In 2008 there was a total of 123,918 large trucks involved in nonfatal crashes in the United States. That figure does not include the many thousands of truck accidents that did cause injury or death and as our roads are becoming more and more congested, that figure will likely grow. If you have been involved in a trucking accident then our experienced Henderson truck accident attorneys are here to help.
Trucking Regulations
Trucking companies and truck drivers are heavily regulated and governed by federal laws in order to reduce the number of truck accidents on our roadways. For example, truck drivers need to have special licenses obtained after undergoing specific training; they are required to have a specialized education on how to handle and drive their trucks and they undergo various safety precautions for the proper maintenance of their truck.
This all means that if you have been injured in a truck accident and the driver did not have the required training, then you may be able to sue the driver for violation of these regulations. The same applies to any trucking companies that fail to provide their drivers with adequate training or if they hire drivers that are not adequately qualified.
In addition to regulations, there are many federal laws that govern the trucking industry and if any truck driver or trucking company is in violation of these laws, and that violation resulted in the truck accident, then negligence may be proven, and your case strengthened.
Nevada Trucking
In Nevada, the maximum truck operating weight is 129,000 pounds per the DMV requirements. The Nevada Department of Transportation has many guides and regulations for truckers operating within Nevada, but most are consistent with Federal Trucking laws. Commercial truck drivers passing through Nevada must adhere to state laws and the attorneys at David Boehrer Law Firm are happy to help if you have a question related to your personal injury resulting from a truck accident.
Nevada’s Joint & Several Liability
If you are the victim of a crash that was not your fault you can recover compensation from multiple defendants who are responsible for causing the accident. If one of them is unable to pay compensation, then the other at-fault party must make up the difference. This means that the victim should always be fully compensated when there has been a multi-party crash.
This unique law in Nevada becomes important in car accident cases involving commercial vehicles because the victim is able to sue both the driver of the truck and the driver’s employer if the accident happened while they were working. Under joint and several liability, even if the negligent truck driver is unable to pay the compensation, the negligent driver’s employer can be held responsible for the victim’s losses. As Truck accidents often end with fatalities, truck companies normally have large insurance premiums and therefore compensation can be considerable.
Our Nevada truck accident lawyers are experts within the area of truck accident litigation and wrongful death from a truck-related accident. If you would like a free consultation please contact the David Boehrer Law Firm at (702) 750-0750.