U.S. News recently reported a fatal car accident that happened in Las Vegas Nevada the last week of December, 2019. The fiery crash involved as many as seven vehicles, according to news reports. Police reported that the Las Vegas crash happened during a rainstorm and took the lives of four victims, including a child. Authorities stated a vehicle was speeding when it rear-ended an SUV with five people inside and forced it into an intersection of a residential area in western Las Vegas, which was near a park that had soccer fields. Three of the vehicles involved in the crash burst into flames. Bystanders rushed to the scene of the accident rushed in to pull crash victims out of some cars.
By the Numbers
Fatal car accidents can happen anywhere – including Las Vegas, Nevada. State authorities report that the number of car accident-related deaths have been decreasing over the years.
The Nevada Highway Patrol Southern Command (NHPSC) recorded 70 traffic-related deaths in 2019. These 70 deaths were the result of 65 traffic accidents in Nevada. Numbers released by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), however, revealed that 112 individuals were killed in 102 fatal car crashes in 2019. According to Las Vegas Metro Police, the four deaths in the fiery December crash put the total number of traffic fatalities in 2019 to 109 deaths. These numbers are lower than years prior. Specifically, the fatality number according to the NHPSC’s records was 77 deaths in 2019; LVMPD’s 2018 records show 136 car accident deaths in that year.
Wrongful Death
When someone takes the life of another person in Florida – no matter if it was the result of negligence or negligence – the offender will likely face criminal charges and prison time. No matter what the underlying crime, however, anyone who is found responsible for the death or another may also face a civil lawsuit. Under the Florida Wrongful Death Act, family members of a deceased may file a wrongful death lawsuit against the person or entity believed to be responsible for the loved one’s untimely passing.
Damages available to the surviving family members in a Florida wrongful death suit include:
- Loss of support and services for those dependent upon the deceased;
- Loss companionship and protection, as well as pain and suffering, for the surviving spouse;
- Minor children’s loss of parental companionship, guidance, and instruction, as well as pain and suffering;
- Pain and suffering for parents of a deceased child who was wrongfully killed; or
- Medical and/or funeral expenses.
Damages available to the deceased’s estate in a Florida wrongful death suit include:
- Loss of the deceased’s earnings from the date of injury to the date of death;
- Loss of the reasonable accumulation of wealth of the estate if the deceased had lived longer;
- Medical and/or funeral expenses paid by the estate or on behalf of the deceased.
Let Our Attorneys Help
Car accidents happen every day across our nation. Unfortunately, some car accidents are more serious than others and sometimes crash victims are killed. Not surprisingly, the lives of the families and loved ones of those involved in a fatal crash are changed forever. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a Las Vegas, Nevada car accident, contact the skilled Las Vegas personal injury attorneys at Matt Pfau Law Group.
