Any time multiple motor vehicles collide, serious injuries may result. When at least one of the vehicles is a large truck, though, the resulting injuries can be life-changing or even fatal. If you have been injured in a truck accident, call the Reno personal injury lawyers at Valiente Mott today to arrange a cost-free case review with an experienced Reno truck accident lawyer. We can thoroughly investigate the circumstances of your crash, identify all potentially liable parties, and gather the hard evidence needed to support your claim for damages.

How Do These Truck Accidents Happen?

There are a number of potential causes of truck crashes. Some of the more common causes of these accidents are the following:

Speeding: Excessive speed is a common cause of truck accidents in Reno, as it reduces the driver’s ability to react to traffic changes and increases the severity of collisions.
Distracted driving: Truck drivers who are distracted by mobile devices, eating, or other activities while driving can cause accidents due to a lack of attention to the road and surrounding traffic.
Following too closely: Tailgating or inadequate following distances can lead to rear-end collisions, particularly dangerous for large trucks that require longer distances to stop.
Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs: Operating a truck while impaired by alcohol or drugs significantly increases the risk of accidents due to impaired judgment and reaction times.
Running a red light or stop sign: Disregarding traffic signals is a frequent cause of intersection accidents involving trucks, often resulting in serious injuries or fatalities.
Unsafe merges: Trucks merging unsafely onto highways or changing lanes without proper caution can lead to collisions, especially given the vehicle’s large size and blind spots.
Dangerous lane changes: Abrupt or unsafe lane changes by truck drivers, without proper signaling or checking for other vehicles, can cause sideswipe accidents.
Adverse weather conditions: In Reno, conditions like rain, snow, or ice can make roads treacherous for trucks, increasing the likelihood of skidding or loss of control.
Poor road conditions: Potholes, uneven road surfaces, and lack of proper signage can contribute to truck accidents, especially if not navigated cautiously.
Blind spots: Trucks have larger blind spots than smaller vehicles, making it challenging for drivers to see other vehicles during turns or lane changes, leading to potential collisions.

Your Life May Never Be The Same After A Truck Crash

Sadly, the injuries that these crashes cause can change your life – and the lives of your loved ones – forever. Here is a non-exhaustive list of injuries commonly associated with truck accidents:

Lacerations and cuts: These are common in truck accidents, often caused by shattered glass or metal debris. Such injuries can range from superficial to deep cuts requiring medical intervention.
Permanent scarring or disfigurement: More severe lacerations or burns from truck accidents can lead to permanent scarring or disfigurement, affecting not just the physical appearance but also the psychological well-being of the victim.
Ligament damage: The force of a truck collision can cause significant strain on the body, leading to torn or stretched ligaments, which often require lengthy recovery and rehabilitation.
Organ damage High-impact truck accidents can cause internal injuries, leading to organ damage. These injuries are particularly dangerous as they may not be immediately apparent but can be life-threatening.
Broken or fractured bones The immense force exerted in a truck accident can easily result in broken or fractured bones, which can be serious, requiring surgery and potentially causing long-term disability.
Back, spinal cord, and neck injuries: Injuries to the back, spinal cord, and neck are common in truck accidents. These injuries can range from whiplash and herniated discs to more severe spinal cord damage resulting in paralysis
Head injuries such as Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) TBIs are a grave concern in truck accidents, resulting from blows to the head or violent shaking. They can range from mild concussions to severe brain damage, with long-lasting effects
Amputations In severe cases, limbs may be crushed or severely injured in a truck accident, leading to surgical amputations.
Paralysis Spinal injuries in truck accidents can lead to partial or complete paralysis, significantly impacting the victim’s quality of life and independence.
Death: Unfortunately, due to the severity of truck accidents, fatalities are not uncommon. The death of a loved one in such accidents is a tragic outcome, leading to wrongful death claims.

