Board-Certified
Neurologist & Attorney
Click for a free car accident consultation

Las Vegas Car Accident Attorney

Motorists today face risks on the roadways, no matter how diligently they drive. Careless, inattentive, and inexperienced drivers cause crashes and injuries every day. If you have been hurt in a car accident that was someone else’s fault, contact The Janda Law Firm in Las Vegas right away. Our Las Vegas car accident lawyer is also a neurologist with the medical experience and knowledge that can be of benefit to you when filing a claim or lawsuit.

Why Choose Our Las Vegas Car Accident Lawyers?

  • Our Las Vegas injury attorneys prepare all our cases as though we were going to trial, with thorough, well-researched legal strategies aimed at pursuing the maximum possible compensation.
  • We know about the tactics defense experts use and how to counter them in court or in settlement negotiations.
  • Founding Dr. Paul Janda is a board-certified neurologist. We understand trauma to the brain and spinal cord, and other complex medical evidence involved in car accident cases.

Las Vegas Car Accident Resources

Common Causes of Car Accidents

A number of factors contribute to car wrecks, many involving driver errors. Common causes of car accidents include:

  • Distracted driving: According to NHTSA, distracted driving killed 3,166 people in a single recent year. Sending or receiving a text message takes a driver’s eyes off the road for five seconds, which is equivalent to driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed.
  • Drunk driving: Driving under the influence of alcohol is a crime, but it does not prevent drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel. NHTSA reports that 29% of Nevada traffic fatalities in a recent year involved alcohol-impaired driving.
  • Driving under the influence of drugs: Marijuana, prescription medications, and illegal drugs can seriously impair driving and lead to accidents.
  • Speeding: As reported by NHTSA, speeding killed 9,717 people and accounted for 26% of all traffic fatalities in a recent year. Speeding increases the risk of losing control of the vehicle. It also increases stopping distance and crash severity.
  • Aggressive driving: This is a combination of dangerous driving behaviors that include speeding, tailgating, unsafe and erratic lane changes, running red lights and stop signs, and refusing to yield the right-of-way to other drivers.

car accident attorney in Las Vegas

Common Injuries in Las Vegas Car Accidents

Car accidents can be very serious and result in painful, sometimes life-threatening injuries. Many survivors of Las Vegas car accidents live with lifelong impairments due to the crash, such as mobility difficulties, post-traumatic stress disorder, and brain damage.

Examples of injuries in Las Vegas car accidents include the following.

Should You File an Insurance Claim or Lawsuit After a Collision?

Nevada is a fault accident state when it comes to motor vehicle collisions. If a negligent driver causes an accident, the victims have the right to hold him or her accountable for their losses. Typically, Las Vegas car accident victims have three options to pursue compensation after a collision.

  • A victim can file an insurance claim against the at-fault party’s policy. All drivers in Nevada are required to carry certain amounts of liability insurance.
  • A victim can file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver in Nevada civil court.
  • A victim can file an insurance claim against his or her own coverage, as long as he or she has the appropriate policies.

Many car accident cases begin as insurance claims and reach a settlement during this stage. If the claim is unsuccessful, the plaintiff can choose to escalate his or her claim to a lawsuit. However, there are certain situations where you should file a lawsuit from the beginning.

For example, if you have extensive damages that exceed the at-fault driver’s policy limits, you will not be able to collect full compensation in an insurance claim alone. You may want to file a lawsuit so that you can recover the highest award possible.

This decision may seem complex, but an attorney can help. Your Las Vegas car accident lawyer from the Janda Law Firm can evaluate your case and identify your optimal pathway to maximum compensation.

Damages Available in Las Vegas Car Accident Claims

By filing a Las Vegas car accident claim, you can recover compensation for the economic and non-economic losses that you experienced due to the crash. Economic damages involve financial hardships, such as medical care and property repairs. On the other hand, non-economic damages refer to the physical and emotional pain and suffering that you endured.

Examples of damages available to Las Vegas car accident victims include the following.

  • All past and future medical expenses related to the collision, such as surgeries, prescription medications, and hospital stays
  • Lost wages during your recovery period, as well as a loss of future earnings if your injuries prevent you from going to work
  • Property damage that you sustained in the accident, including vehicle repairs and replacements
  • Chronic pain, permanent disability, scarring, and other physical impacts of the accident
  • Emotional distress, mental anguish, depression, anxiety, and other forms of psychological suffering

In a car accident lawsuit, you may also be eligible for punitive damages. Unlike compensatory damages, which reimburse you for your losses, punitive damages are meant to punish the at-fault driver. You can collect this compensation if you can prove that your accident was caused by fraud, malice, oppression, or a conscious disregard for your safety.

