Hiring a car accident lawyer in Las Vegas, Nevada is critical to your financial recovery after a crash. Without an experienced attorney on your side, the negligent driver who hit you may not be held accountable for the harm that was done, leaving you to foot the bill for your injuries. An attorney can help you calculate your claim, negotiate for a better settlement, and even take your case to trial if needed. That’s why it’s important to contact a Las Vegas car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Do You Need a Las Vegas Car Accident Attorney?
If you were involved in a car accident, you should contact an auto accident lawyer in Las Vegas for a free consultation right away. The sooner you get a lawyer, the better your chances of recovering full compensation. Here are the top benefits of having a lawyer.
Gathering Evidence
Getting a Las Vegas auto accident law firm involved in your case from the start means they can participate in the crash investigation, hire an accident reconstructionist, and speak with eyewitnesses. If you wait too long, important evidence, like video footage of the accident scene, may be destroyed, or witnesses’ memories may fade.
Protecting Your Rights
After your accident, the insurance company will contact you right away. It isn’t uncommon for representatives to contact victims while they’re still in the hospital, before they have the chance to realize the extent of their losses.
Insurance representatives will pretend they’re your friends, and that they’re looking out for your best interests. They’re not. They’ll try to get you to make a statement or admit fault. With an experienced Las Vegas car crash lawyer to guide you, you’re less likely to say or do something that could jeopardize your right to recover compensation from the at-fault driver.
How Your Las Vegas Car Accident Attorney Will Calculate Your Claim
Car accident victims may have three types of damages available to them. Your Las Vegas auto accident attorney will calculate your claim using the following definitions.
Economic Damages
To calculate economic damages, car accident lawyers will add up your medical bills, lost wages, and other financial losses. You can help your attorney determine the value of your economic losses by providing your medical bills, receipts, wage statements, and any other documentation that shows your out-of-pocket expenses.
Non-Economic Damages
Your non-economic damages include non-tangible losses, like pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and emotional trauma. Since these types of losses are not tied to a monetary value, they’re more difficult to calculate. Experienced Las Vegas car accident lawyers can use your economic damages as a basis for determining the value of your non-economic damages.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are not as common. They’re awarded when the at-fault driver was grossly negligent or acted intentionally. Accident claims involving distracted driving, impaired driving, or reckless driving might include punitive damages.
Common Causes of Car Accidents in Las Vegas
Despite stricter traffic laws, increased enforcement and awareness, and predictive technology, crashes that cause bodily injury and fatality are on the rise. Car accident lawyers in Las Vegas see many injuries caused by speeding, distractions, and other factors.
Speeding
Speeding is the leading cause of car accidents in Las Vegas. The faster a car or truck is traveling, the longer it takes to slow down or stop. Additionally, driving faster makes it harder to maneuver around curves. Faster speeds mean higher impacts, which can result in more severe injuries and even death.
Distracted Driving
With so much going on along the Strip, it’s no wonder Las Vegas car accident lawyers see so many accident claims that involve distracted driving. It’s often the culprit in rear-end accidents, T-bone accidents, and head-on collisions, resulting in whiplash injuries, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries.
Drugged or Drunk Driving
Car accident attorneys in Las Vegas are no strangers to car accident cases involving drugged and drunk driving. In fact, drunk driving accidents caused 135 fatalities in Nevada in 2020 alone. Blackburn Wirth Injury Team has handled impaired driving accidents that were caused when negligent drivers hallucinated, fell asleep at the wheel, reacted too slowly, or otherwise drove recklessly.
Fatigued Driving
Las Vegas car accident lawyers also handle countless cases caused by fatigued driving. Falling asleep at the wheel isn’t the only way accidents happen. Drivers who are fatigued often operate vehicles similarly to drivers who are under the influence. Their motor skills, reaction time, and judgment are impaired. Your attorney can help you prove if fatigue contributed to the accident.
Where Do Motor Vehicle Crashes Happen in Nevada?
The majority of Nevada automobile accidents happen in densely-populated areas like Las Vegas, Carson City, and Reno. While they can happen anywhere, auto accident attorneys in Las Vegas are especially familiar with busy intersections like Charleston and Rainbow, or Sahara and Decatur, and congested interstates like I-15 and the 215 Southern Beltway.
What Types of Cases Do Las Vegas Auto Accident Lawyers Handle?
Automobile accidents don’t always involve cars. Here are some of the other common types of personal injury cases an auto accident lawyer in Las Vegas might see.
SUV Rollovers
SUVs are tall and narrow with a high center of gravity. They tend to roll over more frequently when involved in a motor vehicle crash. Because the roof often collapses when the vehicle flips, car accident lawyers in Vegas commonly see serious head injuries, spinal cord injuries, and fatalities in SUV rollovers.
