Las Vegas Injury & Accident Attorney Blog

Tasers are becoming a part of our popular culture — look no further than examples like the hit film “The Hangover” or the Internet phenomenon of “Don’t taze me, Bro.” Yet even as we celebrate the power and omnipresence of these pocket armies, the use of Tasers by police forces such as the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department are raising a number of questions about the safety of the devices.

According to one human rights organization, in 2008 the Las Vegas police lead the nation in civilian deaths attributable to the use of Tasers (or “stun guns”) in subduing suspects. Law enforcement across the country tries to balance its priorities against charges of police brutality. Taser, an Arizona company, claims that its devices strike an ideal balance for law enforcement by equipping police officers with a nonlethal, debilitating deterrent. But the devices, which use electricity to cause muscular seizure, can deal upwards of 50,000 volts to a target and are under increasing scrutiny by safety regulators. Several Las Vegas police officers sued the Taser company after sustaining injuries during a training session using the device. One female officer fell on her face after being subjected to the device, resulting in chronic localized pain and back issues; a Taser jolt directed at the head, neck, or back can potentially cause serious brain damage and enduring neurological issues.

If trainees in using the devices have been injured, it is no surprise that civilians subjected to Tasers have also become victims. Only days ago, a Clark County man who was trying to straighten out his life after repeated stints in jail died after being Tasered “several times” by police officers trying to detain him. In another Southern Nevada case, a doctor died after he was shocked five times by a Nevada Highway Patrol officer wielding a Taser. His surviving family members are suing for emotional damages and Nevada wrongful death.

Nevada lawmakers have plenty on their plates as the new legislative session kicks off, so there is no knowing whether or not they will tackle the issue of Tasers and appropriate use of force by Nevada police officers. (Another Las Vegas [in New Mexico] banned the use of Tasers by its police force; LVMD has made no such overtures yet.) If you or a loved one have suffered a Taser or other Nevada electrocution injury, contact us today for a free consultation and experienced legal help.

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We have given coverage in the past to the issue of pit bull violence in Southern Nevada. As we have acknowledged, pit bulls may suffer from a P.R. problem that results in disproportionate coverage in the media of the violent outbursts of individual animals. Nonetheless, the frequency with which these incidents are reported indicates that they are a breed that is at least potentially violent, and victims of Las Vegas pit bull attacks need to know where they can turn for help.

The latest story is about an animal control worker who was injured while investigating a complaint about pit bulls in a residential area. A neighbor called the Animal Control office of the City of Las Vegas to report that three adult pit bulls had entered her yard from an adjacent home and seemed to be killing another animal, possibly the woman’s cat. When a female employee of Animal Control arrived at the home, the was attacked by the pack of dogs and fled. She suffered several bites that bled heavily, but her wounds are not considered life-threatening.

Animal Control agents returned to the scene and seized the three adult pit bulls as well as nine puppies. City of Las Vegas code permits no more than three animals without a breeder permit. The City has not yet decided whether or not it will pursue criminal action against the dogs’ owners.

Thankfully, this woman was able to escape more serious injury. This is likely due, at least in part, to her extensive training in dealing with hostile animals. Most of us lack this training and are at risk for more grave outcomes. If you or a loved one have been bitten or mauled by an aggressive dog, irrespective of the breed, please contact our experienced Clark County animal bite attorneys for a free consultation.

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Former casino employees take note: man who worked for the Tropicana Casino for 25 years recently received a $4.5 million settlement from his ex-employer due to lung cancer which he alleges was caused by consistent exposure to secondhand smoke. The case illustrates an unusual instance of casino liability.

The man — who was actually employed at the Atlantic City location of the Tropicana rather than the one in downtown Las Vegas — claims that he began the suit several years ago to raise awareness of the hazards posed to employees in workplaces where smoking is permitted. In 2006 Nevada voters passed an indoor smoking ban outlawing smoking inside airports, restaurants, bars, and various other establishments. Exceptions were made for casino gaming floors, and a subsequent court appeal resulted in removing the law’s criminal penalties but retaining its $100 fine for violating the ban.

Casinos rake in big bucks with chic restaurants and gambling of a thousand hues, but they do so at some risk. Casino resorts face the usual hazards of any public space, such as faulty equipment and wet floors that can lead to slip-and-fall accidents. Add in gravity-defying showroom spectacles and the occasional water fountain injury, and you see that Nevada’s entertainment sector faces substantial risk of liability. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regulations have not historically addressed workplace smoke exposure outside of an overall “permissible exposure level” framework.

