A car accident involving multiple vehicles reported in Las Vegas earlier this month has left at least one dead, according to news reports. Late into the evening, nearing 10:00pm, Las Vegas Police Department (LVPD) officers and emergency medical workers responded to the crash site. The accident, according to authorities, occurred on the southbound lane of Interstate 15 close to Mesquite Boulevard at Exit 112. Reports that were initially released about the crash from LVPD indicated that the accident involved two cars and that medical responders transported at least one to a local hospital. The cause of the crash remains unclear, as does the total number of accident victims and the extent of their injuries.
Multi-Vehicle Vehicle Accidents
Nevada’s Department of Transportation (NDOT) statistics show that more than 50,000 car crashes occur in the state every year. The majority of these accidents, according to Las Vegas’s Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), occur within the metropolitan region of the city. A breakdown by region of car accidents in the state of Nevada revealed that about 70% of deadly rashes happen in urban areas. Moreover, nearly half of all accidents occur in Clark County—specifically in Las Vegas and Henderson.
When someone is involved in a multi-vehicle crash, they are left facing both physical and financial difficulties. The most common car accident injuries include:
- Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis;
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs);
- Broken or fractured bones;
- Internal bleeding;
- Scrapes, cuts, and bruises.
Accident victims and families are especially vulnerable in the aftermath of car accidents that result in injuries and/or death.
Nevada’s Comparative Negligence
If you are involved in a Nevada car accident, it is important to know how monetary compensation may be awarded if you are successful in your personal injury lawsuit. Specifically, drivers in Nevada who are involved in a car accident and are partially at fault for causing the crash may still be able to recover damages, but at a reduced amount. This is known as comparative negligence and is important because not all states follow this legal doctrine.
Nevada follows a modified comparative negligence rule, which functions to make the results of personal injury lawsuits fair. This is particularly true in multi-vehicle accidents where more than one driver may be partially at fault for the crash. Under this rule, drivers can only recover monetary compensation relative to the percentage of the total damages for which they are not found to be at fault. Additionally, a driver must be 50% or less responsible for causing the collision–otherwise, no monetary compensation may be awarded. Moreover, if more than one person is found to be at fault for the crash, each pays according to their percentage of blame.
Deciding who is at fault in a Nevada car accident typically falls in the hands of the jury, who hear all of the evidence on the case. A jury hearing a Nevada car accident case can determine the total damages by assigning a percentage level of blame assigned to each party involved.
Contact Our Attorneys
If you or a loved one has been in an accident in Nevada, contact the skilled attorneys at H&P Law to learn about your rights and obligations under applicable law. Our experienced personal injury lawyers will walk you through every step of the process and fight for the monetary compensation you deserve.
