You are a careful and conscientious driver. You follow the rules of the road and do not take unnecessary risks. You are especially cautious around 18-wheelers. You ensure that your vehicle is constantly in sight of the truck driver, and you give them enough room to make sudden moves and maneuvers. Unfortunately, this is not enough. The truck driver must also take the necessary steps to be safe on the road. A failure on their part can lead to catastrophic consequences.

If you have been hurt in a truck accident caused by the truck driver, then you should seek compensation from the truck company. To do so, you will need the help of a Reno truck accident attorney. A Reno truck accident lawyer will help you get the money and the justice you deserve.

The Distinct Danger of Large Trucks

Tractor-trailer trucks are large, lumbering, heavy vehicles. It is difficult for them to stop suddenly and they need a great deal of space when turning and moving between lanes. If you collide with a truck, your vehicle will sustain a great deal of damage. In the worst accidents, your car may be crushed under the weight of the truck and you may be trapped inside.

The following types of injuries are common in truck accidents:

  • Internal organ damage
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Skull fractures
  • Neck and back injuries requiring surgery
  • Severe burns
  • Paralysis
  • Amputation

The Possible Life-Long Consequences of a Truck Accident

If you are in a serious truck accident, you will need to be rushed to the hospital. You may then need to undergo a series of complicated surgeries. Between your recovery and your rehabilitation, you may be on your back for months. You will not be able to earn money during this time and the medical bills will continue to pile up.

The most severe truck accidents can lead to permanent disabilities. You may be forced to give up your career, and the disability may be so bad that you cannot earn a living in any other way. The personal injury, mental anguish, and financial losses that result from such an accident can have life-long consequences. It will in effect rob you of the life that you had.

Someone must be held accountable for such a state of affairs. You need not shoulder the financial burden on your own, and it is right for you to get help in rebuilding your life. A Reno personal injury lawyer can help you get the compensation you need. Here are some of the common damages claimed in truck accident cases:

  • Cost of medical treatment
  • Physical rehabilitation
  • Mental health therapy
  • Loss of income, wages, and benefits
  • Loss of future earnings
  • Physical, mental, and emotional pain and suffering
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Loss of enjoyment of life

Companies Are Responsible

When you sue for compensation, you are not usually going after the driver. It is the trucking company that must be held accountable. Many drivers cause accidents because of overwork and fatigue. Other drivers carry loads that they are not qualified and experienced enough to do. There are federal and state laws that regulate the truck drivers, including the amount of sleep that truck drivers must get in a twenty-four-hour period. Some truck companies ignore these rules and push their drivers beyond their physical limits. Drivers are even threatened with the loss of their job if they do not meet certain deadlines.

Your Reno personal injury attorney will get to the bottom of the facts and circumstances that led to the trucking accident. Your accident attorney in Reno NV will find out if the trucking company had a standing policy of violating the law in regard to driver rest requirements.

If you have been in a trucking accident, you should speak to an accident attorney in Reno Nevada at the Law Office of Stephen Osborne.