In 2018, 42 million people visited Las Vegas, most likely with a few goals in mind: to gamble, to drink, and to be safe while doing so. However, that last goal isn’t always achieved. With the potential for over-drinking and staying out well past midnight, slip and fall cases, criminal activity, and other serious accidents and injuries are bound to occur.
If your fun-packed vacation has unfortunately resulted in injury, you don’t have to feel alone. In fact, with a personal injury lawyer, you have extensive wisdom and experience on your side. If you’ve been injured in a hotel or casino in Las Vegas, it’s important to know how local laws impact your ability to receive fair compensation for your claim.
Common Casino and Hotel Accidents and Injuries
All public properties need to be safe for their patrons, including Las Vegas hotels and casinos. If not, property owners can be held responsible for any injuries that occur due to negligence. Unsafe buildings, unsanitary kitchen conditions, and more can cause some of these common injuries:
- Falls: Slip and fall or trip and fall injuries due to unsafe conditions of stairs, elevators, and escalators. These injuries can also occur in parking lots, swimming pool areas, restaurants, and hotel rooms. Falls are the most common personal injury claims among Las Vegas visitors.
- Food poisoning: With so many restaurants and hotels with room service, food poisoning is not unheard of in Las Vegas. Patrons can develop food poisoning if they consume food that was prepared in unsanitary conditions, undercooked, or left out for a long period of time.
- Shuttle bus injuries: Many hotels and casinos offer shuttle services around Las Vegas. These can be very helpful when it comes to preventing drunk driving and congestion around the city, but shuttles have the potential for injury, due to unsafe driving and other issues. There’s even the possibility of overhead luggage falling on and injuring passengers.
- Rental car accidents: Many Las Vegas visitors rent vehicles when they arrive to their destinations. If you are involved in a rental car accident, it can be difficult to understand insurance coverage—do you turn to your own personal auto insurance company, or the rental car’s insurance program? What if the rental car insurance policy does not adequately cover damages? Make sure you turn to a personal injury lawyer who has a specialized knowledge in auto accidents and the rental car industry.
- Criminal activity: While Las Vegas is a safe place to relax and have some fun, inadequate hotel and casino security can often lead to theft, assault, and other criminal actions. Hotels and casinos should be on the lookout for people illegally on their property, and if they aren’t taking effective steps to prevent crime, they could be liable for resulting injury or theft.
Accidents and Injuries Resulting From Casino and Hotel Negligence
Considering Las Vegas is known for high rollers, one would think that casinos and hotels would be equipped with stringent security and safety—and they usually are, but negligence can lead to some seriously unsafe conditions for patrons:
- Slippery floors due to plumbing leaks or spills
- Poorly maintained furniture, stairs, escalators, and elevators
- Lack of security equipment or personnel
- Over-serving alcoholic beverages
- Unsafe lighting in buildings and parking garages
When Are Casinos Liable for Accidents or Injuries?
The duty of ordinary care requires that property owners or managers keep guests safe by maintaining a reasonably safe and hazard-free property. If a hotel or casino owner has known about a property hazard but has not done anything to fix it—or has not taken steps to warn patrons of the hazard—they are liable for any resulting injuries.
Under premises liability laws, property owners are responsible for any injuries that happen to guests because of negligence. However, premises liability claims are valid only if it can be proven that the property owner knew about the dangerous conditions of their hotel and/or casino prior to the accident or injury.
At Shook & Stone, we have seen personal injury claims about injuries resulting from some of the following hazardous conditions at Las Vegas hotels and casinos:
- Floor defects, including potholes and cracks that are not marked
- Food or liquid spills that have not been cleaned up
- Maintenance or construction areas that are not sufficiently marked
- Defects in a building’s structure
How to Build a Strong Personal Injury Claim
If you were injured in a hotel or casino in Las Vegas, you may get upfront offers from the property owner, such as free meals or hotel rooms. While these can be tempting in the moment, it’s important not to immediately accept these offers, especially if medical visits are in your future. Before accepting anything from a casino or hotel, speak to an experienced personal injury lawyer and look into filing a personal injury claim.
When it comes to a personal injury claim, time is of the essence. Don’t wait weeks or months to report your injury claim—get started as soon as possible to ensure all evidence is preserved and your case is as solid as possible. This is especially important if you believe you got food poisoning.
You may not even need to travel to a law office to learn about filing a personal injury claim. In most cases, you will be able to speak directly with a personal injury attorney, who will ask you detailed questions about your injuries and what caused them. From here, you’ll know if you should move forward with a personal injury claim.
How to Start Your Personal Injury Claim
If you or someone you know was injured at a hotel or casino in Las Vegas, Shook & Stone is here to assist you in filing a personal injury claim, taking legal action, and receiving the compensation you deserve for your injuries. With years of experience in the Las Vegas area, our firm has the essential know-how to build a strong case.
Contact Shook & Stone today or call us at 702-570-0000 for a free initial consultation and to learn how our attorneys can help you with your case.
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