People injured in shuttle accidents in Las Vegas and throughout Nevada can bring negligence lawsuits against the driver, the shuttle company, and other responsible third parties. Victims may be entitled to get compensatory damages to cover their:
- doctor’s bills,
- lost salary, wages, and/or tips,
- loss of future earnings,
- pain and suffering, and/or
- wrongful death
It does not matter if the injured party was partly to blame for the shuttle accident…as long as he/he was less than 51% at fault, Nevada’s comparative negligence laws may still permit him/her to recover damages. And if the accident was caused on purpose, the victim may even be eligible for hefty punitive damages as well.
People injured in shuttle accidents in Nevada are advised to retain an attorney. Insurance companies may try to sell the victim a quick settlement. But a lawyer can often achieve a more favorable financial resolution, especially if the defendant is a casino with deep pockets.
In this article, our Nevada personal injury attorneys answer frequently-asked questions about shuttle bus accidents in Nevada, including negligence claims, statutes of limitations in Nevada, and monetary rewards. Click on a topic to jump to that section:
- 1. What can I do if I got injured by a shuttle bus in Nevada?
- 2. What sort of compensation can I get?
- 3. Who can I sue?
- 4. How do I make sure I get paid if there are other victims as well?
- 5. Can I still get money if I was partially at fault?
- 6. How long do I have to bring my lawsuit?
Also see our related article on Las Vegas bus accidents.
1. What can I do if I got injured by a shuttle bus in Nevada?
Filing a negligence lawsuit is the typical course of action for shuttle accident victims in Nevada. In order to win a negligence lawsuit, the injured party has to prove four things:
- The defendant(s) owed the plaintiff (victim) a duty of care;
- The defendant(s) breached this duty;
- This breach caused the plaintiff’s injury; and
- This injury resulted in damages.1
Just some negligence scenarios that may cause Nevada shuttle accidents include the following:
- The shuttle driver was drunk or high (DUI);
- The driver was speeding;
- The shuttle was holding too many passengers;
- The shuttle company failed to maintain the vehicle (not fixing broken seat belts, for example); and/or
- The shuttle company hired a driver who was not qualified to drive a shuttle
Shuttle coaches are especially common in Las Vegas and Reno. They are efficient and cost-effective ways for tourists to travel between high-traffic areas, such as airports, casinos, hotels, stadiums, and other hotspot attractions…
Whether the shuttle is a van with a dozen seats or a bus with dozens of seats, shuttles can cause massive damage in a collision. Passengers, fellow drivers and pedestrians could sustain broken bones, brain injuries, spinal injuries, and possibly death.
2. What sort of compensation can I get?
People who sustained injuries in a shuttle accident may file a claim for compensatory damages. These types of damages comprise:
- the costs of doctors and medicine;
- lost past earnings;
- lost future earnings;
- pain and suffering (capped at $350,000), and/or
- wrongful death (brought by the deceased’s estate)
Note that shuttle drivers who are government employees acting in the course of their job are liable for only $100,000.2
Most shuttle accidents are caused by negligence. But if the culprit maliciously caused the shuttle crash, victims can seek punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages. With some exceptions, Nevada’s punitive damages cap is three times (3) the compensatory damages, except if the compensatory damages are less than $100,000…then the cap would be $300,000.3
Note that people who intentionally cause a road accident in Nevada face serious criminal charges as well.
3. Who can I sue?
Victims of a shuttle accident in Nevada may be able to sue:
- The shuttle driver;
- The shuttle company or owner;
- The shuttle manufacturer, if the shuttle had a mechanical defect; and/or
- Any third-party that may have been responsible for the shuttle’s safety or caused it to malfunction
The injured party may also be able to sue the local government if the accident was partly caused by faulty signage or roads that have not been maintained.
3.1. Shuttle companies in Nevada
Shuttle bus and van companies that currently operate in Nevada are the following:
- Regional Transportation Commission
- Celebrity Coaches-America Inc
- Gogo Charter Bus Las Vegas
- Ryan’s Express Transportation
- Amador Stage Lines
- Canyon Coach Lines
- Earth Limos & Buses
- Lewis Stages – Las Vegas
- Arrow Stage Lines
- Nevada Party Bus
- LD Tours
- Triple J Tours
- RTC Sunset Operations and Maintenance Facility
- Airline Shuttle
- Las Vegas Shuttles corporation
- Party Tours
- Las Vegas Bus Sales
- Las Vegas Party Bus Rentals
- Bell Limousine
4. How do I make sure I get paid if there are other victims as well?
Skilled personal injury attorneys are experienced in how to win the “race for the money” for their clients. Depending on the case, the surest course of action may be to take an early settlement. But sometimes it may be worth it to hold out for a trial. The best strategy depends on the unique facts of the shuttle accident.
5. Can I still get money if I was partially at fault?
Yes, as long as the victim was no more than 50% to blame for the accident. But Nevada personal injury victims who were partially at fault receive less money than those who were blameless.4
5.1. Contributing to a shuttle bus accident
People riding on a shuttle or driving on the road near a shuttle should be especially careful because one moment of carelessness can cause a catastrophic accident. Some ways passengers or drivers may contribute to a shuttle van or bus accident include:
- Being an unruly passenger and distracting the driver;
- Passing a shuttle bus when there is insufficient space;
- Driving in the blind spot of a shuttle;
- Driving too closely behind a shuttle;
- Breaking without warning in front of a shuttle; and/or
- Underestimating a shuttle’s speed while merging or making a left against traffic
Various evidence may be admissible in Nevada shuttle accident cases that can help determine degrees of fault. Examples of relevant evidence include surveillance video, photographs of the damage and road conditions, the vehicles’ GPS records, medical records, weather reports, and eye-witnesses.
6. How long do I have to bring my lawsuit?
After a shuttle bus accident occurs in Nevada, injured parties have a two (2) year statute of limitations window to sue.5
See our related article, Does Nevada have a bus accident statute?
Legal References:
- See, e.g. Scialabba v. Brandise Const. Co., 112 Nev. 965, 921 P.2d 928 (1996).
- NRS 41.035.
- NRS 42.005.
- NRS 41.141.
- NRS 11.190.