Blog

Reno residents might think that since truck drivers need to go through extra training in order to operate their commercial vehicles safely, they would never think of getting behind the wheel of their big rigs while drunk or on drugs. Unfortunately, drunk and drugged truck driving is still too common on the highways of both Nevada and other states. Among the almost 52,000 drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2016, about 4,150 were operating a large commercial truck at the time. Of those, 84, or a little over 2 out of 100, of these drivers had over .08 blood alcohol content at the time of the accident, making them legally drunk. These statistics did not account for whether other truck drivers were on illegal drugs or even otherwise legitimate medication that could have interfered with their driving. While these numbers are admittedly less than similar statistics for drivers of passenger cars, the reality is that 2 out of 100 wrecks is a disturbing statistic when one considers the large number of truck drivers on the road. Drunk and drugged truck driving is absolutely unacceptable, especially since drivers receive extra safety training and the number of truck accidents involving drunk truck drivers really should be much closer to zero. If a Nevada resident is injured or killed in a truck accident, then the victim or surviving family members should definitely ask the right questions to see if the truck driver had been drinking or was on some kind of drug or medication before the accident. Doing so may increase their chances of getting the compensation they both need and deserve for things like medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.

Previous posts here have often discussed how motorcycle accidents in the Reno, Nevada, area can leave a rider suffering for the rest of his or her life with catastrophic brain or spinal cord injuries, making it clear that the rider has been seriously and permanently hurt. As such, if another motorist was at fault for the motorcyclist's injuries, it is fairly evident that the other motorist owes compensation to the rider. While, thankfully, not all motorcycle accidents end with paralysis or brain damage, many motorcyclists suffer other types of serious injuries that may not be so evident to the general public. To the motorcyclist, however, the injury could mean not being able to return to work for a long time, if at all. For example, as with other types of vehicle accidents, a motorcyclist may experience some form of soft tissue injury, including whiplash. A soft tissue injury is damage to a person's tendons, ligaments or muscles. While these are not plainly visible, they can leave a person dealing with chronic and severe pain. In some cases, a soft tissue injury may limit a person's ability to move or even leave the person with problems with things like remembering things or focusing on a task. These sorts of injuries are serious, and just because a motorcyclist has the ability to walk away from a crash it doesn't mean that he or she won't need compensation for things like medical bills and lost wages. Moreover, the pain and suffering one must endure because of a soft tissue injury also warrants monetary compensation.

Police are still investigating a pileup that happened in the Reno are on Interstate 80 recently. This truck accident involved several vehicles and also involved a truck flipping over on to its side. The truck obstructed one direction of freeway traffic. The truck also lost its load of canned goods and leaked some fuel because of the accident. According to police, authorities had to intervene to get one person out of a car that had been involved in the accident. Police also said that one victim of the accident had suffered critical injuries and was in danger of dying. The present condition of this person was not disclosed. While police are still investigating and are even looking for additional eyewitnesses, their initial assessment is that the truck flipped because the driver had to make a sudden stop or swerve. The reason the trucker had to do so was that another motorist, driving a private vehicle, made what police called an "unsafe" maneuver, which apparently put the trucker in a position of having to take evasive action. Several other cars were involved in a series of collisions that happened after the truck flipped. More information about this accident will hopefully be available after police complete their investigation. But, it still serves as a reminder about the important obligation motorists have to be careful when doing things like changing lanes on the interstate. If a motorist cuts another driver off, particularly if that driver is operating a big rig or other commercial vehicle, it can lead to a serious accident just as it did in this case. Source: KOLO 8, " NHP looking for witnesses to big rig crash on 80," May 8, 2018

Some Reno, Nevada, residents may think of drunk driving accidents as kind of a "slam dunk" legal case. After all, everyone knows that driving while intoxicated is irresponsible and dangerous, so it should be easy to prove a drunk driver who causes a car accident is negligent and should pay his victims. Unfortunately, such is not always the case. For instance, even if it is clear that the other driver was drunk and caused the accident, a victim will still have to prove his damages. In other words, the victim will have to gather and document things like medical bills, lost wages and the like. Moreover, she will bear the burden of showing these damages are appropriate. Finally, the drunk driver may not have adequate insurance or other means to pay compensation, even though he clearly owes it. And, while squeezing every penny from a drunk driver may be an attractive option, it also can be time-consuming and fruitless. A victim therefore may have to seek out other sources of compensation following a drunk driving accident. For instance, if the victim was on the clock at the time of the accident, workers' compensation may be available. A victim may also be able to avail herself of uninsured or underinsured motorists benefits via his own insurance carrier. And, in certain circumstances, such as if the negligent driver was a minor, it may be able to hold other parties responsible for the accident as well. In short, drunk driving accident cases are far from slam dunks and should instead be thought of us as complicated and important legal proceedings. Fortunately, our law office has considerable experience with drunk driving cases and can help our clients navigate through their cases and get all of the compensation they deserve.

