Nevada Personal Injury Blog

Las Vegas police are trying to step up crosswalk enforcement in order to try and bring down the number of pedestrian accidents in the city that have shot up over the last few months. There are also several steps pedestrians can take in order to avoid tragic Las Vegas pedestrian crashes.

1. Always walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk and you have to walk in the road, walk on the left facing traffic.
2. Cross at crosswalks and intersections. A number of pedestrians are struck when they try to cross the street at locations other than intersections. Walking that extra distance to a crosswalk or intersection is well worth it. Use marked crosswalks and obey the signals.
3. See and be seen. Pedestrians may do so by wearing bright clothing during the day and reflective clothing at night. Carry a flashlight while walking in the dark. Make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them, and stay out of their blind spots.
4. Look to the left, right, and then left again before you cross a roadway.
5. Never run or dart into a roadway. Pedestrians may also be cited for failing to yield the right-of-way to an oncoming vehicle.

Often, pedestrian accidents in Las Vegas occur because of negligent drivers. Examples of driver’s negligence include drunk driving, distracted driving, speeding, and failure to yield the right-of-way. Victims who have been injured in a pedestrian accident caused by a negligent driver can seek compensation for their losses.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Las Vegas pedestrian accident, the experienced Nevada pedestrian accident injury lawyers at Shook & Stone can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please contact us at 1(877) 910-2220 for a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation.

One person was killed and two others were hurt in a Las Vegas car accident, which officials say was caused by a suspected drunk driver who was driving on the wrong side of the road. According to an Associated Press news report, the fatal car accident occurred on the U.S. 95 near Ann Road. Nevada Highway Patrol officials say a Buick sedan, driven by a 45-year-old man, was hit head-on by a Ford pickup truck. A GMC SUV was also hit. The driver of the Buick died, while the drivers of the pickup and the SUV suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The pickup was going north in the southbound lanes. The driver of the Ford pickup is facing felony DUI (driving under the influence) charges.

Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is illegal under Nevada law. In a case where a victim is killed as the result of a drunk driver, the family of the deceased victims can file what is known as a Nevada wrongful death claim. Such claims are usually filed by immediate family members, such as children or spouses, and seek compensation for damages such as lost future wages, medical expenses, and funeral costs. In such cases, drunk drivers, in addition to facing criminal charges, can also be held civilly liable for their actions.

An experienced Las Vegas drunk driving accident attorney at Shook & Stone has successfully represented injured drunk driving victims and their families. We help victims of negligent drivers receive fair and full compensation for their losses and hold the at-fault driver accountable. Please contact us at 1(877) 910-2220 to obtain more information about your legal rights and options.

A 68-year-old Colorado man suffered life-threatening injuries in a Las Vegas car accident after a vehicle struck him in the Summerlin area. According to a news report in the Las Vegas Sun, the major injury crash occurred on Lake East Drive just east of Lake Sahara Drive. The pedestrian did not appear to be in a marked crosswalk when the incident occurred. A 2004 Buick Century that was eastbound on Lake East Drive struck the pedestrian. He was transported to University Medical Center in critical condition. No citations have been issued pending the official investigation.

There has been a spate of pedestrian accidents in Las Vegas over the last month or so. Several meetings have been held at the city, community, and county level to come up with plans and programs to improve pedestrian safety in Las Vegas. Last week, Clark County commissioners approved a $581,000, three-month study to identify areas where pedestrian movement is congested on The Strip. The study area covers a four-mile stretch of real estate between Russell Road and Sahara Avenue.

In addition to any street improvements that can be made, it is important that motorists and pedestrians do their part to exercise due care and caution while using the roadway. Pedestrians should cross only in designated crosswalk areas when possible, walk on sidewalks, and make eye contact with drivers to make sure they are seen. Motorists should yield the right-of-way to pedestrians at both crosswalks and non-crosswalks. Stay alert for children around schools and residential neighborhoods. When you exit a driveway or parking lot, look both ways and ensure that there are no pedestrians.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Las Vegas pedestrian accident caused by someone else’s negligence, the experienced Las Vegas pedestrian accident attorneys at Shook & Stone can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please contact us at 1(877) 910-2220 to schedule your free and comprehensive consultation.

