Truck accidents are surprisingly common in Vegas. These large vehicles transport goods up and down The Strip and to all points within the city. Because of their weight and size, they cause serious injuries when they crash into passenger vehicles, especially those riding in four-door sedans. But with traffic so congested, accidents will continue to happen.
After a collision, you might wonder if you need a Las Vegas truck accident lawyer. The answer is a resounding “yes.” Without one, your odds of receiving a meaningful settlement are much lower, and you might compromise your recovery from injuries. There is no reason to go it alone when the Ladah law firm is available to represent you.
Don’t Expect a Fair Settlement Offer
Many accident victims receive a settlement offer within weeks of a crash. Some are grateful to receive an offer for any compensation, especially at a time when they need expensive medical care and cannot work.
However, you should never immediately accept an initial settlement offer. No one is making an offer out of the generosity of their heart. Instead, they expect you to sign a release of liability in exchange for the settlement. With this release, you can’t sue them again—even if they gave you far less than you deserve.
Most initial settlement offers are too low—considerably less than what you deserve. Reach out to a Vegas truck accident attorney to review any offer you receive. It’s the safe thing to do.
An Attorney Can Identify Who is At Fault
Most truck accidents are probably caused by a negligent trucker. These folks work very long hours hauling goods, and fatigue or substance abuse can impair their ability to drive safely. Other truckers are simply careless. They drive too fast, take corners without concern for pedestrians, and cut off vehicles.
However, other accidents are not the trucker’s fault. For example, a truck might have been loaded improperly, and shifting goods in the trailer could have made the truck impossible to control. Consequently, you can’t really blame the trucker for failing to control the rig. In other cases, a defect on the truck itself causes a collision. For example, tires might explode because they were faulty in design or manufacture, and, again, the trucker can’t prevent a wreck.
You can only sue someone for compensation if they were at fault. For this reason, you need to perform an investigation into what happened, and an attorney is a terrific asset. While we jump in to uncover what happened, you can focus full-time on getting well.
Your Attorney Can Preserve Evidence
A truck accident often has different evidence than a car accident. Few people know what evidence is available, how to find it, or how to gain access to it. You need a lawyer who understands what to look for and how to preserve it.
Here is some evidence that might play a role in your truck accident case:
- Drug testing results. Trucking companies need to regularly test their employees for drug and alcohol use. They should also suspend them when they fail. This evidence might be useful if the trucker was impaired when he hit you.
- Physical exam results. The FMCSA also requires regular physical exams so that only healthy people are employed. Some trucking companies might not have required an exam or falsified one.
- Employee discipline and supervision records. The trucker could have a history of accidents or dangerous driving. A trucking company would be negligent to hire this person.
- Black box data. Most trucks now have electronic devices that continuously download information about the truck. This information is often highly relevant to an accident. For example, we might uncover what actions the trucker took in the moments before a crash.
- Trucker logs. Some truckers still use old-fashioned handwritten logbooks to record the hours they drive.
Few people know how to request this information. If you aren’t careful, the trucking company might “misplace” it, which can impede your ability to hold them accountable for a wreck. An experienced attorney will immediately demand that the company preserve this information and ultimately share copies or let your attorney inspect it.
An Attorney Will Negotiate a Settlement
Can you effectively advocate for yourself? Many people feel uncomfortable doing so, in which case they need a seasoned legal advocate. As mentioned above, trucking companies don’t usually make fair settlement offers—you need to work for it.
At the Ladah law firm, we have decades of combined experience sitting across from trucking companies and their insurers. We understand the techniques these companies use to lower the amount of compensation they pay. For example, they might claim you are partially responsible for the accident because you were driving too fast or using your phone. We are prepared for these types of arguments and can gather evidence to use in your defense.
We also fully analyze your injuries to identify how much is a fair amount of compensation. If the defendant can’t hit that amount, we are prepared to walk and go into court.
Your Attorney Can Litigate in Court
Most truck accident cases in Vegas settle. Still, there’s always a chance you need to file a lawsuit when both sides disagree on key points, like compensation or fault. If you try to negotiate without an attorney, no trucking company will be afraid of you filing a lawsuit.
Of course, it’s true that you can try to represent yourself in court. But large companies have teams of lawyers at their disposal who are much more familiar with the legal system. It is no easy thing to learn Nevada’s rules of evidence, civil procedure, and personal injury law. Nevada’s judges won’t cut you much slack if you try to proceed without an attorney.
Hire an experienced law firm to negotiate for you. This way, the defendant is on notice that they could find themselves in court if they don’t make a fair settlement offer. Many defendants stop fighting once they see us on the other side of the table. They are familiar with our track record of success and know that we mean business.
A Trucking Accident Lawyer is Affordable
Let’s talk about reasons why accident victims don’t immediately hire an attorney. O
ne concern is costs. Victims have high expenses, reduced income, and no ability to pay a lawyer, who they wrongly think will cost thousands of dollars.
At Ladah Law, we represent clients on contingency fee agreements. This means we will never charge an upfront legal fee. Instead, we only get paid once we win your case. No win, no fee. That’s our agreement. We agree to represent you from start to finish and, in exchange, you agree that we can keep a portion of your settlement. We have an incentive to increase the size of the pie because our slice will be bigger.
Another concern is privacy. Truck accidents can cause horrifying injuries which impair a person’s normal life. You might even find that your marriage is turned upside down because you can no longer be intimate. As your attorney, we are ethically obligated to keep your confidence. We can also negotiate in a confidential setting so that you maintain your privacy.
Call Our Las Vegas Truck Accident Lawyer
There is never a reason to try and handle a truck accident claim without the assistance of an attorney. Give the Ladah law firm a call today, (702) 252-0055. We can walk you through the claims process and construct a solid claim for monetary compensation. You owe it to yourself and your family to do everything possible to hold trucking companies accountable.