company van, the same attorney handles your case from start to finish.

Stephen Nwogbe is licensed by the State Bar of Nevada and has been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers Association. Read more about his background and the firm.

The firm works on a contingency fee. There is no upfront cost, and no fee unless compensation is recovered. If your crash involved only passenger cars, see our car accident lawyer services. For crashes involving rideshare drivers, see Uber and Lyft accidents.

We represent truck and commercial vehicle accident victims across Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, Boulder City, and Summerlin.