An elderly driver was killed in a Las Vegas intersection accident, which officials say was caused by another driver who ran a red light. According to a KTNV news report, the fatal car accident occurred at the intersection of Cheyenne and Grand Canyon. A 21-year-old driver in a 1999 Dodge Durango failed to stop at the red light and crashed into a 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis driven by an 82-year-old woman. She was transported to an area hospital in critical condition and died from her injuries. The other driver suffered relatively minor injuries. According to Las Vegas police, this is the 37th fatal car accident in 2012.

Red light violations often result in major injury or fatal crashes. In many cities around the country, red light running is a serious traffic safety issue. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were more than 2.3 million street intersection collisions in 2008. These crashes resulted in 7,770 fatalities and 733,000 injuries nationwide in 2008.

In fatal car accidents where negligence is a factor, families of deceased victims can file what is known as a wrongful death claim. Such claims, which are filed by immediate family members, seek compensation for damages, including funeral and medical expenses and lost future earnings and benefits.

If you have lost a loved one in a car accident, the Nevada wrongful death lawyers at Shook & Stone offer our deepest condolences for your tragic loss. If you wish to obtain more information about pursuing your rights, please contact us at 1(877) 910-2220 for a no-cost consultation.

According to a report by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), teen traffic fatalities over the first six months of 2011 increased considerably from the year 2010. In fact, deaths of 16-year-olds increased 16 percent to 93 fatalities and deaths of 17-year-olds increased seven percent to 118. This increase goes against the recent trend of decreasing teenage fatalities since the adoption of graduation driver licensing systems.

Nationwide, between January and June of 2010, there were 190 teen drivers aged 16 and 17 killed in passenger vehicle accidents. During that same period in the year 2011, there were 211 deaths. Nevada is one of only a few states that were able to avoid fatal car accidents involving 16- and 17-year-old drivers in the first half of 2010 or 2011. Most states had fatalities in both years and 23 states saw an increase from the year 2010 to 2011.

According to the report, the dangers of teenage driving cannot be minimized. Parents need to do their part to encourage safe driving habits. This not only includes obeying the speed limit, but also turning off cell phones, limiting the number of passengers in the vehicle, setting curfews for teen drivers, and inspiring safe habits by leading by example.

If your teenager has been injured in a car accident, or if you have been hurt by a teen driver, please contact the experienced Nevada car crash lawyers at Shook & Stone. Please call us at 1(877) 910-2220 for a free and comprehensive consultation.

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. It is important to spread the word about just how dangerous driving while distracted can be. Drivers are considered distracted whenever they take their hands off the wheel, their eyes off the road, or their focus from the task at hand, which is driving. The fastest growing form of distracted driving involves cell phone use, and even drivers who are using a hands-free device are putting themselves and others at risk.

According to data collected by Focusdriven.org, an advocacy group that encourages safe, cell phone-free driving, 9 percent of drivers are talking on cell phones, making them four times as likely to crash. Cell phone ownership has grown from 11 percent in 1995 to 93 percent today, and with this increase in cell phone use has come a substantial increase in distracted driving. Using a cell phone while driving forces the brain to focus on your conversation, resulting in a 37 percent decrease in the capacity your brain will have to gather and process critical driving data. Therefore, having a conversation while driving will make you more prone to driving distracted and much more likely to be involved in an accident.

This month, please take the time to tell your friends and fellow drivers that you choose to not use a cell phone while driving. Encourage your loved ones to do the same. You can help save a life by stopping distracted driving. Help make Nevada roadways safe for all motorists.

If you or a loved one is hurt in a Las Vegas car accident by a distracted driver, it may be in your best interest to discuss your legal rights and options with an experienced Las Vegas personal injury lawyer. The knowledgeable Las Vegas distracted driving accident attorneys at Shook & Stone know how to hold distracted drivers accountable for the damages they cause. If a distracted driver has hurt you or a loved one, please call our offices today at 1(877) 910-2220 for a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation.