If you or a loved one have been harmed at a casino or feel that you have suffered as a result of working conditions at a gambling resort, please call us today for a free Nevada casino injury consultation. We have experience dealing with some of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas and will help you understand the key elements of your case.

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The holiday shopping season is in full swing in the final month leading up to Christmas Day. This time of year always involves previews for late-year blockbuster films, the latest toys and gadgets, and promotions for new automobiles. But this year, consumers in Southern Nevada are viewing car commercials with some reservation in the wake of a series of new automobile recalls.

Nearly everyone has by now heard of the Toyota auto recall and problems with Ford vehicles and rollovers. Now, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating more late-model vehicles for potentially unsafe defects. Some 150,000 Honda CR-Vs made for model year 2006 are being scrutinized to determine whether or not a wiring defect in the power windows may lead to fires within the door panel. Another 41,000 cars – these units of the 2007 Kia Optima – are being inspected with regard to a transmission problem. The concern is that the shift cable in the Optima’s automatic transmission might become detached, allowing the car to slip out of gear. In one instance, a vehicle exhibiting this failure rolled away while parked.

The potential threats posted by both of these defects are obvious – the consequences of a fire from faulty wiring could include serious damage to the car and even a home fire if it were garaged. A slow-growing fire, suddenly revealed, could cause a driver to panic and potentially cause a motor vehicle accident. A faulty transmission is an even more direct danger – an unreliable transmission could lead to sudden changes of speed and a runaway vehicle could cause massive amounts of personal liability in an urban area.

If you own a 2006 Honda CR-V or a 2007 Kia Optima, contact our Las Vegas automobile recall attorneys today for a free consultation. We can explain the scope of the recall and inform you of any rights you may have to compensation or correction of the defects. With offices downtown and in Summerlin, we can give you legal help when and where you need it.

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Las Vegas is famed for its casino hubbub and the casinos’ fancy floorplans. On the Las Vegas Strip, one resort after another stands out for its unique architecture, lavish landscaping, and intricate stairways. But these flights of stairs can mean not just panache but also peril, as evidenced in the case of a 63-year-old woman who is thought to have died due to injuries from a staircase accident.

The woman was found unconscious and face-down yesterday in her front yard immediately outside her home. She later died of her injuries at a hospital where she was taken for treatment. Police originally suspected foul play and began a homicide investigation, but an autopsy revealed that her injuries were consistent with having fallen from the porch’s front steps and sustaining a fatal injury.

For tourists visiting Nevada casinos, taking the stairs may be an essential element of the overall casino’s thematic experience. But if staircases are not properly maintained or kept clear of obstacles, the casino may face premises liability if a visitor is injured due to the conditions. Other shortcomings in maintenance or cleaning procedures can lead to slip and fall injuries, such as when a hard-floored area is mopped, left wet, and not properly identified with signage. In extreme cases, there can even be wrongful death from a casino accident.

If you or a loved one have been hurt as a result of a casino’s oversights or negligence, contact us right away for a free consultation about your Nevada casino accident. We will help you unpack the details of your case and outline some of your options for compensation or litigation. We have offices in Summerlin and in downtown Las Vegas to serve you.

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The majority of Las Vegas casino accident and injury cases arise from mishaps: a stunt gone awry or a slip & fall accident. But in a startling case from Laughlin (a casino town in Southern Nevada), a brawl between two motorcycle gangs led not only to the deaths of some of those involved but also to injuries and psychological harm to some innocent bystanders.

In a case recently decided by a Clark County jury, Harrah’s Casino in Laughlin was found negligent and responsible for damages after five guests suffered from injuries and traumatic stress in the wake of a massive brawl that broke out between two rival biker gangs during a motorcycle event in 2002.

The lead plaintiff suffered back injuries when he fled the scene, and he and other bystanders suffered severe psychological distress from the incident. The casino was found liable for the injuries — despite its efforts to hire additional security coverage — because it did not do enough to prevent a foreseeable dangerous outcome and protect its guests adequately.

If you or a loved one have been a victim of a Southern Nevada casino injury or trauma, contact our Las Vegas personal injury lawyers for help. We offer free consultations and will fight for you to the end.