This Is How You Can Help Maximize Your Financial Recovery

There often is not much you can do to prevent a large truck accident, but if you are emotionally and physically capable of doing so, you can significantly enhance the financial value of your claim by taking certain steps in the immediate aftermath of your crash. Here is what an experienced truck accident lawyer would recommend that you do:

Call the police and see to it that an accident report is filed
Seek medical attention no matter how you feel. The longer you wait between the crash and when you first seek medical attention, the more you run the risk of your claim diminishing in financial value. Keep in mind that some injuries will manifest themselves until hours after the accident once your adrenaline has waned. Others may not surface for several days.
Take pictures of all property damage, your injuries, the exact location of the accident, the road, the traffic conditions when the collision happened, the weather situation, and the area surrounding the scene of the crash.
Collect the contact information of all eyewitnesses to your accident.
Schedule a consultation with an experienced truck accident lawyer in Reno. Not only can this meeting with a Reno truck accident attorney inform you as to the strengths and weaknesses of your claim, but it will also provide an approximate financial value of your claim, enabling you to avoid accepting a lowball settlement offer from the insurance company that is dramatically below the fair value of your claim.
Assume at all times while your case is active that a private investigator is following you, and conduct your day-to-day activities accordingly. In other words, if you claim that your neck is so badly injured that you can never leave your house, being photographed around town dancing, running, or playing golf could significantly undermine the value of your claim.
Halt all social media activity, and if at all possible, delete all accounts. If you cannot delete your accounts, then do not let any updates, pictures, or videos that discuss your accident, your case, or your injuries be posted online by you or anyone else. Additionally, make sure that no one posts any updates, pictures, or videos that could affect your credibility with regard to the severity of your injuries.

We Take The Fight To The Insurance Companies

Our partners at Valiente Mott – Mike Valiente and Tim Mott – are Las Vegas natives who’ve spent many years each defending large insurance companies and corporations, frequently witnessing the injustice that was done to innocent victims. We utilize that knowledge of the “other side” to help fight for justice on behalf of our clients, and will do everything possible to maximize our clients’ financial compensation, just like we would do if we were representing our own family members.

In addition to our rigorous approach in confronting insurance companies, understanding Reno’s truck insurance requirements is crucial in the context of accidents. In Nevada, commercial trucks are mandated to carry higher liability insurance coverage compared to regular vehicles, due to the potential for more significant damage and injuries in truck accidents. This insurance is intended to provide adequate compensation for damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering in the event of an accident. However, dealing with insurance claims involving commercial trucks can be complex, as these cases often involve substantial financial stakes and intricate policy details.

At Valiente Mott, we leverage our understanding of these insurance requirements and our experience in dealing with large insurance companies to advocate effectively for our clients. We navigate the complexities of truck insurance policies, ensuring that our clients receive the maximum compensation they are entitled to. Our commitment is to tirelessly fight for our clients’ rights, applying our insider knowledge of insurance company tactics to counteract any attempts to undervalue or deny legitimate claims.

Nevada Department Of Transportation Regulations

The regulations set forth by the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) play a crucial role in ensuring the safety and efficiency of truck operations. These NDOT regulations are particularly focused on aspects such as vehicle weight limits, the transportation of hazardous materials, and the issuance of special permits for oversized loads. Weight limits are enforced to prevent overburdening of roadways and bridges, reducing the risk of accidents due to infrastructure failure or loss of vehicle control. Stringent guidelines for transporting hazardous materials are crucial to prevent spills and accidents that could lead to significant public safety hazards. Oversized loads require special permits and often additional safety measures, like escort vehicles, to ensure they can be transported safely without posing a risk to other road users. Compliance with these NDOT regulations is a legal requirement and a fundamental aspect of risk management for trucking companies and drivers. In the event of a truck accident in Reno, a violation of these regulations can be a critical factor in determining liability and can significantly impact the legal proceedings following the accident.

How Valiente Mott Approaches Your Claim

At Valiente Mott, our approach to handling Reno truck accidents includes three key strategies:

Thorough Investigation and Identification of Liable Parties: We conduct comprehensive investigations to unravel the complexities of each truck accident, identifying all parties whose negligence may have contributed, from drivers to trucking companies.
Experienced Collaboration for Strong Case Building: Collaborating with specialists like accident reconstruction experts and medical professionals, we build a strong, evidence-backed case to accurately represent the accident’s impact on your life.
Dedicated Legal Representation and Client Support: We provide tailored legal representation, ensuring your unique needs are met. From negotiating with insurance companies to representing you in court if necessary, our focus is on securing the best possible outcome for you, while maintaining clear and supportive communication throughout your case.