Eight people were hospitalized following a Las Vegas car accident involving three vehicles colliding at an intersection. According to a KTNV news report, the car accident occurred at Lake Mead and Simmons in North Las Vegas. Officials say the driver of a truck failed to yield at a green left hand turn light before colliding into an oncoming truck that then struck an SUV. The extent of the victims’ injuries are not known. One driver had to be extricated from the vehicle. Investigators are looking into whether alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash.

It is common for intersection accidents to involve a dangerous left hand turn. According to NRS 484B.253: “The driver of a vehicle within an intersection intending to turn to the left shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction which is within the intersection or so close thereto as to constitute an immediate hazard, but such driver, having so yielded and having given a signal when and as required, may make such left turn and the drivers of all other vehicles approaching the intersection from the opposite direction shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle making the left turn.”

Victims of drivers who fail to yield the right-of-way have it in their best interest to speak with an experienced Las Vegas personal injury lawyer. Financial compensation may be available for their medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other related damages by filing a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver.

The skilled Las Vegas intersection accident attorneys at Shook & Stone help injured victims get the compensation they need and rightfully deserve. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Las Vegas car accident, please call our offices right away at 1(877) 910-2220 for a no-cost consultation and comprehensive case assessment.

A man was seriously injured in a fire at the Golden Nugget. According to a news report in The Associated Press, the building fire occurred on the 22nd floor of the Golden Nugget in downtown Las Vegas. Officials say the 22nd floor is one of many that are currently under construction. It is unclear if the victim was a worker or a guest. He was found unconscious and has been listed in critical condition. Numerous people were evacuated from nearby floors and no one else was hurt. Investigators have not ruled out arson as a possible cause of the fire.

According to the report, the fire did not spread more because of the sprinkler system. Not all building fires are so easily contained. Anytime there is a fire in a place of business, it must be determined if the building was constructed to code and if injuries were suffered because of the negligence of the building owner or building management. Investigators must also consider faulty wiring, the negligence of visitors to the building, and even the potential for an arsonist to be involved.

Anyone who is injured in a building fire would be well advised to discuss his or her legal rights and options with an experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorney. Burn injuries and smoke inhalation injuries can cause permanent damage. Victims of these types of injuries may pursue financial compensation for damages including medical bills, lost wages, cost of hospitalization, and pain and suffering.

The knowledgeable premises liability lawyers in Nevada at Shook & Stone have a successful track record of helping victims obtain just compensation for all their injuries, damages, and losses. Please contact us at 1(877) 910-2220 for a free and comprehensive consultation.

One of the most common issues that we encounter handling workers’ compensation claims in Nevada is improper reporting on the C-4 form. (Here is a link to the form: http://dirweb.state.nv.us/forms/c-4.pdf) Mistakes made on the C-4 form at the outset of the claim can cause big headaches for you, the injured worker, that last throughout the claim. However, by following a few short and simple tips, you can easily navigate this potential barrier to fully recover all the benefits you are entitled to under Nevada’s workers’ compensation system.

I will not overstate the obvious: do be sure to complete all the demographic questions: i.e. name, address, birth date, height, weight, etc. Most people get that right and of course whether or not you are male of female will hardly cost you your claim! It’s not until we get down to the important stuff that things can get hairy. Eighth line down is where the important and critical information starts.

