If you or a loved one has been injured by a car as a pedestrian, you deserve to have an aggressive advocate fighting to protect your rights. The seasoned Las Vegas pedestrian accident attorneys at Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC are ready to help you seek justice.
While growing up, we all remember our parents reminding us to look both ways before we cross the street. However, pedestrians forget this reminder while crossing an intersection. As a general rule, it is always prudent to use the crosswalk, and only enter said crosswalk once you have been instructed to do so by the traffic device or licensed authority, while always making sure to “look both ways”.
Pedestrians are common in Las Vegas given the close proximity of casinos and entertainment. Whether individuals are walking down the strip or through their neighborhood, our great weather allows for walking as a means of transportation year-round.
Despite the popularity of walking, cars remain the primary form of transportation in Las Vegas. Due to a large number of both pedestrians and cars, pedestrian-car accidents are a common occurrence. The structure and frame of a car protect the driver and passengers. In contrast, pedestrians have no such protection, and consequently, their body absorbs the full force of an impact with a vehicle. This often results in tragic circumstances for the pedestrian, including death.
Statistically, a pedestrian vs. motor vehicle accident results in death more than 70% of the time. Those who cross prior to the signal or try and play chicken without using the designated crosswalk often do not have a case, unless speeding or failure to drive without lights-on played a role. Many pedestrian cases occur at night when drivers are intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, misjudge speeds, have impaired depth perception or simply cannot see the pedestrian.
The state’s numbers are on the rise , too, from 35 pedestrian fatalities in 2009 to 91 in 2017. In one recent period in Las Vegas, almost 190 pedestrians died and almost 2,000 more suffered contact with vehicles.
Source: https://zerofatalitiesnv.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Pedestrian-2017-Sept-Fact-Sheet.pdf
Pedestrian and vehicle accidents vary greatly. Some accidents occur at very slow speeds, while others occur at surface street speeds, which usually result in more serious injuries.
Common types of pedestrian accidents include:
Regardless of how you’re injured, the consequences are often life-altering. Following a pedestrian accident, you should hold the negligent driver who caused your accident accountable. The experienced personal injury lawyers at Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC have helped many clients just like you in previous cases, and our results speak for themselves.
Injuries that stem from a collision with a vehicle are often severe. As a pedestrian, you lack the protection of a vehicle, so your body absorbs the full impact of the accident. Even at slow speeds, you may experience the following injuries:
The more severe your injuries, the longer you will need to recover. Pedestrian accident injuries can cause more than just pain and suffering. They will likely leave you with extremely high medical expenses, but you shouldn’t have to pay these bills. The negligent driver who struck you should bear the responsibility of your medical costs. You played no part in causing the accident and thus should not have to endure the financial burden associated with your injuries.
Injuries that stem from pedestrian accidents are often severe and involve extremely high medical costs. We can help you hold the negligent driver who caused your accident accountable and recover compensation for the following:
Collecting these damages will help you focus on your recovery rather than on the financial burden associated with your accident. Many clients don’t like the thought of filing a lawsuit against another person. In reality, we help you file a claim against the negligent driver’s insurance company.
The negligent driver’s insurance company will likely contact you soon after your accident with a settlement offer. The company knows that you’re likely out of work and have medical bills piling up. Accordingly, it will offer you a low initial settlement that may cover some of your costs in hopes that you’ll accept due to your need for immediate cash.
The problem with these initial settlement offers is that they rarely include compensation for any future medical care. If you accept the initial offer, you may quickly find yourself in financial hardship again due to continuing expenses. Never accept an insurance company’s settlement offer without first consulting an experienced Las Vegas personal injury lawyer.
Las Vegas, a city that never sleeps, is known for its densely populated streets due to its traffic and the millions of people exploring the city on foot. Even though nobody expects to suffer extensive injuries from walking up and down the famous Las Vegas Strip, catastrophic pedestrian accidents do occur. In fact, according to Nevada Current: “Between 2008 and 2017, drivers struck and killed 601 people who were walking on streets in Nevada, the overwhelming majority of them in Clark County.”
