Las Vegas Truck Accident Lawyer

Injuries & Damages in Las Vegas Truck Accident Cases

The injuries that follow a collision with a commercial truck are often catastrophic. The force involved produces trauma that can permanently alter the course of someone’s life. Common injuries include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, internal organ injuries, severe burns, amputations, and serious fractures. In the most serious cases, a truck accident results in wrongful death.

Economic & Non-Economic Damages

The damages available under Nevada law reflect the full scope of that harm. Economic damages can include emergency and ongoing medical expenses, surgery and rehabilitation costs, lost income, reduced earning capacity, necessary home or vehicle modifications for permanent disability, and property damage. Non-economic damages can include pain and suffering, emotional distress, PTSD, disfigurement, diminished quality of life, and loss of consortium.

In cases where a defendant acted with oppression, fraud, or malice, punitive damages may also be available. Nevada caps punitive damages at three times compensatory damages when compensatory damages reach $100,000 or more, or at $300,000 when compensatory damages fall below that threshold. Because injury severity is typically higher in truck accidents and multiple defendants with separate insurance policies may be liable, total recoverable compensation may exceed what a standard vehicle accident claim produces. Consulting an attorney before accepting any settlement protects the right to seek long-term care costs and future lost earnings that an early offer won’t reflect.

How Cohan PLLC Builds a Truck Accident Case

Trucking companies deploy their own investigators and legal teams within hours of a crash. The evidence they collect and the narrative they build can define the case if the injured party doesn’t have equally prepared counsel at the table. That’s the problem our personal injury approach is designed to solve. When we take a truck accident case, we immediately secure the driver’s logbook, black box, and Electronic Control Module (ECM) records. ECM data captures the truck’s speed, braking, and engine activity in the moments before impact. We also deploy accident reconstruction experts to inspect the crash scene and vehicles while physical evidence is still available.

Our investigation covers:

• Securing time-sensitive evidence: Driver logbooks, ELD data, onboard camera footage, ECM records, accident scene documentation, and police reports.
• Engaging reconstruction experts: Professionals who can establish how and why the collision occurred, which is critical for multi-party liability claims.
• Analyzing FMCSA compliance: Reviewing company safety records, maintenance logs, and HOS compliance history to surface regulatory violations that can establish carrier-side liability.
• Identifying all liable parties: The driver, the trucking company under vicarious liability, maintenance contractors, cargo loaders, and vehicle or parts manufacturers each represent a potential source of recovery with their own insurance coverage.

Attorney Chasen Cohan is a seasoned trial attorney who treats every truck accident claim as if it’s going before a jury. That trial-first approach strengthens negotiating leverage, produces more complete damages assessments, and helps avoid the undervalued settlements that can result when cases are built around a quick resolution. Other attorneys and firms refer their truck accident cases to us because of this approach and the results it can produce.

Federal Trucking Regulations & How Violations Create Liability

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets the floor for commercial trucking safety in the United States, and Nevada adopts many of those federal standards for state-level carrier enforcement. When a driver or carrier violates these rules, those violations can become evidence of negligence in a personal injury claim.

Under current FMCSA hours-of-service regulations, a commercial truck driver operating a vehicle over 10,000 pounds or transporting placarded materials may drive:

• No more than 11 hours of daily driving within a 14-hour workday cap;
• No more than 60 hours on duty in any 7 consecutive days, or 70 hours in any 8 consecutive days; and
• After reaching the weekly limit, only after 34 consecutive hours of rest.

Drivers must also take a 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving. Electronic logging devices (ELDs) are now federally mandated to prevent logbook falsification, but ELDs can still be manipulated and logbooks can still be falsified. When a carrier encouraged or ignored HOS violations, both the driver and the company can face liability.

FMCSA compliance history, maintenance records, and driver qualification files are all subject to discovery in litigation. A thorough review of those records often reveals patterns of negligence that go beyond the single crash, giving injured clients a stronger foundation for their claims.

Get a Free Truck Accident Case Evaluation

Truck accident claims move fast on the defense side. The sooner you have counsel building your case, the stronger your position may be. We offer free, no-obligation case evaluations, handle all truck accident cases on a contingency fee basis, and provide bilingual representation in English and Spanish. You pay nothing in attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you.

Reach us online or call (702) 623-3579 for a free case evaluation with a Las Vegas truck accident attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Should I Do Immediately After a Truck Accident in Las Vegas?

Move to safety if you can, call 911, and get medical attention even if you don’t feel seriously hurt. Document the scene with photos if it’s safe to do so, exchange information with the other party, and avoid discussing fault at the scene. Don’t give a recorded statement to any insurer before speaking with an attorney. We can guide you on preserving evidence and protecting your rights from the earliest stages of the process.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Las Vegas Truck Accident?

Liability can extend well beyond the truck driver. The trucking company may be liable under vicarious liability for its driver’s actions and independently liable for negligent hiring, inadequate training, or pressuring drivers to violate safety rules. Maintenance contractors, cargo loaders, and vehicle or parts manufacturers may each carry separate liability. Identifying every liable party matters because each may have its own insurance coverage, expanding total recoverable compensation.

How Long Do I Have to File a Truck Accident Claim in Nevada?

Two years from the date of the accident under NRS 11.190(4)(e). For wrongful death claims, two years from the date of death. That deadline is firm, and evidence critical to your case can disappear long before it arrives. Contact an attorney as early as possible to preserve ELD data, onboard camera footage, and driver records before carriers are no longer required to retain them.

What If I Was Partly at Fault for the Truck Accident?

Nevada’s modified comparative negligence rule under NRS 41.141 reduces your recovery by your percentage of fault. If you’re found 51% or more at fault, you can’t recover anything. Trucking companies and their insurers frequently attempt to shift blame onto the injured party for exactly this reason. An attorney who investigates the crash thoroughly and preserves evidence early counters that strategy before it takes hold.

Should I Accept the Trucking Company’s First Settlement Offer?

Early settlement offers rarely reflect the full value of a truck accident claim. They typically don’t account for long-term medical care, reduced earning capacity, or non-economic damages like pain and suffering. Accepting an offer before the full extent of your injuries is known can permanently limit your recovery. Consult with our attorneys at Cohan PLLC before responding to any offer from a trucking company or its insurer.

If you have questions about your case, reach out to a Las Vegas big rig accident lawyer today by calling (702) 623-3579.