Who Is Liable?

Like many other states, Nevada operates under a modified comparative negligence rule in car accident cases. Each driver involved in a crash may be assigned some portion of fault for the accident. If you are not more than 50% at fault for a car wreck, you may recover compensation for your injuries. However, your award will be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned, if any. The first step is a full evaluation of the facts in your case.

car accident lawyer La Vegas

What to Do After a Car Accident In Las Vegas

The moments after a car crash can feel overwhelming. However, this time is the most crucial for a future car accident case. Your actions after the accident will impact your future claim, so it is important to take the following steps to protect yourself and your right to compensation.

Call 911

First, call 911 and report the accident to the police. When the responding officer arrives, provide your side of the story, but avoid making statements about the severity of your injuries or your potential liability. You can state how the accident occurred if you remember the facts, but be cautious. If you do not know an answer, say “I don’t know.”

After speaking with the responding officer, collect his or her name and badge number so that you can find the police report at a later time. This document will serve as a critical piece of evidence in your claim and can help validate important facts about the accident.

Seek Medical Attention

As soon as possible following the accident, seek medical attention for your injuries. Visit a hospital and save all records related to your treatment and injuries. These documents will also serve as important pieces of evidence by validating the cause, extent, and long-term implications of your injuries.

You should always go to the doctor after a motor vehicle collision, even if you do not feel injured after the accident. You may have underlying or internal injuries, or shock could be numbing your symptoms. Going to the hospital can help you receive necessary medical care before it is too late.

Additionally, failure to visit a doctor can cast doubt on your claim. Insurance companies may view this information and believe that your injuries are not serious, using these facts to reduce or deny your claim. Protect your future case by going to the hospital as soon as possible following the collision.

Document Evidence

If you are able to move around the accident scene without putting yourself in danger or at risk of further injury, document as much evidence as possible. Collect physical items like clothing or broken possessions. If any witnesses are in the area, ask for their contact details so that you can speak to them about the accident.

Take as many photographs as you can of the accident scene, including the following objects.

  • Visible injuries
  • Damage to all vehicles
  • Debris
  • Skid marks
  • The area around the scene
  • Any traffic signs or signals
  • The positions of the vehicles on the road

You should also briefly exchange contact, license, and insurance information with the at-fault driver. Keep the interaction short and do not make any statements about the accident. If the driver offers to settle the matter at the scene, deny his or her request.

Contact a Las Vegas Car Accident Lawyer

After the accident, a representative from the at-fault driver’s insurance company may contact you and ask for a statement. While this offer may seem tempting, you should not speak to an insurance representative before consulting with a Las Vegas car accident lawyer.

Insurance companies have a duty to protect their interests and may try to limit your compensation by obtaining an early statement. On the other hand, a car accident lawyer from the Janda Law Firm is dedicated to achieving your maximum compensation.

If an insurance company contacts you after the accident, politely decline the request. Speak to an attorney as soon as possible following your accident to discuss your legal options.

Do I Need A Lawyer After A Car Accident?

After a Las Vegas car accident, you may wonder if you need a lawyer to resolve your case. Your injuries may seem minor, and the claims process feels relatively straightforward. In cases involving complex collisions or accidents that result in injury or property damage, however, it is in your best interest to hire a car accident lawyer.

By hiring a car accident attorney from The Janda Law Firm to represent your case, you hire an advocate who is dedicated to achieving the best possible outcome on your behalf. You also gain access to several important benefits, such as the following.

  • Navigating a car accident claim in Las Vegas can be difficult, especially after a recent injury. With a lawyer on your side, you will have someone who will handle each stage of your claim from consultation to settlement. Your attorney will handle all negotiations, court processes, and other tasks on your behalf, allowing you to focus on healing.
  • Your car accident attorney will work diligently to support your side of the story, crafting a compelling case for your maximum compensation. He will conduct a full investigation into your accident and leverage valuable resources, such as expert witnesses, to validate complex liability questions and establish your right to recovery.
  • Your car accident lawyer will have years of experience representing injured car accident victims throughout Las Vegas. He will leverage this knowledge to guide you throughout the litigation process, providing the support you need at each stage of your claim.
  • You may not know the full extent of your injuries and damages. Your attorney will have the resources and knowledge to calculate your future award. He or she can identify all forms of compensation that you could claim and estimate your potential settlement value.

Connect Our LV Car Accident Attorneys Today

At The Janda Law Firm in Las Vegas, we provide strong legal representation and full documentation to support your case, to increase your chances of prevailing in settlement negotiations or in the trial. Contact us today for dedicated legal advocacy from our experienced Las Vegas car accident lawyers.