A serious car accident can cause injuries, financial stress, and disruption to your life. You might have injuries that require months of medical treatment and that prevent you from working. You might be struggling financially if you are missing paychecks because of your injuries. The psychological toll of a traumatic accident can last long after you have recovered physically from your injuries.
At Sam & Ash Injury Law, we know how devastating a severe injury accident can be. We want to help you put your life back together. Our Paradise, NV, car accident attorneys have more than 20 years of experience helping crash victims rebuild their lives. Having a former insurance company defense attorney on our team has helped us recover more than $400 million in compensation for our clients.
If you hire our car accident lawyers, we will stand with you, no matter how long it takes. We want What’s Right for you.
Contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced Paradise, Nevada car accident lawyer.
What Are a Driver’s Legal Duties?
Nevada law requires all drivers involved in a car accident to take specific steps. Here are your responsibilities:
- Stop at the scene of the accident — You could be charged with hit-and-run if you don’t stop at the scene.
- Alert the authorities — The law requires you to report the accident to the police if anyone has been injured or if there appears to be more than $750 in property damage. It can sometimes be difficult to judge if anyone has been injured or how much property damage has occurred. The police who respond will produce a report documenting the accident and who was involved.
- Assist anyone injured in the accident — You are required by law to provide medical assistance to anyone injured in the crash if you can do so. Call 911 and request an ambulance for each person who needs emergency treatment.
- Exchange information with the other drivers — Nevada law requires you to exchange contact and insurance information with any driver involved in the crash. Be sure to get the other driver’s name, address, driver’s license number, and insurance information.
- Move vehicles — If the accident is just a fender bender and no one is injured, you should move the damaged vehicles to the road shoulder so they do not block traffic if the vehicles can be moved safely. This measure is to help prevent further accidents while you are waiting for police and emergency medical personnel to arrive.
- Make an accident report to the DMV — As a general rule, police will file an accident report once they have finished their accident investigation. If law enforcement does not respond to the accident, you should file a report yourself within ten days of the accident if there were any deaths or injuries or if there was more than $750 in property damage.
Car Accident Statistics in Nevada
Here are recent accident statistics from the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety:
- 304 people died and another 1,014 people sustained severe injuries in car accidents in Nevada in a recent year
- Clark County, which includes Paradise, is by far the most common location for fatal crashes in Nevada
- Two-thirds of all deadly motor vehicle accidents in Nevada from 2015 to 2019 occurred in Clark County
- Roughly 43 percent of all Nevada traffic deaths are due to impaired driving
- Speeding-related accidents account for a third of all traffic deaths in Nevada
- Pedestrians account for one fourth of all traffic fatalities in Nevada
- 62 pedestrians died in car accidents in 2019
- Seat belts often play a crucial role in whether a person survives a crash. About 22 percent of those killed in traffic accidents were not wearing a seat belt or other restraining device
Causes of Car Accidents in Paradise, NV
Some of the most common causes of car accidents in Paradise, NV, include:
- Impaired driving — Drivers who get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or drugs put everyone on the road in danger. Impaired drivers have slower reaction times, altered perception of road hazards, a higher risk of aggressive driving behavior, and an increased chance of falling asleep behind the wheel. All these factors make an impaired driver more likely to cause a car accident. Drunk drivers should be held financially accountable when they cause harm to others.
- Distracted driving — Distracted driving can be as dangerous as driving while impaired. If a driver is talking on the phone, texting, eating, grooming, or distracted in some other way, the driver is paying full attention to the task of driving. This makes an accident more likely.
- Driver fatigue — Extreme fatigue produces many of the same effects in drivers as driving while impaired. Fatigue causes dulled reflexes, impaired judgment, and a higher chance of passing out while driving.
- Speeding/aggressive driving — Speed is a contributing factor in many crashes. Drivers who speed or exceed a safe speed for the road conditions have less time to recognize an accident situation and react to avoid it. Vehicles traveling at higher speeds require more time to stop. Other aggressive driving behaviors such as tailgating, running traffic lights, and abrupt lane changes also make accidents more likely.
- Failing to yield the right-of-way — Drivers who ignore traffic control devices like stop signs, traffic lights, and yield signs are at increased risk of colliding with other vehicles that have the right of way to proceed.
- Mechanical failure — If a defective part in a car fails, there may be nothing a driver can do to avoid an accident. The company responsible for manufacturing the defective part may be liable for the accident that caused your injuries.
- Low visibility — Driving at night or in certain poor weather conditions can make it difficult to see what is happening around you. Drivers should take extra care in low-visibility situations.
- Bad weather — Paradise has a dry climate and averages only about 5 inches of rain a year. An occasional downpour, when it occurs, can make roads slick and affect visibility and braking, creating conditions for an accident.
Common Injuries in Car Accidents
A car accident can cause severe injuries. Some of the most common injuries drivers and passengers might suffer include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- External injuries to the head and face
- Neck injuries, such as whiplash
- Back and spinal cord injuries, including paralysis
- Internal organ injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Broken bones
- Injuries to muscles, joints, and connective tissues
- Burns
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Psychological trauma and emotional distress
- Wrongful death
Filing a Car Accident Claim
If a negligent driver injured you in a Paradise car accident, you may have the right to hold the at-fault driver accountable and demand compensation for your medical bills and other expenses related to the accident.
The process typically starts with filing a claim against the at-fault driver’s auto insurance. An experienced Paradise personal injury attorney at Sam & Ash Injury Law can help you gather evidence of your injuries and proof of the other driver’s negligence to support the accident claim. We know the types of evidence to seek to build a persuasive case.
After the claim is filed, our attorneys will represent you in settlement negotiations with the insurance company. If the insurance company declines to agree to a reasonable settlement, a car accident attorney at Sam & Ash Injury Law will be prepared to file a personal injury lawsuit and take your case to court.
Our commitment is to do What’s Right for you.
Damages You Can Recover from a Car Accident Claim
A car accident affects your life in many ways. Nevada civil law gives you the right to seek compensation for various kinds of expenses and losses related to the collision. You can seek compensation for:
- Medical bills and related expenses, such as the cost of transportation
- Future medical bills related to the treatment of your injuries
- Lost wages and your diminished earning capacity due to your injuries
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress resulting from the accident
- Any damaged personal property
Statute of Limitations for Nevada Car Accidents
For most car accident cases, you have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. Without the threat of a lawsuit, you have no way to compel the other driver’s insurance company to pay your claim.
An experienced injury attorney will keep track of the applicable statute of limitations in your case and protect your right to file a lawsuit.
Contact an Experienced Paradise, NV, Car Accident Attorney
Our Paradise, NV, car accident attorneys want to help you take on the insurance companies and pursue fair compensation for your injuries. You deserve What’s Right. Contact Sam & Ash Injury Law today for a free consultation with a Nevada car accident lawyer.
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