• The date of injury – Make sure that this is the exact day you were injured and hopefully the day that you reported your injury to your employer! All too often we see claims denied because a judge does not believe an injury actually occurred because the injured worker blithely put down facts that are later refuted by an aggressive defense attorney.
• Date Employer notified – This is where things get tricky. The rules read that you are to report your injury “as soon as practical, but within seven days after the accident”. So why is it so important if you have seven days to report it? The answer is your burden of proving an injury actually occurred at work, instead of at home, will increase exponentially if you hurt your back at work and then go home with hopes of relief from a heating pad and Advil, just to find that you can’t get out of bed in the morning. The single most important piece of advice we can give…. report it right away! Even if you think you will get better without going to the doctor. You cannot un-ring this bell! No report, no claim. Under Nevada law, a C-1 form (See link here: http://dirweb.state.nv.us/Forms/c-1.pdf “Notice of Injury or Occupational Disease Incident Report” must be filled out and turned in to your employer for all injury and occupational disease claims. If your employer does not have a C-1 form handy or if you cannot print one yourself, write it on a napkin, a scrap of paper, a McDonald’s bag or something else if you must! A wise man once said, “A verbal contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.” This is doubly true for verbal notices to your employer after a work injury.
• Last Day of Work After Injury or Occupational Disease – most likely the day you were injured!
• Supervisor to Whom Injury was Reported – this is your boss. Whomever is in charge of you.
• Address of the Accident – Where were you? This is important. Depending on where you were at the time you got injured, there may be a third party claim for compensation as well.
• What were you doing at the time of the accident AND How did the injury or occupational disease occur? – Be very specific. The devil is in the details here. You’ve got a little box to give big information so spell it out! Omission of facts in this area can cost you your claim. Be sure to specifically identify what caused you to injure yourself. Whether there was a crack on the floor, a wrinkle in the carpet, or you were simply hurrying to complete a work task and tripped, make sure you write it down. An “I don’t know” in this box most likely means your claim will be denied. The key to this section is to specifically identify some risk associated with your employment as the cause of your injury. If you can do that, your claim will most likely be accepted.
• Witnesses to the Accident – List everyone that witnessed the accident. If you are not sure if they witnessed the accident, say you are not sure if they saw it or not, say so and list them out.
• Nature of Injury – i.e. sprain/strain/contusion/bruise/laceration
• Parts of Body Injured or Affected – LIST ALL BODY PARTS that are or may be injured. It is very difficult to add additional body parts after the fact, so if you think it hurts, tingles, itches, or is numb, list it. It is much better to be safe than sorry here.
• Date it, sign it, and list the facility you went to. – Your part is done!

The bottom half of the form is filled out by the doctor. If you are wise, you will review this before you leave the hospital or facility. Many doctors are in a hurry and make mistakes on the form. You didn’t want to be here in the first place, the last thing you want to do is come back, so make sure that the doctor has filled out ALL the boxes.

• Make sure that the doctor lists all the same body parts that you listed.
• Make sure that the doctor connects your injury to your job.
• Make CERTAIN that if the doctor gives you time off from work, that he/she lists the form and two dates.
• If there are restrictions, insure that they are clear and concise.
• If the doctor wants you to follow up, WHEN AND WHERE!
• Last but not least, make sure that the doctor signs the form. The form is not valid unless it is signed.

By following these tips, you will find that you can avoid many common pitfalls for injured workers in Nevada. We have only covered the topic of industrial accidents here. In a later posting we will cover industrial diseases under the Nevada Industrial Insurance Act.

As always, if you are in need of aggressive Las Vegas workers’ compensation attorneys experienced in Nevada law, we provide free consultations and will be happy to answer all of your questions.

An 11-year-old girl was recently killed in a Las Vegas pedestrian accident after she was hit by a school bus while walking at a street intersection. According to a news report in The Las Vegas Sun, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred at the intersection of Ann Road and Pebble Rock Drive. Police say the girl was run over by the school bus that was making a right onto Pebble Rock.

The bus was transporting three students who escaped uninjured. The girl died at the scene. This is the 27th fatal accident in Las Vegas Metro Police’s jurisdiction this year. The young victim is also the fourth juvenile to be killed by a vehicle in the past six months. The accident is still under investigation.

In any fatal Las Vegas pedestrian accident, there are a number of questions that must be asked. Who was at fault for the accident? Did the driver exercise due care and caution? Did the driver fail to yield the right-of-way to the pedestrian? Was the driver intoxicated? Was he or she distracted or inattentive at the time? Was there a dangerous roadway condition that caused the fatal pedestrian accident?

In cases where negligence is involved, families of deceased accident victims can file a wrongful death claim against the at-fault party seeking compensation to cover medical expenses, funeral costs, and other related damages. A wrongful death claim is usually filed by immediate family members of the deceased accident victim.

The experienced Las Vegas wrongful death attorneys at Shook & Stone offer our deepest sympathies to anyone who has lost a loved one in an auto accident. We help victims’ families better understand their legal rights and options after a tragic accident. Please contact us at (877) 910-2220 for a free consultation and comprehensive case assessment.