18-Wheeler Accidents

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Our Las Vegas Truck Accident Lawyers will advise you of your legal rights and options for pursuing benefits. To ensure you receive the maximum benefits available to you under Nevada law, we recommend you get free legal advice now from our Las Vegas workers compensation lawyers.

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General Info - 18 Wheeler Accidents

Eighteen-wheeler accidents are often extremely severe, in terms of both injuries to drivers, passengers and pedestrians and the destruction of vehicles and other property. Individuals and families who are impacted by Las Vegas-area 18-wheeler accidents can benefit from legal representation by Benson, Bertoldo, Baker, & Carter, with offices in Las Vegas and Henderson.

Catastrophic Injuries
The injuries incurred in 18-wheeler accidents are often catastrophic. This is in part because of the tremendous size of 18-wheeler trucks and the challenges of controlling them:

• 18-wheelers are at least 70 feet long, with five axles
• they weigh upwards of 80,000 pounds (cars weigh about 5,000 pounds)
• they carry very heavy loads that are sometimes thrown or explode during a collision
• the time it takes an 18-wheeler to stop is on average 40% longer than that for cars
• 18-wheelers require 9 to 18 gears, and redundant (double) tires

In addition, 18-wheelers are usually used for long-haul trucking, and as such they are being driven for thousands of miles by drivers who are sometimes greatly fatigued, under pressure and in a hurry to deliver their freight, or even under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Thousands of 18-Wheeler Accidents Each Year
According to the  NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), 18-wheeler accidents happen about 450,000 times each year in the U.S., resulting in more than 130,000 injuries and some 5,000 deaths - about one of every nine highway deaths every year, in fact.

The NHTSA data also indicate that most 18-wheeler accidents are due to:

• driver fatigue
• excessive speed
• rear-end collision (by the 18-wheeler)
• improper left turn or lane change
• failure to stop at red light or stop sign
• driving on the wrong side of the street

Worse, the NHTSA reports that 28% of the truck drivers involved in fatal accidents have had at least one prior conviction for speeding.

More Complex Than Other Accidents
Eighteen-wheeler truck accidents are more complex than accidents involving other vehicles, in part because the trucking industry has many local, state and federal regulations that come into play. In addition, a legal action on behalf of the injured can often be brought against the 18-wheeler’s driver, a trucking company, and one or more insurance companies.

Contact Our 18-Wheeler Accident Attorneys in Las Vegas
The knowledge and seasoned litigation skills of truck accident attorneys can help ensure a fair outcome for those injured in 18-wheeler collision. Talk about your circumstances with an attorney at Benson, Bertoldo, Baker, & Carter today. Contact us today.

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