If you have been involved in a Las Vegas pedestrian accident, you are likely already dealing with enough stress from your injuries alone. You do not need to add to that frustration and anxiety by toiling over what to do next. That is why, in this post, we provide you with the most frequently asked questions that victims want to know following pedestrian accidents. These answers can provide you with the information you need to figure out your next steps and determine whether you should retain an attorney to handle your case.
If you have been injured in a Las Vegas pedestrian accident, you should take action.
Taking the following steps can help ensure your safety and protect your legal rights:
Following a pedestrian accident, you need to seek medical help, regardless of whether you think your injuries are severe. These medical professionals will verify that you do not have any hidden injuries, get you the treatment that you need, and document everything for your records. This medical report can help you immensely if the opposing side or the insurance company decides to argue that you did not suffer these injuries due to the accident.
Motor vehicle drivers are expected to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks; however, pedestrians must follow traffic laws and reasonably observe traffic conditions. Typically, pedestrians should not start or continue walking across a street if they see cars approaching. In situations where a pedestrian suddenly steps out into the path of a moving vehicle and gets hit, it may prove more difficult to establish the driver’s liability. For these reasons, it is important to discuss your case as soon as you can with an attorney.
In Nevada, the time limit to file a lawsuit is referred to as the statute of limitations. If you have sustained an injury in a Las Vegas pedestrian accident, you generally have two years from the date of your accident to file a claim. Failing to file within this time may bar you from pursuing any legal action against the at-fault party. Generally, though, you should proceed with filing a claim as quickly as possible. This will ensure that you don’t miss out on any evidence, that memories are still fresh in people’s minds, and that witnesses are all available to testify.
It is essential to understand that the amount of compensation available in a pedestrian accident depends on certain factors, including:
As every pedestrian injury is unique, it is critical to complete a full examination and determine what long-term impacts the victim faces. This information will prove helpful to obtain maximum compensation.
Typically, the type of compensation pursued in these accidents includes economic damages and non-economic damages, such as:
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), pedestrian accidents have increased by 3 percent nationwide. These pedestrian accidents resulted in 6,283 deaths, and the report also found that a pedestrian death occurred every 88 minutes, on average, from traffic accidents.
What do these statistics mean for Las Vegas? According to the Nevada Department of Public Safety, 91 pedestrians died in one recent year, with 78 of those deaths occurring in the Las Vegas area. What’s worse is that pedestrian deaths are consistently on the rise.
If you were in a pedestrian accident, you may struggle to determine how to pursue compensation.
While there are many pedestrian accident lawyers out there, in these types of accidents, you need a lawyer who has experience handling pedestrian accident cases and who can provide you assistance with the following:
If you or a family member has been harmed in a pedestrian accident, do not wait any longer. Contact a knowledgeable and skilled Las Vegas pedestrian accident attorney at Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC, today to get professional help with your claim.
When we meet with you, we will review your case, investigate the accident, and speak with witnesses to get a full and complete picture of what caused your accident. While most personal injury claims settle out of court, we will only settle if the insurance company’s offer compensates you fully for your injuries. We are prepared to take your case to trial to ensure justice, and we have significant experience litigating pedestrian accident cases.
We only take cases on a contingency basis, which means it costs you nothing for you to speak with us, and we only get paid if we secure compensation for you. Furthermore, we only accept cases that we believe have a good chance of success.
You have enough on your plate dealing with your recovery. Insurance companies are difficult to deal with, and personal injury claims are complex. You must review evidence, interview eyewitnesses, hire experts, and calculate the amount of your damages, including non-economic damages. By letting the skilled team of Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC deal with the complexities of your personal injury claim, you can focus on your recovery. Our goal in every case is to get our clients back on their feet, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
In choosing a personal injury attorney, experience is crucial, and understanding the intricacies of pedestrian accident law is key. At Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC we work with quality experts to ensure your claim is protected. Contact Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC online or by calling (702) 382-9797 today to see how our experienced and trusted team of personal injury lawyers can help you secure the compensation that you need to get back on your feet.
“Never being in a car accident before I wasn’t sure about the best way to go about things. Being referred to Benson & Bingham made this process ease and flow. Phillip was so helpful with making sure I had a full understanding with every step and communicating consistently with me on things. I am so happy with the service I obtained with my case. You guys are the best!!!”
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Below are some of our other legal resources regarding pedestrian accidents: