Car Accidents
If you’ve been injured by the wrongdoing of someone else, you may be entitled to payment for your medical expenses, the pain you had to go through, and the time you missed from work.
Car accidents are one of the leading causes of injuries and death in the country. They can change everything in just one moment and you’re faced with immediate consequences: insurance claims, paperwork, stress, potentially serious injuries, and more.
While insurance plays a part in easing the damages that result from car accidents, insurance companies often make problems worse by unreasonably limiting or denying coverage. Working with an experienced car accident attorney in Las Vegas gives you a higher chance of recovering financial compensation from insurance companies and liable parties.
Types of Car Accidents
No matter what type of car accident you have been involved in, we are ready to help you obtain the compensation you deserve. Some of the typical car accident cases we work on are as follows:
- Head-On Collisions: When another car crashes into you head-on, your injuries can be severe or even fatal. This is especially true if the crash happened at a high rate of speed.
- Rear-End Collisions: These accidents are when a driver crashes into the back of the vehicle in front of them. Rear-end crashes typically occur at stop signs, parking lots, and stop lights.
- T-Bone Collisions: These stem from the front of one vehicle crashing into the side of another vehicle.
- Sideswipe Collisions: These refer to crashes that occur when one driver merges into another driver’s lane and causes a collision.
- Intersection Collisions: These often occur as a result of drivers running red lights, failing to yield, or making illegal turns.
- Left-Turn Accidents: These happen when a driver attempts to make a left turn across oncoming traffic without making sure the road is clear.
- Back-Up Accidents: These accidents most often happen while backing out of driveways or parking spots and can involve another vehicle or a pedestrian.
Common Causes of Car Accidents
Most car accidents occur when you’re struck by another vehicle on the road. However, even if someone never actually touched your vehicle, he or she could be at fault for a car accident. Someone could pull out in front of you or swerve into your lane, causing you to take evasive maneuvers that cause you to hit something else or force you off the road. Other factors that lead to car accidents are listed below.
Distracted Driving
It’s not uncommon for drivers to engage in activities while behind the wheel. Dealing with pets or children, drinking or eating, talking to passengers, trying to use navigation apps, and using a cell phone are all activities that can cause a driver to be distracted. One of the leading causes of car accidents in the United States, distracted driving is one way to establish negligence in a car crash case. This is because drivers of motor vehicles have a duty to keep their eyes on the road at all times.
Driving Under the Influence
Driving under the influence or while intoxicated can pose a serious threat to other people on the road, whether it’s from alcohol or drugs. When intoxicated, drivers have shorter attention spans, slower reaction time, and difficulty focusing behind the wheel. They could fall asleep, hallucinate, drive in a reckless manner, or lose control of their vehicle. If an intoxicated driver has injured you, contact a Las Vegas car accident lawyer to help you build your claim for compensation.
Speeding
Drivers sometimes can’t stop in time to avoid a collision when they’re driving too fast for road conditions. Due to insufficient time and room to stop, speeding drivers could collide into other vehicles, often causing rear-end collisions and serious injuries. In Nevada, a driver has a duty to reduce the speed of their vehicle to avoid a collision with other vehicles and pedestrians according to Nevada Revised Statute 484B.603.
Reckless Driving
Reckless driving can include street racing, disobeying traffic lights or signs, not using a turn signal, swerving, speeding, or operating a vehicle in any other dangerous manner. Reckless drivers put other drivers and passengers at risk due to not abiding by the basic rules of the road.
Drowsy Driving
Drowsy driving is a cause of motor vehicle accidents. This is because, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, drowsiness makes you less able to pay attention to the road, affects your ability to make good decisions, and slows your reaction time. Drowsy driving accidents frequently involve commercial truck drivers, as such drivers often drive for long periods of time without getting adequate sleep.
What To Do After a Car Accident
1. Do Not Drive Away: No matter how small the car accident, do NOT drive away. You are required by law to stop. Not doing so could lead to legal consequences.