ATV Accidents
When ATVs like scooters, dirt bikes, snowmobiles, and personal watercraft are involved in crashes, injuries can be life-altering. Since a rider’s body has little protection in a crash, accident victims often suffer traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and even death.
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycles offer minimal protection when riders collide with a car, truck, or fixed barrier. Motorcycle accidents often involve head and brain injuries, broken bones, neck and spinal cord injuries, and loss of limbs. Motorcyclists are approximately 26 times more likely to suffer fatal injuries when compared with passenger car occupants.
Truck Accidents
Fully-loaded commercial trucks weigh approximately 80,000 pounds. Due to their size and weight, large trucks are unstable, so they can easily jack knife or swerve at high speeds or in high winds. Trucking accidents are highly likely to cause injuries that are severe or fatal.
What Should You Do After an Auto Accident in Las Vegas?
The actions you take after an auto accident play a vital role in your well-being and your financial recovery. To help your case, Las Vegas car accident lawyers typically recommend you take the following steps.
Check for Injuries
The first thing you should do is to check yourself, your passengers, occupants of the other vehicle(s), and anyone else at the scene for injuries. Call 9-1-1 if necessary and tell the dispatcher where you are, how many people may be injured, and whether the injuries appear to be severe.
Remain at the Scene
Move your vehicle to a safer location to avoid a secondary collision if you need to, but do not leave the scene of the accident. If you leave the scene before the police arrive, or without exchanging information, you could be charged with a crime. If the other driver leaves the scene, your attorney can guide you through what to do after a hit-and-run accident.
Cooperate with the Police
The police will ask you questions about what happened and take a few pictures to include in their police report. While it is important to cooperate with law enforcement, be careful about what you say. Answer their questions if necessary, but don’t offer additional information or say anything that could be interpreted as an apology.
Seek Medical Treatment
If you think you’re injured, allow the paramedics to examine you or transport you to the nearest hospital. Otherwise, see your doctor as soon as possible after the crash. If a healthcare provider doesn’t document your injuries, it will be difficult for a car accident lawyer to prove that the crash caused you harm.
Gather Information and Evidence
If you’re not injured, gather evidence at the accident scene. Get contact information from witnesses and any dash cam footage. Take photos or videos of the crash site, and make sure to capture any property damage, skid marks, and anything else that may help your automobile accident attorney in Las Vegas prove fault.
Contact a Las Vegas Car Accident Lawyer
Contact a Las Vegas car accident lawyer as soon as possible after the crash. Do not talk to the insurance company, make any statements about the accident, or accept a settlement offer without contacting an experienced lawyer.
Why Choose the Las Vegas Auto Accident Law Firm of Blackburn Wirth
Our car crash attorneys in Las Vegas are dedicated to helping injured victims obtain fair compensation to pay for their medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. Our attorneys will answer your questions, address your concerns, and help you file a claim against the other driver.
Blackburn Wirth Injury Team provides our clients with personalized legal services that get results. Our Las Vegas car accident lawyers have obtained several multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts on behalf of accident victims. Contact us at (702) 472-7000 or fill out our online form to get your free case evaluation. You won’t owe us a penny unless we win your case.
FAQs for Car Accident Attorneys in Las Vegas
How Does Comparative Negligence Impact Your Auto Accident Settlement?
Nevada follows a modified comparative negligence rule. Nevada is a 51% bar state, which means you can still file a personal injury claim or lawsuit against the other driver as long as you were less than 51% responsible for causing the car accident. If the courts determine you played a role, your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
Who Can Personal Injury Victims Sue After a Las Vegas Car Accident?
Various sources of recovery may be available in Las Vegas car accident claims. The liability insurance policy maintained by the negligent driver will usually be the primary source of recovery. However, you might have other insurance options, especially if several negligent drivers may share responsibility for your injuries. Or you may be entitled to compensation from a manufacturer of defective vehicle parts. A good car wreck lawyer in Las Vegas can help you get all the compensation you’re entitled to.
How Much Is a Car Accident Claim Worth?
The value of auto accident cases varies depending on several factors, like the severity of your injuries, your role in causing the accident, and the sources of recovery that are available. For instance, if the car accident caused you to suffer a traumatic brain injury or another permanent disability, you will most likely recover more than an accident victim who suffered a broken ankle that is anticipated to heal completely.
When you work with a Las Vegas car crash attorney, they’ll calculate your claim based on your medical bills, statements from your doctors, your treatment plan and prognosis, and your medical records. They’ll negotiate with the insurance company or take your case to trial to get you the compensation you deserve.
