When you or someone you love suffers a brain injury in Las Vegas, your whole world can change in an instant. Whether you’re a local resident or one of the millions of visitors who come to our city each year, a brain injury can leave you facing overwhelming medical bills, unable to work, and struggling with day-to-day activities. This is when many people seek out a Las Vegas brain injury lawyer.
What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is damage to the brain caused by an external physical force. TBIs happen when your head violently hits an object or when an object pierces your skull. Common examples that traumatic brain injury lawyers in Las Vegas, NV and elsewhere often see include skull fractures from falls and brain damage from being struck by objects.
TBIs differ from nontraumatic brain injuries, which are caused by internal factors like lack of oxygen, toxins, or disease. For example, a stroke or brain tumor would be considered nontraumatic, while getting hit in the head would be traumatic. Both types of injuries may result from someone else’s negligence, whether it’s a driver who caused an accident or a doctor who missed critical symptoms.
Common Causes of Brain Injuries
Las Vegas brain injury attorneys are familiar with the city’s unique risks, like busy streets, construction projects, and 24/7 atmosphere. The mix of tourists unfamiliar with the area and locals going about their daily lives creates situations where accidents can happen in the blink of an eye.
Falls
Slips and falls are a leading cause of brain injuries in Las Vegas. Wet floors from spilled drinks create dangerous conditions, while hotel balconies and pools present fall hazards. Even a seemingly minor fall can cause your brain to collide with the inside of your skull, leading to bleeding, swelling, and tissue damage.
Car Accidents
With millions of visitors driving on unfamiliar roads and locals commuting on busy highways, car accidents happen often. During a crash, your brain can slam against your skull even if you don’t hit your head on anything, and TBIs are common.
Motorcycle Accidents
Whether on the wide, open roads around the city or the busy Strip, drivers often don’t see motorcycles until it’s too late. Motorcycle accidents can cause more severe brain injuries than car crashes because riders are less protected. Even with a helmet (which Nevada law requires), the forces involved can cause brain trauma.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Accidents
When a car hits someone walking or biking, there’s nothing between the person’s head and the vehicle, road, or other objects. Pedestrian accidents can be especially severe because, unlike cyclists who might wear helmets, pedestrians have no head protection at all. The impact can cause skull fractures, brain bleeding, and severe tissue damage.
Construction Accidents
Construction sites are everywhere in Las Vegas—and they pose brain injury risks from falling objects, swinging equipment like cranes and backhoes, explosives used for demolition, and falls from scaffolding or unfinished structures. These accidents affect both workers (in which case you’ll also need a workers’ comp lawyer) and pedestrians walking near construction sites.
Assault
Like any major city, Las Vegas does have some violent crime. Bar fights, robberies, and other attacks can result in serious brain injuries from punches, kicks, or weapons. What many victims don’t realize is that you may be able to hold property owners liable for negligence. For example, if a casino or hotel failed to provide adequate security, you might have a premises liability case.
Medical Malpractice
Brain injuries can also result from medical malpractice. Birth injuries are a common example: If doctors delay a necessary C-section or fail to correct a wrapped umbilical cord, the oxygen deprivation can cause permanent brain damage. Other examples include missed stroke diagnoses, medication errors, or anesthesia mistakes during surgery.
How Brain Injuries Affect Your Life
Brain injury lawyers in Las Vegas see how these incidents affect every aspect of your life, from your ability to work to your relationships with loved ones. These effects also factor into the compensation you may receive in a legal case.
Financial Stress
The financial impact of a brain injury can be overwhelming. In addition to hospital bills, you might need ongoing rehabilitation, home modifications, specialized equipment, and long-term care. You also may not be able to return to your previous job, especially if it required a lot of concentration, physical coordination, or cognitive skills. A Las Vegas brain injury lawyer can help you determine your lost wages and lost earning capacity.
Headaches, Dizziness, and Fatigue
Physical symptoms like chronic headaches, dizziness, and extreme fatigue can persist for months or years after a brain injury. These aren’t just minor inconveniences—they can make it difficult to maintain a normal schedule or enjoy activities you once loved. The bright lights of Las Vegas can be particularly challenging for brain injury survivors dealing with these symptoms.
Impaired Memory and Concentration
Many TBI survivors struggle with memory problems and difficulty concentrating. You might forget appointments, lose track of conversations, or have trouble following directions. Even managing your medical care and legal case becomes harder when you’re dealing with memory issues, making it all the more important to have a good Las Vegas traumatic brain injury lawyer.