2. Take Photographs/Video: If the other driver attempts to drive away, take pictures of their driver’s license, automobile insurance card, and vehicle registration. If you are unable to get photographs of these things, then try to take pictures of at least their license plate and vehicle make and model. You should then stay at the scene of the crash and report this information to the police.
3. Get To Safety: If your vehicle is in an unsafe position after the crash, you should move it to a safer location. The last thing you want is to get hit by another vehicle. To the extent it’s safe to do so, you should photograph your vehicle and the scene of the accident before moving your vehicle.
4. Check For Injuries: Take a deep breath and try to remain calm as you scan your body for injuries. You should report these injuries to paramedics if they arrive. It’s important to note that sometimes it takes hours or even days for pain to set in. Therefore, just because you don’t feel pain immediately after a crash does not necessarily mean that you’re not injured.
Types of Car Accident Injuries
- Whiplash and other neck injuries
- Face, jaw, and dental injuries
- Back and spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Internal bleeding or damage to organs
- Fractured or broken bones
- Lacerations
- Amputation
- Burns and crush injuries
5. Call The Police: Even if nobody is injured, it’s typically in your best interest to call the police. Information gathered by the police can play a critical role in insurance claims and potential legal action following the accident.
6. Gather Evidence: Gather as much evidence and information as possible. This means taking photographs or video of the scene of the accident, the damage to all vehicles involved, any obstacles or debris in the road, skid marks, traffic signals, and traffic signs. If there are any witnesses to the car accident, try to get their contact information.
7. Seek Medical Attention: Even if you feel like you are not injured, it’s still a good idea to get medical treatment. It’s quite possible that you may have sustained injuries that you do not know about.
8. Contact a Las Vegas Car Accident Lawyer: Consult a car accident attorney as soon as possible after your accident. An attorney can communicate with the insurance companies for you, help you get medical treatment, and seek to get you the compensation you deserve.
What Not to Do After a Car Accident
- Do not make any statements concerning fault, blame, or liability for the accident. These statements could limit your ability to seek legal action later.
- Do not say things like “I’m not hurt” or “I’m okay.” You may not know the extent of your injuries until examined by a doctor.
- Do not insult the other parties involved in the car accident.
- Do not speak to any insurance company. They are trained to ask you tricky questions to try to blame you for the crash or downplay your damages. Instead, hire a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to communicate with the insurance companies for you.
- Do not post any photos or videos on social media. Your social media posts can affect your personal injury claim.
- Be wary of signing any documents, and do not sign anything without reading it carefully and consulting with a car accident attorney.
Compensation For Car Accident Victims
Property Damage: A car accident victim is entitled to have their vehicle and personal property repaired or replaced by the at-fault driver’s insurance.
Medical Bills: Any medical bills you incur for treatment of injuries caused by the accident may be compensated. This includes, but is not limited to, hospital bills, chiropractic bills, physical therapy bills, pain management bills, and surgery bills.
Lost Wages: Injuries sustained from a car accident can cause you to miss work or even result in loss of employment. An experienced personal injury attorney can seek to get you compensated for your lost wages.
Pain and Suffering: The impact a car accident has on a victim’s mental state can also be compensated. This includes, but is not limited to, anxiety, stress, depression, and loss of enjoyment of life that was caused by the car accident.
Nevada Car Accident Claims
Nevada is an at-fault state, meaning that drivers or other parties at fault are responsible for any damages or injuries that occur as a result of their actions. To receive compensation for damages in a car accident, fault must be proven.
Since Nevada recognizes comparative negligence, it’s possible to receive compensation even if you are partially to blame for the accident. You may not, however, recover if you are found to be 51% or more at fault. To the extent you are 50% or less at fault, your award is adjusted based on the percentage of fault assigned to each party involved. This makes it essential to have a knowledgeable car accident lawyer on your side.
Hire a Las Vegas Car Accident Lawyer Today
A car accident can be a traumatic experience and have potentially life-altering results. An experienced car accident lawyer can help you get back on your feet and fight to get you the compensation you deserve. Roebuck Law Firm has years of experience in dealing with car accidents and will provide you with the best legal representation possible. Contact us today for a free initial consultation.