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It is a story the Southern Nevada medical community won’t soon forget: a 70-year-old woman spent a week doubled over in pain after a routine gall bladder surgery before dying of peritonitis, an infection of the stomach lining. Today, the family has turned to Las Vegas medical malpractice attorneys for answers.

The infection is thought to have been caused by a leak from her gall bladder into her abdomen. Doctors think that a clamp was somehow misused and created a small leak, which began filling her abdomen with bile. Laparoscopic gall bladder surgery is a routine outpatient surgery, and experts say that this Las Vegas woman’s death from the procedure can only be described as a “freak accident.” However, medical experts also say that the Nevada grandmother of 14 complained about exceptional pain as her condition worsened but doctors declined to run tests that could have discovered the dangerous mistake. The doctors’ failure to diagnose the woman’s condition resulted in a wrongful death.

This family is devastated, and nothing can restore to them the life of the vibrant and involved woman they lost so abruptly. The family has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit, in part motivated by a desire to prevent other Clark County families from suffering medical tragedy.

If you or a loved one have been affected by the failure of a medical professional, call us today for a free consultation at one of our two Las Vegas medical malpractice law offices located downtown and in Summerlin.

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A Las Vegas couple that was injured when a teenage girl crashed her half ton pick-up truck helped present their case at a National Transportation Safety Conference in Washington DC.  The couple had driven to Tropicana street to help a friend whose vehicle had broken down and upon exiting their vehicle were struck by the teenager who was both on the phone and adjusting her radio.

Distracted driving in Nevada, whether it be texting, fumbling with the radio, fixing make-up or using a cell phone, is increasing cited as causes of accidents not only in Las Vegas but the rest of the United States.  In fact, distracted driving was sited for 63 fatalities in the State of Nevada over the past five years, a figure that is more then likely far greater due to the difficulty to prove the  distraction.   Furthermore, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration pens the numbers at a much larger clip.  The Las Vegas Review Journal quotes the agency as:  “According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted-driving related crashes caused nearly 5,500 deaths and 450,000 injuries last year.”

While over 30 states have banned the practices of texting and 8 others driving or talking on cell phones without adequate hands-free attachments, the State of Nevada is not on the list.  The Nevada Senate passed a law that would have banned texting in their last session, however the bill was killed in Assembly.  Another bill that would have banned the use of cell phones or PDA’s by drivers 18 years of age or younger was also not passed.  Nevada legislatures continue to try pass further law outlawing such practices, however a broader support needs to be shown on both the political and local levels in order to get a grip on this epidemic of vehicle accidents in Nevada.

As for couple that were struck by the distracted teenage girl?  Their lives will never be the same after going through brain injury surgery and dozens of other neck, arm, elbow, liver, spleen, pelvis and rib surgeries.  If you or a loved one has been injured do to a Nevada drivers’ distracted driving, contact a legal firm that understands the plights of these practice, contact Benson & Bingham:  702-382-9797.

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A North Las Vegas pedestrian was struck and killed by an automobile today on the corner of Berg and Craig.  The victims is believed to be a teenager or young adult, was crossing the crosswalk when he was struck by a car that had ignored a red light.  There where no skid marks on the scene, which lead investigators to believe the driver had not seen the light, nor victim.  This was the sixth fatality accident in North Las Vegas in 2010, and unfortunately won’t be the last.

Today, drivers are frequently distracted by host of modern day technologies, such as cell phones, pagers, texting, ipods, as well as many older distractions such as putting on make-up, reading the paper, or just fiddling with the seat or radio dials.  Unfortunately, pedestrians are the ones that often pay the price, and in the incidence the price was death.

It is unknown if the driver of the vehicle, a 29 year old women, was under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the accident in Las Vegas as toxicology reports were yet to be concluded.  While DUI accidents are often rightly blamed for pedestrian accidents in Nevada, there is a newer bread of factors that are creating accidents on Clark County roadways.  In fact, a recent study showed that more vehicle fatalities are caused by non-alcohol or drug related distractions, such as texting or talking on the phone.  Benson & Bingham has been a strong proponent of regulating such distractions in an attempt to keep Nevada roadways safe, however accidents do happen and injuries are sustained.  If you or a loved one has been a victim of an accident, contact the experts that care for a compassionate and thorough analysis of the event.  Contact Benson & Bingham:  702-382-9797.

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