Difficulty Speaking
Brain injuries can affect your ability to speak clearly, find the right words, or understand what others are saying. This condition, called aphasia, ranges from mild to severe and can dramatically impact your social life and employment options, especially in a city like Las Vegas where many jobs involve customer service and communication.
Decreased Motor Skills
Physical coordination and motor skills often suffer after a brain injury. You might experience weakness, tremors, balance problems, or difficulty with fine motor tasks like buttoning a shirt or typing. These physical limitations can make independent living challenging and often require extensive physical therapy.
Emotional Issues
Perhaps the most misunderstood consequences of brain injuries are the emotional effects. You might experience irritability, depression, anxiety, or dramatic mood swings. Some survivors develop impulsivity issues or personality changes that strain relationships with loved ones and lead to isolation. This is when you’ll want an experienced Las Vegas traumatic brain injury attorney to help you calculate pain and suffering.
Important Steps to Take After a Brain Injury in Las Vegas
Taking the right actions after a brain injury can protect both your health and your legal rights. Any Las Vegas brain injury lawyer will tell you to do the following
- Call 911 immediately. Getting emergency medical care creates an official record linking your injury to the accident and ensures you receive proper evaluation for hidden damage.
- Continue seeking medical treatment. Keep your follow-up appointments, take prescribed medications, follow all doctors’ orders, and attend rehabilitation sessions. Gaps in treatment can hurt your case by suggesting your injuries aren’t serious.
- Document everything. Keep all medical records, receipts for expenses, correspondence with insurance companies, and a journal of your symptoms and how they affect your daily life. Take photos of your injuries and the accident scene if possible.
- Don’t post on social media. Insurance companies often monitor social media accounts looking for posts they can use against you. Even photos of you smiling at a family gathering could be twisted to suggest you’re not as injured as you claim.
- Contact a brain injury attorney in Las Vegas. Most brain injury law firms offer free case evaluations, plus, they don’t get paid unless you win your case. You have nothing to lose by contacting an attorney as soon as possible.
Contact an Experienced Las Vegas Brain Injury Lawyer
Dealing with a brain injury is hard enough without trying to navigate complex legal issues on your own. At Blackburn Wirth, our expert Las Vegas brain injury lawyers understand the unique challenges these cases present, from proving “invisible” injuries that don’t show up on standard X-rays to calculating compensation for cognitive and emotional damages.
We will be your advocate during this difficult time, helping you:
- Prove the full extent of your injuries, even when there’s no obvious physical damage
- Connect with the right medical specialists who understand TBIs and can provide expert testimony
- Identify all potentially responsible parties (which might include property owners, employers, product manufacturers, and others beyond the obvious)
- Gather evidence from traffic cameras, eyewitnesses, accident reconstruction experts, and medical professionals
- Calculate the true lifetime cost of your injury, including future medical needs and lost earning potential
- Negotiate with insurance companies from a position of strength
- Take your case to trial if a fair settlement can’t be reached
Most importantly, hiring our team gives you the space to focus on what matters most: Your recovery and adjusting to life after a brain injury. Contact us today to get started: Call 702-464-5000 or fill out the form online for a free consultation!
Common Questions for Brain Injury Lawyers in Las Vegas, NV
How is liability determined in Nevada brain injury cases?
Nevada uses a modified comparative negligence system where you can recover damages if you’re less than 50% at fault. Your compensation gets reduced by your percentage of fault. A good Las Vegas brain injury attorney will gather evidence to minimize your assigned responsibility.
How long do I have to file a brain injury claim in Nevada?
In Nevada, you generally have two years from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit. Some exceptions might extend this timeframe, such as if the injury wasn’t discovered right away or if the victim is a minor. Don’t delay consulting with a Las Vegas brain injury lawyer, as missing this deadline usually means losing your right to compensation.
How much is my brain injury case worth?
The value depends on factors like injury severity, your age and occupation, and specific impacts on your life. Cases range from tens of thousands for mild concussions to millions for severe TBIs causing permanent disability. Your compensation typically includes medical expenses, lost income, reduced earning capacity, and pain and suffering. Nevada doesn’t cap non-economic damages in most personal injury cases.
What if I can’t afford a Las Vegas traumatic brain injury attorney?
Most brain injury lawyers work on contingency, meaning you pay nothing upfront. The attorney receives a percentage only if they win your case. Initial consultations are usually free, and many attorneys advance litigation costs, recovering these expenses only if your case succeeds.
