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.

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.

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.