Las Vegas Auto Accident Attorney

Car accidents in Nevada, California, and around the nation take tens of thousands of lives every year and leave millions seriously or catastrophically injured. The National Safety Council estimated that in 2013, 35,200 people were killed in US traffic accidents, and another 3.8 million were injured seriously enough to require medical treatment. Nevada fatalities from traffic accidents totaled 267 in 2013, and they were the state’s leading cause of permanent disability. Most of these accidents were caused by a driver’s error or negligence.

Fatal Accidents in Nevada

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If you or someone in your family has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, you are probably learning the hard way just how devastating the injuries can be, and how destructive to your family’s finances and quality of life. When the accident was another driver’s fault, it may seem unfair that you are suffering from someone else’s error. Fortunately, you do have recourse against the negligent driver, and with the help of an experienced personal injury attorney, you may be able to recover compensation for your damages.

Most Common Causes of Car Accidents

These are some of the major reasons for traffic accidents:

Distracted Drivers

Estimates vary, but the American Auto Association attributes 25 to 50 percent of all traffic accidents to distracted drivers. These are some of the common distractions that lead to accidents that can cause serious injuries or fatalities:

• Texting
• Talking on a cell phone
• Grooming
• Eating and drinking
• Using various Smartphone apps
• Setting the GPS
• Rubbernecking
• Admiring scenery or reading billboards
• Changing stations the radio; inserting CDs
• Interacting with other passengers
• Dealing with children or pets
• Reading a map, newspaper, book, or some other document

Drunk Drivers

Drunk driving is a primary cause of preventable motor vehicle accident deaths and injuries in Nevada and nationwide. According to DrinkingandDriving.org, on the average, around 12,000 people die every year in DUI-related accidents, approximately 900,000 drivers are arrested year for DUI/DWI, and a full a third of those have been arrested for drunk driving previously. Alcohol related fatalities account for close to a third of all motor vehicle crash deaths, and repeat offenders are responsible for a large percentage of them.

Fatigued Drivers

Drivers falling asleep at the wheel cause almost 100,000 crashes annually, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data. Even when they haven’t fallen asleep, fatigued drivers may drift out of their lane, travel the wrong way on a one-way street or highway entrance ramp, or react too slowly to changes in road and traffic conditions.

Driving when over-tired is negligent driving, and when it causes injuries and fatalities, the driver may be held liable for the injured parties’ damages.

Speeding

The speed at which a vehicle is traveling reduces the stopping time, making a crash more likely to happen, and increases the impact when a crash occurs. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that when speed increases from 40 to 60 miles per hour, the energy released on impact doubles. Speed kills and maims. If you’ve suffered injuries caused by a speeding driver, you have a right to claim compensation for you damages. Speak to an experienced personal injury attorney to learn how to protect your right to a recovery. Attorney Eric Woods is a top choice in Las Vegas.

Aggressive Driving

Road rage and aggressive driving are surprisingly common: aggressive tailgating and weaving, obscene gestures and language, flashing of lights to indicate anger, cutting other drivers off or blocking them from moving or changing lanes, refusing to yield the right of way, and even physically assaulting other drivers are behaviors that can be seen frequently on the road and which cause loss of focus and loss of control, and may result in serious accidents, killing and injuring others drivers. There is no excuse for this kind of risky behavior, and aggressive drivers must be held responsible and made to pay for the damage they cause. If you’ve been hurt in a crash caused by an aggressive driver, it’s vital you consult an expert auto accident attorney to protect your rights to a monetary recovery of your damages. In Las Vegas, call the law offices of Eric Woods to learn what you must do to protect your rights and help deter this dangerous behavior.

Failing to Adjust Driving to Weather Conditions

All drivers must take appropriate precautions when driving in bad weather to avoid causing injuries to themselves or others. That means slowing down when visibility is poor and allowing extra stopping distance when the pavement is wet and slippery. If a driver fails to adjust to weather conditions and causes an accident, he or she may be held liable for the injuries to others as a result.

Bus Accidents

Not all traffic accidents are car collisions; many involve public transportation, in particular, buses. Buses are a convenient way to get where you’re going without the stress of fighting traffic while driving a car, and using public transportation is a socially responsible way to reduce your carbon footprint. Buses are usually a safe way to travel, but as more people are realizing that riding the bus is a useful transportation option, the possibility of being injured in a bus accident has increased. We are seeing more cases of injuries due to bus driver negligence in Las Vegas and elsewhere in Nevada and the nation. Although the numbers are much lower than for car accidents, they are still significant:

• In 2011, there were 13,261 bus crashes in the United States.
• In those crashes, 5,575 people were injured and were 295 were killed.
• Fifteen of every nineteen accidents were the result of bus driver negligence.

In Las Vegas, many of our visitors arrive by bus and use our local buses during their stay; many others, including permanent residents, use the bus system to get to work, shopping, and recreational events.

