Nevada Car Accidents
Every year, tens of thousands of people are injured in Nevada car accidents. In fact, to date, the approximated total value of societal harm from car accidents, including the cost of injuries, loss of quality life, and other economic impacts, has hit the $800 billion mark annually.
Car crashes not only result in financial consequences but also emotional and physical damage. Without an experienced Nevada car accident lawyer by your side, your life could change forever.
When you are involved in an auto accident, your ability to work and live a normal life may be compromised, leading to lost wages. Add the cost of property damage suffered and hefty medical bills, and you have a tricky situation on your hands.
Since you are recovering, you may not be in a position to follow up with the at-fault driver to pay for damages caused. A Nevada car accident lawyer will do everything possible to ensure you recover financially, emotionally, and physically.
Car Accidents in Las Vegas – Gambling with Your Safety
The number of fatal crashes reported in Las Vegas and across Nevada continues to rise each year. In 2021, the statewide crash report showed that at least 382 people lost their lives due to car accidents.
The Nevada Department of Public Safety says that this was a 19% increase from the 324 fatalities recorded in 2020. Seeing 382 people lose their lives in Nevada car accidents is saddening, given that the population of the entire state is approximately three million people.
In Clark County alone, over 220 fatal crashes were recorded in 2021, representing a 24% increase from the number reported in 2020. Nevada has only surpassed the 2021 death count three times – 431 in 2006, 427 in 2005, and 395 in 2004.
Las Vegas is unique because it has several features that may increase the risk of being involved in a car accident. The fact that the city is one of the leading tourist destinations in the country, there is substantial use of alcohol which might potentially increase the risk of drunk driving.
As a city with vibrant nightlife culture, the risk of fatigued drivers being involved in road accidents is also high. Finally, two other things that may increase the risk of being involved in a car accident in Las Vegas are a high level of traffic and a large number of pedestrians.
Car Insurance In Las Vegas – Your Ace in the Hole
Nevada amended its auto insurance laws in July 2018, increasing the minimum required liability insurance coverage to $25,000 in bodily injury per person per accident, $50,000 in total bodily injury per crash, and $20,000 in property damage.
Keep in mind that these are only the state stipulated minimum requirements. To be on the safe side, it is highly recommended to purchase extra coverage.
Liability coverage only pays for injuries and property damage you may cause to third parties if you are involved in an auto accident. It doesn’t provide any form of coverage for you, your passengers, or your property.
It means if you are involved in an accident, and you only have the minimum state-required liability coverage, you will be forced to repair any damage to your car out-of-pocket.
Purchasing collision and comprehensive coverage is an excellent way of boosting your coverage. Collision coverage covers damage to your own vehicle resulting from a collision regardless of who was at fault.
Comprehensive insurance is designed to cover you against theft or any other damage to your car resulting from causes other than collision. The other causes, in this case, may include damage from fire, flood, falling objects, wind, and even vandalism.
How Is Fault Determined in Nevada Car Accidents?
Since Nevada is a fault-based state, insurance companies associated with the motorist involved in the car crash will conduct thorough investigations to determine who was at fault for the accident.
The investigation usually involves inspecting the damage to the car, reviewing images captured from the accident scene, looking over the medical bills and records related to the claimed injuries, speaking to all parties who were involved in the accident, and most importantly, assessing the police report.
Insurance adjusters use this information to issue a comprehensive report on who they believe was responsible for the car accident.
Due to the rule of shared fault or modified comparative negligence, you can only recover damages if it is determined that you were less than 50% responsible for the accident. Furthermore, the amount of money you can recover from the other party will be reduced by the fault percentage assigned to you.
Filing an Auto Insurance Claim in Nevada
Even though you may not be at fault for a motor vehicle accident, you still need to contact your auto insurance company to report the matter. All auto insurers in Nevada require car accidents to be reported regardless of who is at fault.
If you fail to report the accident, you could be denied your right to seek compensation under your policy. Your Nevada car accident lawyer can help you if you have any questions.
Once you have notified your insurance company about the accident, a claim adjuster will most likely request the following information from you:
- The exact date and location of the accident.
- The full name, addresses, and insurance information of all parties involved in the accident.
- A vivid description of what transpired before and after the accident.
- The name of the police department that responded to your call and the police report number.
While you must give a statement to your own insurance company, don’t speak to the at-fault driver’s insurance company. As soon as the investigations into the accident start, assume that anything you say to the other parties involved in the accident or their insurance companies is being recorded.
Be careful with the description you give of the car crash because it can easily be used against you later, especially if you admit to any responsibility for the car accident.
What Financial Compensation Can You Recover?
Typically, you will have many things running through your mind after a car accident Las Vegas incident. The first thing you will most likely pay close attention to will be your injuries. You will focus on recovering from the physical pain and emotional suffering.
Unfortunately, you will also be forced to contend with expensive medical bills, endless phone calls from insurance company adjusters, and lost wages.
Although pursuing a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver may not be able to reverse all the damages you may have suffered, it could make your future life slightly easier. The four main types of compensation you can recover include:
- Medical bills: If you need any physical or cognitive medical care after a car accident, the at-fault driver may have to pay the bills. This includes the cost of consultations, surgeries, ambulance fees, doctor’s visits, permanent disabilities, medical accessories, and other medical expenses.
- Lost income: There is a likelihood that you could not work after the accident. Therefore, you are fully entitled to recover past and future lost wages.
This includes the income you lost while taking time off work to recover from your injuries and the income you will lose due to your inability to perform your work effectively or earn promotions due to injuries sustained in the accident.
- Property damage: The at-fault driver must also pay for any property he/she damaged during the accident. This may include the costs to repair your car or replace a totaled car.
- Pain and suffering: You may also be entitled to compensation for emotional anguish, physical pain, anxiety, distress, PTSD, loss of consortium, and lost quality of life.
You may also qualify for punitive damages against the at-fault driver. Punitive damages are meant to punish the at-fault driver for gross negligence or reckless driving that led to the accident.
A judge in Nevada may award you punitive damages if the at-fault motorist is found to be guilty of excessive speeding, drunk driving, distracted driving, or other wanton acts.
How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim in Nevada?
Every state has a statute of limitations that specifies the timeframe for filing a car accident claim. In Nevada, motor vehicle accident victims have two years from the date of the car accident to file a personal injury claim.
If you don’t file a claim within this period, you will automatically lose your ability to seek compensation for injuries suffered, no matter how strong your case may be.
As a car accident victim, you need a comprehensive understanding of Nevada’s auto accident laws to secure compensation for your motor vehicle accident claim.
Working with an experienced Nevada car accident lawyer will grant you access to a wealth of knowledge and first-hand legal experience so you can focus on what matters most – your recovery!
Meet Our Team of Highly Experienced Nevada Car Accident Lawyers
At Legal Giant, we are fully devoted to helping our clients recover the rightful compensation they deserve. We do much more than just protect your financial needs; we protect your rights and seek justice on your behalf.
Our primary goal is to develop the best possible case on your behalf, so you do not have to face the insurance adjusters and the at-fault driver’s attorney alone. We are fully committed to providing highly personalized solutions for our clients because we know that every car accident is unique.
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation review of your Nevada car accident case!