Motorcyclists in the Reno area and throughout the rest of Nevada will want to be particularly aware of their tires, particularly if they are Goodyear tires. Over the last several years, there have been several motorcycle accidents caused by sudden blowouts of these tires. Motorcyclists are particularly prone to losing control in the aftermath of a blowout, in part because motorcycles are smaller than cars and only have two wheels on the surface of the road. Once a motorcyclist loses control of his or her bike, a serious or even fatal accident can result. To this point, across the country, five deaths have been reported due to defective motorcycle tires. Additionally, over 20 people have reported serious injuries. To this point, at least 10 suits have been filed against Goodyear alleging that their motorcycle tires blew out, causing an accident. While Goodyear won 2 of these cases, the other 8 were settled. While suits have been filed, the federal agency in charge of regulating auto parts, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, has yet to issue a recall of these tires or even to start an administrative investigation. Some blame this on a lack of funding and also a lack of permanent leadership. As this blog has discussed before, motorcyclists can sue the manufacturers of defective motorcycle parts, such as tires that tend to blow out, when those parts contribute to an accident. The motorcyclist or any injured passengers can claim damages for things like medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering. To do so, however, it may be helpful to get the help of an experienced Nevada personal injury attorney in filing a product liability lawsuit. Source: Reveal, " Fatal motorcycle tire blowouts not enough to prompt Goodyear recall," Jennifer Gollan, May 2, 2018.

This blog has discussed the serious medical issues Reno, Nevada, victims of spinal cord injuries face. Even those who manage to keep some mobility will still have a long and expensive road to recovery, as they will have to deal with a host of problems that result from a significant injury to the spine. For instance, after many spinal cord injuries, a patient will experience incontinence or other bladder problems, including an inability to go to the bathroom at all. These sorts of medical problems with the bladder are often serious matters that, if untreated, can even in some cases lead to potentially fatal medical problems like kidney failure. Bladder problems require time-consuming, uncomfortable and expensive medical treatment. By way of examples, some people have to learn to drain their bladders with the help of medical equipment and will have to do so periodically throughout the day for the rest of their lives. In other cases, a person may have to take medication permanently. In addition to the actual cost of medical treatment, it is important to remember that spinal cord injury patients who experience bladder dysfunction have to go through a lot of physical and emotional pain and suffering. On an emotional level, for example, it can be hard for a person to accept the fact that he or she can no longer go to the bathroom as would a typical person. It can be particularly hard when the person has an accident that, however understandable, is still very embarrassing. Bladder problems are just one of the many challenges victims of spinal cord injuries face. Standing alone, the obstacles that these sorts of problems place in front of spinal cord injury patients likely translates to tens of thousands of dollars. Those who have to deal with them because of the irresponsibility of someone else should not hesitate to seek compensation through the proper legal channels.

Reno, Nevada, residents have probably heard about the dangers of texting and driving. Some may have even been involved in car accidents with motorists who were pretty obviously on their phones just seconds before the accident. In the most serious accidents, this behavior can prove deadly. According to one report, texting and driving was a contributing factor in the death of another person in 14 percent of all fatal accidents connected in some way to distracted driving. It is no wonder that authorities both in Nevada and around the country are beginning to crack down on this irresponsible and dangerous behavior. However, it is important that while zealously fighting back against texting and driving, one not forget that there are in fact many distractions that contribute to car accidents, even fatal car accidents. For instance, the top cause of fatal distracted driving accidents was overwhelmingly "daydreaming." This category was determined to be a cause in 61 percent, well over half, of fatal distracted driving accidents. In other words, one could argue that letting one's mind wander from the road, whether because of an electronic device or otherwise, always puts other motorists and pedestrians in the Las Vegas area at serious risk. The type of distraction simply does not matter. While it is admittedly easy to "daydream" while behind the wheel, that doesn't make the behavior acceptable. In order to prevent injury accidents, the drivers on Nevada's roads must do what they reasonable can to keep their minds focused on the road. For example, getting enough sleep so as to be sufficiently alert is one step motorists should take. When an inattentive driver causes a serious or deadly accident, victims should explore their right to pursue compensation from such parties. They may be able to recover for damages like medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.

For those who are not familiar with the term, a large commercial truck "jackknifes" when the wheels on its trailer move in one direction while the cab of the truck continues to move in another direction, thereby causing the trailer to swing to one side of the road or the other. When a truck jackknifes, the trailer can easily slam into unsuspecting motorists in the vicinity, possibly sweeping them off the road in the process. A jackknife is the end result of a skid, that is, a situation in which the wheels of a truck simply do not have enough traction on the road for the truck to travel in a straight line. Skids can happen to even the best, most careful truck driver, but there are ways of preventing these common occurrences from turning into jackknifes and, for that matter, serious multi-vehicle accidents. For instance, a trucker can, and should, consistently monitor to see if his or her trailer is swinging slightly from side to side. If it is swinging, a jackknife may be imminent. Moreover, a driver needs to be able to brake slowly and safely, particularly when traveling through the hills and curves surrounding Reno. A sudden stop, particularly on a curvy or wet road, can cause a significant skid from which a truck driver may not be able to recover. Finally, a driver and his or her company must make sure a truck's tires and brakes are in good working condition, as this equipment must be in good order to prevent a jackknife. On a related point, a truck that is not properly loaded can be more prone to jackknifing. Because they are preventable truck accidents, a driver and his or her company can be held financially accountable after a jackknife that leaves a Nevada resident injured. A victim can work to recover compensation for damages, like past and future medical bills, lost wages and non-economic losses such as pain and suffering.

