Las Vegas Car Accident Attorney
Being involved in an auto accident is one of those things that nobody likes to think about, but is a risk that anyone who operates a motor vehicle must accept. Distracted driving is the leading cause of traffic crashes and injuries in Nevada, but it is not the only one. Speeding, aggressiveness, and driving under the influence also cause car accidents. Sometimes, drivers with medical conditions such as epilepsy, heart disease and diabetes become distracted and cause car accidents, too.
When the unfortunate does happen and they are involved in an auto accident, victims of injuries will no doubt have plenty of questions about the process. A Las Vegas car accident attorney from The Fletcher Firm can help answer your questions and fight for your rights.
Get the Compensation You Deserve
You probably know that if you are injured by a negligent driver, you have the right to be reimbursed for your medical care and related expenses by pursuing a personal injury lawsuit. What you may not know is that when you’re injured by a negligent driver in Clark County or anywhere else in Nevada, that driver may not be the only person with liability.
When an injury is severe or disabling – a brain or spinal cord injury, for example – you may need substantial reimbursement for long-term care and rehabilitation. An experienced personal injury lawyer will scrutinize all of the possible sources of compensation to ensure that you receive the maximum possible reimbursement. Businesses in some cases are liable when their employees are negligent while driving company vehicles. Parents may in some cases have liability for teen drivers who are negligent. And in recent years, more vehicle and parts manufacturers are being held accountable for injuries caused by defective vehicles and vehicle parts. Even government agencies and contractors can be named as defendants if the poor design or careless maintenance of a street or highway is the reason for an injury or a fatality.
Civil law in Nevada can be complicated, so the wisest option after any accident with injuries is to put your case in the hands of an experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorney.
What To Do After An Accident
If you adhere to these recommendations, you’ll be ready if you need to file a personal injury lawsuit with the help of an experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorney:
- Phone the local police: If you need to pursue a personal injury claim, a police report can become important evidence.
- Exchange contact and insurance information: Get the other driver’s name, driver’s license number, address, phone number, license plate number, insurance company name, policy number, and the make and model of that driver’s vehicle. Without this information, it may be difficult or even impossible to pursue a personal injury lawsuit.
- Document your injuries. Take photos; when you begin healing, visual evidence of the original condition of the injury is gone, so photographs demonstrating the severity of your injury can become critical evidence.
- Immediately seek medical treatment: You must be observed and/or treated promptly by a healthcare provider after a traffic collision. This isn’t only for your health – the paperwork becomes an official record of the injuries you’ve sustained.
- Do not talk with an insurance company: You aren’t required to make a statement, sign papers, or have any contact with the other driver’s insurance company. That company may try to cajole you into settling for an amount that is substantially less than the real actual value of your case. Ignore the insurance company and let your lawyer do the negotiating.
- Call an experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorney immediately: The right personal injury attorney can determine if you have grounds to file a claim, and if you do, that attorney knows what it takes to prevail.
If an insurance company will not compensate you fully and fairly for your injuries, an experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorney can take your claim to a jury and ask that jury for the compensation you need and the justice you deserve.
How is Compensation Calculated?
If you become the victim of a personal injury caused by a drunk driver, and you file a personal injury lawsuit, your compensation may be based on several different factors. Here are five of the most common:
- Victim’s percentage of fault: When a driver is convicted of DUI, most civil courts accept the conviction as proof that the driver was negligent. However, in states that allow comparative negligence defenses, a victim’s compensation from a DUI accident may be lowered by the percentage of fault a judge or jury can attribute to the plaintiff.
- Long-term care costs: When personal injury causes long-term or permanent disability, medical expenses will inevitably be exorbitant. If a drunk driver is found responsible for such an injury, a victim may be awarded damages that cover the long-term expenses.
- Wrongful death claims: Compensation is rightfully larger if the drunk driver has caused the death of a loved one, particularly if that family member was a primary income earner.
- Ability to work: Because a personal injury can diminish a victim’s ability to earn a living, victims may be reimbursed for whatever income is lost if they are unable to work for any length of time.
- Other defendants: In states with dram shop laws, drinking establishments can be held legally accountable for serving a driver too much alcohol and can be ordered to compensate personal injury victims.
If you’re injured, it’s absolutely imperative to speak immediately with an experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorney.
An Experienced Las Vegas Car Accident Attorney
Victims of injuries sustained in auto accidents might be wondering whether or not they should hire a team of experienced auto accident attorneys like the team of the Fletcher Firm, or if they should try to handle the pursuit of damages on their own. Although it is a person’s right to represent him or herself in legal proceedings, this is an option which attorneys generally advise against – especially if injury victims are going up against an insurance company. Insurance companies, because they are primarily businesses concerned mostly with the bottom line, are notorious for using legal tactics that will help them pay as little in damages as possible; tactics which a Las Vegas auto accident attorney like those on the team of the Fletcher Firm are usually able to see right through.
A Las Vegas Injury Attorney Prepared To Fight For Your Rights
The Las Vegas car accident attorneys of the Fletcher Firm have a total combined legal experience of several decades, and have already represented a long list of clients involved in auto accidents. They are true legal professionals and advocates for the rights of injury victims who promise to give each and every client the attention that they deserve. Whether they are negotiating a settlement on behalf of a client or presenting a client’s case in court, the attorneys of the Fletcher Firm will diligently provide the type of legal service that victims of auto accidents need in order to recover as much of the compensation they are entitled to as possible. Statistically, auto accident victims who pursue damages with the help of an attorney are more likely to recover more of the damages they are entitled to than accident victims who try to collect compensation on their own. The reason for this is primarily that most accident victims are unaware of nuances and rules of law that could hurt or help a case, and also that most simply don’t know how to affix a fair value to the injuries and other damages sustained. An experienced Las Vegas car accident attorney who knows auto accident law can help victims determine the amount of damages that should be pursued and the best legal approach to make the collection of those damages a reality.