Las Vegas Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

Las Vegas may be a fun place to vacation and an ideal place to live as it pertains to mild winters and plenty of entertainment options at your fingertips, but for those who attempt to navigate Las Vegas’ streets by foot, the endeavor can be dangerous. If you’ve been involved in a pedestrian accident in Las Vegas, you need a skilled and aggressive pedestrian attorney on your side. At the law offices of Henness & Haight, our Las Vegas pedestrian accident attorneys are ready to advocate for you.

The Dangers of Being a Pedestrian in Las Vegas

Every year, there are dozens of pedestrians who are killed or injured in crashes in the city and surrounding areas. To be sure, in a single year, there were more than five dozens reported pedestrian fatalities in Las Vegas, a number that does not include the number of serious injury crashes involving pedestrians. Officials report that actions like speeding, driver inattention, and alcohol impairment have all contributed to an uptick in the number of pedestrian crashes.

Top Causes of Pedestrian Accidents

In Las Vegas, where pedestrians are abundant–most people choose to see the city’s many sights on foot–the risk of pedestrian accident increases. However, while statistically speaking, a greater number of pedestrians may mean a greater number of pedestrian accidents, pedestrian accidents are not inevitable. Instead, they are usually the result of driver negligence and error. Acts of driver fault that can cause pedestrian crashes include:

• Driving while intoxicated or impaired;
• Failing to yield;
• Speeding;
• Running stop signs and traffic lights;
• Distracted driving; and
• Otherwise operating a motor vehicle in an unsafe, aggressive, and negligent manner.

Of course, driver’s aren’t always to blame for pedestrian accidents; there are situations in which a pedestrian is required to yield the right-of-way to a driver. This is important to know, especially if you are pursuing a pedestrian accident claim as an injured pedestrian. Situations where a pedestrian may be at fault for a collision include:

• Pedestrian enters the path of a vehicle suddenly and unexpectedly;
• Pedestrian is walking in the street when a sidewalk is available;
• Pedestrian crosses at an intersection diagonally;
• Pedestrian proceeds into an intersection when a signal reads, “Don’t walk,” or
• Pedestrian crosses at an unmarked crosswalk when a crosswalk is available.

Damages Resulting from a Pedestrian Accident

Regardless of who’s at fault for a crash, when a pedestrian accident occurs, the pedestrian involved almost always suffers serious injuries, and the reason why is clear: pedestrians have zero protections to prevent against the force that a 4,000 pound (or more) vehicle brings. Common pedestrian injuries (when the accident is not fatal) include:

• Traumatic brain injuries;
• Spinal cord injuries;
• Internal injuries;
• Bone fracture injuries;
• Limb crush and amputation injuries;
• Back and neck injuries; and
• Soft tissue injuries.

Injuries may be serious enough to land the pedestrian in critical condition, and could result in long-term or even permanent disability. Sadly, the mere incident of suffering an injury is not the only thing that a pedestrian has to deal with, though. In addition the physical pain and suffering that will inevitably result from an injury, as well as the high medical bills, the injured person may also:

• Be unable to return to work and earn an income, which could have financial and psychological ramifications;
• Be unable to care for oneself;
• Be unable to do the things that they once loved;
• Be unable to maintain emotional or physical intimate relationships; and
• Suffer a decreased quality of life as a direct result of the accident and injuries.

An Injured Pedestrian Deserves to Be Compensated

If you have been harmed in a pedestrian crash or are representing a family member who has been seriously injured in a pedestrian accident, it’s important that you understand your rights to recovery. If you were not at fault for the accident, you maintain the right to file a claim directly against the at-fault driver’s insurance or file a lawsuit directly against the at-fault driver. As part of this suit, you will have to prove that the driver breached the duty of care owed to you (i.e. acted negligently via an act of speeding, drinking while driving, distracted driving, etc.) and that this breach was the proximate cause of your harm. You will also have to prove the full extent of damages that you have suffered.

Most claims are settled by insurance companies. In Nevada, drivers are required to carry at least $25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person and $50,000 per accident.

If you can prove that the driver was to blame for your accident, you can seek compensation for the full value of harm you’ve suffered, including all of your economic and noneconomic losses. However, note that if you contributed to your accident in any way (i.e. you are found partially to blame for the crash because, even though the driver who hit you was intoxicated, you were crossing at an unmarked crosswalk), your recoverable damages award can be reduced in proportion to your degree of fault. What’s more, if you are found to be more than 50 percent at fault for the accident, you can be barred from recovery entirely.

How Our Las Vegas Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Can Help

At the law firm of Henness & Haight, we realize that there are few things more traumatic in life than being the victim of a pedestrian accident, especially one that leaves you with life-changing injuries. When you call our Las Vegas pedestrian accident lawyers, we will work hard to make sure that you recover the settlement you deserve. We investigate cases, hire experts, build claims, prove fault, and aggressively negotiate on our clients’ behalf. We have a strong reputation of success and the case results to back up our name.

To learn more about how we can serve you and your rights after a Las Vegas pedestrian crash, please call our law firm or send us a message. We offer consultations free of charge.