A previous post here discussed how, in most cases, when a motorcyclist gets hit by another vehicle, the responsibility lies with the driver of the other vehicle. Unfortunately, there is still a common stigma that motorcyclists in Reno, Nevada, who get hurt in an accident may have to just "deal with it." Specifically, many people who don't routinely ride motorcycles, including some police officers and even judges, may have an impression that motorcycle riders have a tendency to be thoughtless or even reckless on the road and, thus, are usually responsible for their own accidents. While such is clearly not the case, it may be hard for injured motorcyclists to know how to stand up for their rights and make sure that they get to tell their side of the story. This is why many injured motorcyclists in the Reno area have trusted our law office to help them with their personal injury claims after they have suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident. One of our first tasks is to make sure our clients both understand their legal rights and options and have a realistic outlook on the possible results of their cases. The reason we emphasize this is that it helps our clients work toward getting decisions at the outset of their cases, saving them a lot of time and emotional stress. After reviewing our clients' legal options, we work hard to conduct a thorough investigation so as to gather all the facts surrounding the accident. This process may be necessary to establish that another motorist, and not the motorcyclist, was responsible for the accident. After that, we consider it our main task to get our clients the compensation that they will need in order to get the necessary treatment they need and move on with their lives as best as they possibly can.

With the warmer weather of summer coming soon to the Reno area, there will be more people riding their motorcycles on the city roads and the byways in the surrounding mountains. Other drivers in conventional cars and other motor vehicles have an obligation to be on the lookout for these motorcyclists and avoid hitting them by mistake. After all, a car colliding or even just cutting off a motorcycle can cause serious motorcycle accidents that can leave a Nevada motorcyclist suffering from a permanent disability. According to a statement from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, when a car strikes a motorcycle, it is usually because the driver of the car has interfered with the right-of-way of the motorcyclist. Legally, this means that after a motorcycle crash with a car, the victim should seriously consider whether the driver of the other vehicle is responsible for the accident and, thus, the proper person to pay for things like medical expenses, lost wages and other damages. There are a number of reasons why drivers do not yield to motorcyclists as they should. To some extent, drivers often claim that motorcyclists are just harder to see because they are smaller than other vehicles. In some cases, motorcyclists can be easily obstructed by another vehicle or an obstacle in or along the road. Distracted driving is also a reason why drivers do not yield. Moreover, even attentive drivers may not have trained themselves to notice motorcycles on the road. Nevada drivers need to respect the right-of-way of motorcycles. If they do not, and an accident results, they may be held financially accountable.

According to a recent report, a man is facing felony charges on account of his involvement in a hit and run accident in Reno. The accident left a pedestrian dead. Allegedly, the driver who was recently arrested struck the pedestrian with his car and then left the scene of the incident. Police indicated that even though the man has been charged with a felony related to his leaving the scene of the fatal accident, they also indicated that they did not suspect that drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash. Police said that when they arrested the man, they discovered some evidence that the man was in fact the person who fatally injured the pedestrian. Hit and run car accidents present some special challenges to victims who need to obtain compensation. For instance, while one always hopes that, as was the case here, authorities eventually locate the driver who was responsible for the accident, sometimes this just does not happen. When the responsible driver is located, then the victim or the victim's family can pursue compensation against the driver. If this does not happen, the victim may still have some opportunity to get compensation through an uninsured motorist claim, assuming, of course, that this type of insurance coverage was purchased. No matter the circumstances, it is important to remember that drivers in Nevada have an obligation to look out for pedestrians and to use caution when around them. When drivers fail to do so, pedestrians often get hurt. Should this happen, they may be able to seek compensation with help from an experienced attorney. Source: Reno Gazette Journal, " Reno police arrest man in connection with fatal hit and run," Jenny Kane, March 11, 2018

When someone has been hurt or, for that matter, was expecting their insurance company to cover them if they accidentally hurt someone else, it can seem in some situations that the insurance company has all the power. Because they have to be well-financed in order to conduct their business, it means that insurance companies have a lot of bargaining power. Moreover, it is a simple fact that insurance companies make money by not paying claims or paying as little as possible. As such, it can be tempting, and easy, for an insurer to take advantage of a legitimate victim. If you feel like that has happened in your insurance claim, legal help with getting the playing field levelled and getting the insurance company to do what they already have a responsibility to do is available to Reno residents. For example, our law office can help people in this situation by reviewing their case and, if appropriate, filing a lawsuit alleging that the insurance company has acted in bad faith, a legal option that can mean additional compensation for a victim and, at a minimum, can get the insurance company to act better. There are many ways in which an insurance company can violate Nevada's laws requiring that insurance companies treat those making a claim fairly and even-handedly. With our firm's 50 years of experience, we are familiar with these rules and how unscrupulous companies or even individual adjusters may try to get around these rules. We have successfully represented people in a wide variety of insurance claim denials or disputes over the years, and we work hard to get the best possible result in the cases we take on.