Your Right to Compensation for Bus Accident Injuries

If you have suffered serious injuries as a bus passenger, you will often be able to recover money from the owner or operator of the bus, or in some cases, from the driver of another vehicle that crashed with the bus, if that driver was at fault. You may also have a claim against the government department charged with keeping the road maintained in a safe condition, if poor road maintenance caused or contributed to the crash.

Bus accident claims should only be handled by a lawyer with specific experience in handling bus accidents, which require familiarity with local, state, and federal regulations governing the operation and maintenance of common carriers.

If you are among the area’s many users of bus transportation and have been injured, Las Vegas personal injury attorney Eric Woods will be happy to advise you of your rights and explain the procedure for recovering damages. Eric has the legal expertise to help you pursue your claim effectively. He has been helping accident victims recover compensation for injuries and wrongful death in bus, car, and other injury and wrongful death accidents for 30-plus years.

Types of Motor Vehicle Accident Injuries

If you’ve suffered any injury serious enough to limit your life’s activities and require medical care, schedule a free consultation with Eric to learn if you have a valid accident case. Eric has succeeded in recovering millions of dollars in compensation for a large range of injury types, including catastrophic, high value cases. These are some motor vehicle injury types he has handled for clients:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Spinal cord injuries, including paraplegia and quadriplegia
• Neck and back injuries
• Shoulder injuries
• Internal organ injuries
• Facial injuries
• Lacerations
• Scarring
• Burns
• Fractures
• Injuries to tendons and ligaments (sprains and strains)
• Psychological damage, including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Chronic pain, including chronic regional pain syndrome/reflex sympathetic dystrophy

When You’ve Been in an Accident

After a car or bus crash, it is essential that you get a medical examination right away. Call the police, and if you need an ambulance, let the dispatcher know that. If you can get up and move around,
these are some things you can do that will later help your lawyer investigate and prepare your case while you’re waiting for the police to arrive:

• Get the names and driver’s license numbers of all drivers involved in the crash, as well as the registration and insurance information.
• If a bus is involved, get the name of the bus company and route number.
• If you have access to a camera, take pictures of the accident scene, including damage to the each vehicle involved, along with any damage to structures, guardrails, or sign posts that may have been hit.
• Get names and contact information of any witnesses.
• If you were a driver, you might feel that it’s polite to apologize just for being involved. Don’t. Your good manners may be wrongly construed as an admission of guilt.
• Don’t talk about your physical condition with anyone. Don’t say that you’re not injured, because you may have injuries that you’re not aware of at this point, partially because of the adrenaline surge that happens when you’re in an accident. When the adrenaline wears off, you might find that you’re in pain, so don’t make any assumptions immediately.
• Get yourself to a doctor or emergency room as soon as possible. Make sure to let the doctor know you were in an accident. Keep all follow-up appointments and continue treatment as long as you have symptoms.
• After the doctor has checked you over, call Eric Woods to arrange a consultation. The earlier Eric’s team starts investigating, the easier it will be for us to document what happened and identify who was responsible for your injuries.

If You’re Visiting from Out-of State and Involved in a Nevada Car or Bus Accident

In Las Vegas, many accident victims are visitors on vacation, enjoying our casinos, shows, and night life. If you’re from out-of-state or out-of-town, you will need to get emergency care here, near where the accident occurred. You will do best to hire a local attorney, like Eric Woods, to represent you. Every state’s insurance laws are different, and it can be confusing to try to make an out-of-state claim. Furthermore, an attorney in your home state will not be licensed to practice in Nevada courts if it becomes necessary to take your case to trial.

Nevada Residents Injured in Accidents in Other States

Although many attorneys in Nevada prefer not to accept out-of-state cases, Eric Woods has succeeded in resolving many out-of-state claims for his Nevada clients in his more than 30 years as a personal injury lawyer. Eric is willing to do for you what many Nevada attorneys won’t if you’re suffering as a result of a serious injury accident in another state.

Eric is a highly effective negotiator who is usually able to obtain full and adequate compensation for his clients injured in other states, without the necessity of a trial. If your out of state case does need to go to trial, there are various options available. If the accident took place California, Eric can try it there, because he is also licensed to practice in California’s courts. If the accident took place anywhere else outside of Nevada, and both parties are Nevada residents, the case can usually be tried in a Nevada court. If the other party is not a Nevada resident, the trial may be held in a federal court, where Eric is also licensed to practice.

Justice for Everyone

You never have to worry about the cost of hiring one of Nevada’s most effective personal injury attorneys to represent you, because Eric Woods will take your valid accident case on contingency. That means you’ll never be billed for fees or costs unless and until Eric has negotiated a settlement in your favor or won you a jury award for your injuries. This system makes justice equally available to everyone who has been harmed by another’s negligence, regardless of your financial status. Eric represents rich and poor alike, and is proud that he is able to make a difference in so many lives through expert advocacy for all. Call Eric today at (702) 737-0000 to schedule your free case consultation.