Car accidents are frequent occurrences on Summerlin Parkway and the I-215, especially during rush hour. And crash victims often sustain serious physical injuries, preventing them from going back to work and enjoying life.
Our Summerlin car accident attorneys bring the weight of Nevada personal injury law down on every at-fault party who caused your collision. And we can usually win a substantial settlement without the time or expense of going to trial.
1. Who can I sue after a Summerlin car accident?
Following a Summerlin automobile accident, you can usually bring a negligence lawsuit against the other driver(s), biker(s), and/or pedestrian(s) that caused your crash. But in addition, you may also have grounds to sue:
- your car manufacturer, if it was defective;
- your mechanics that service your car, if they caused it to be defective;
- Clark County, if badly maintained roads or traffic signals contributed to the collision.
In every case, our Summerlin car accident lawyers thoroughly investigate the circumstances of the crash – including using an accident reconstruction expert, if necessary – to deduce all the people and companies who had a hand in your injuries. And we hold each of them responsible.1
2. What sort of damages can I get?
Typical compensatory damages our Summerlin car accident attorneys pursue include:
- car repair bills (or the cost of a new car, if yours was totaled);
- medical bills (including for long-term care if necessary);
- lost earnings and diminished earning capacity (if you are too injured to keep your regular job);
- pain and suffering (often the biggest expense); and/or
- punitive damages (only in cases that proceed to trial, which is rare).
When car accidents result in a fatality, then we would bring a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the victim’s family or estate.2
3. Does it matter if I was partly to blame?
Most car accident victims are not blameless. Perhaps you were speeding slightly or forgot to fasten your seat belt. But even if your actions may have made your injuries worse than they would have been otherwise, you may still be eligible for damages.
According to Nevada’s modified comparative negligence law, you can win personal injury lawsuits if you were no more than 50% at fault. Your financial recovery would then be lessened by your degree of fault.3
So if your Summerlin car accident caused $50,000 in damages – and the court determines you were 10% at fault – then you would be awarded $45,000 ($50,000 minus 10% of $50,000).
4. When do I have to sue by?
You usually have two years after a Nevada car crash to file a negligence lawsuit against the responsible parties.4 But victims should seek a Summerlin car accident attorney to get started on the case immediately.
As time goes by, vital evidence such as traffic surveillance video is harder to find, and eyewitnesses are harder to track down.
5. What should I do after a car accident in Summerlin?
Firstly, do not drive away: Doing so could get you busted for hit and run. But if you or anyone else is injured, seek medical help. And if possible, drive out of the way of traffic.
If you are well enough, exchange names, contact information, and vehicle information with the other drivers. But do not admit fault or say that you are fine. These words could make it more difficult for you to collect in a lawsuit later on.
If police arrive at the scene, you do not have to fill out an accident report. If no police arrive, then you should complete and submit an accident report to the Nevada DMV within 10 days of the accident if:
- anyone was injured, or
- if $750 or more in property damage occurred.5
Finally, contact a Summerlin car accident lawyer to handle the case from there.
6. Should I hire an attorney?
Hiring an experienced Summerlin car accident lawyer gives you the greatest odds of recovering the most monetary damages possible in your case.
Insurance defense firms are notoriously difficult to deal with, and they will throw down every obstacle to you getting any of the money you are entitled to. It is easy for a car accident victim to become discouraged by all the time and trouble pursuing a legal claim takes.
But we know how to go up against the insurance defense attorneys and make them pay what you are rightfully owed. And since we operate by contingency fee, you do not pay a dime unless we are successful in winning your case. So you risk nothing and have everything to gain by hiring an attorney to fight for your rights.
Legal References
- See, for example, Nevada State Police investigate deadly crash on Summerlin Parkway, News3 (March 14, 2022); Glenn Puit, 4 injured in Summerlin crash after car runs red light, Las Vegas Review-Journal (February 7, 2022).
- NRS 41.085.
- NRS 41.141. See, for example: Taylor v. Silva (1980) 96 Nev. 738; Cromer v. Wilson, (2010) 126 Nev. 106.
- NRS 11.190.
- NRS 484E.