Las Vegas Car
Accident Lawyers
Car accidents occur more frequently in Las Vegas than in other jurisdictions in Nevada, with nearly 20,000 auto accidents producing injuries in the Las Vegas area. It requires specific knowledge of Nevada’s complex liability laws and experience handling insurance companies. For this reason, it is important to retain the services of an experienced Las Vegas auto accident lawyer immediately.
These crashes range from minor fender benders to more serious head-on collisions. The aftermath of an automobile accident can be challenging to navigate on your own. Call or email our Las Vegas car accident attorneys today. We will fight to find answers to all your questions and will work tirelessly to build a case designed to collect maximum compensation.
- Were you injured in a drunk driving accident on the Las Vegas Strip?
- Perhaps you were involved in a hit and run while traveling to the McCarran International Airport?
- Did you suffer an injury in a rear-end accident outside Summerlin Hospital Medical Center?
Choose the Best Las Vegas Car Accident Attorney Near Me
Our Experienced Las Vegas Injury Law Firm
After a car accident in Las Vegas, you may not know where to turn for help. While you may know you need an attorney, how do you choose the best car accident lawyer near you?
Choosing a Las Vegas injury attorney to represent you after an accident isn’t easy. It is a highly personal decision and one that should not be taken lightly. The best lawyer for your case will be one with considerable experience representing accident victims with your specific types of injuries. The best attorney will also have the time and resources to take on your case and will work on a contingency basis.
We know that you have many choices when it comes to choosing a law firm. After a car accident in Las Vegas, your life may never quite be the same. You may find yourself facing long-term disability, as well as a lifetime of pain and suffering. Unfortunately, injured accident victims are often left on their own to deal with their injuries, as well as the insurance companies. This can cause a tremendous amount of stress during an already difficult time. Even if your injuries are relatively minor, you may find that the insurance companies do not want to pay you what you deserve.
We want to take the burden off of you after a car accident in Las Vegas. Our attorneys know that your time and energy is better spent on your recovery. That is why we offer free consultations to all prospective clients. We can meet with you in your home, your hospital room, or at our office. We can even meet with you virtually during this time.
The Law Offices of Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC, can help you answer these questions and understand the liability aspects of your case. We will check every avenue of revenue to protect your rights and help you recover from a Las Vegas car accident. With offices in Downtown Las Vegas, Summerlin, Henderson, and Reno, we are here whenever you need us. Let us show you why so many injured Las Vegas car accident survivors choose us to represent them after a car crash. Call us at 702-382-9797 or fill out our confidential contact form.
Collecting Compensation After an Auto Accident in Las Vegas
Most injured accident victims want to know how much their case is worth. After all, medical bills begin quickly piling up after a serious car accident. In addition, many are unable to work and provide for their families during this time. This can further increase the financial stress they feel while they are recovering.
To help answer this question, it is important to speak to an experienced injury attorney in Las Vegas. Your lawyer will be able to examine the details surrounding your car accident and evaluate the injuries you suffered. There are many factors that will help determine how much compensation you may receive from the responsible party, including:
- Type of car accident
- Liable parties involved
- Insurance limits on all policies
- Injuries suffered
- Long-term complications or disabilities suffered
At The Law Offices of Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC, our Las Vegas car accident attorneys will begin by meeting with you to discuss your case. We will then work with your medical team, and other experts to effectively evaluate your injuries. Our goal is to understand the scope of your injuries and how they may affect your life – and your future.
From there, we will gather the evidence necessary to establish all the parties responsible for your accident and your injuries. Sometimes, multiple parties share the blame for your Las Vegas car accident. This could include the bar that served the drunk driver or the city responsible for maintaining the roads.
This extensive investigation helps us build the best case for our car accident clients. We are often able to obtain significantly more compensation for them and their families. This includes compensation for:
- Bills resulting from injuries
- Rehabilitation expenses
- Long-term care
- Car repair and property damage
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earnings
- Pain and suffering
Car Accidents in Las Vegas
Where Do Auto Accidents Occur in Las Vegas?
With its combination of alcohol and driving, Las Vegas tops the charts for motor vehicle accidents. With more than 8,000 DUI arrests every year, Clark County has its share of fender benders, vehicle crashes, and fatalities. In addition, Las Vegas has gridlocked streets with stoplights every mile, and drivers heavily use cell phones in automobiles. Consequently, this equates to too much negligent driving and reckless car crashes.
The Nevada Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) reports that between 2012 and 2019, 2,417 people lost their lives on Nevada roadways, with both 2016 and 2018 the highest by year with 329 Nevada traffic fatalities. In any given year, as many as 200 persons die in motor vehicle accidents in Clark County alone. Between 2015 and 2019 there were 970 fatalities in Clark County, with Washoe County a distant second with 193 fatalities.
Some of the most dangerous roads in Las Vegas include, but are not limited to:
- Flamingo Road
- Pecos Road
- I-215
- I-15
- South Rainbow Boulevard
- West Charleston Boulevard
- Boulder Highway
- Nellis Boulevard
- West Sahara Avenue
- U.S. Highway 93
- Las Vegas Boulevard
Accidents in Las Vegas most frequently occur in and around major casinos, shopping centers, and hospitals. They also occur on many of the busy highways, interstates, and thoroughfares traveling in and out of the city.
Types of Car Accidents in Las Vegas
What Type of Las Vegas Car Accident Were You Involved In?
At The Law Offices of Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC, our Las Vegas car accident lawyers excel at handling a variety of car accidents. We know that no two accidents are ever quite the same. Each one requires precise knowledge of the laws, as well as the best way to effectively build a case for compensation.
DUI Accidents in Las Vegas
DUI accidents continue to haunt Nevada residents and tourists traveling our cities’ roadways. Alcohol is a 24-hour hobby in Nevada, and the risk of driving here is that much greater given all the consumption. Almost one-third of all traffic deaths in Nevada involved a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 or more, the legal limit for driving under the influence (DUI).
Stiffer punishments do not deter criminal conduct, and every year more people die because people get behind the wheel while intoxicated; others are permanently injured. While criminal penalties await anyone who causes an accident because of drug or alcohol impairment, this does nothing for accident victims. Injured car accident victims must file a civil lawsuit to recover the compensation they need to put their lives back together again.
Unfortunately, drunk drivers in Las Vegas often do not maintain the best insurance coverage, if at all. Consequently, many victims of drunk driving accidents incorrectly feel there is no way to seek recourse. This is where our Las Vegas car accident lawyers can help.
Drunk driving deserves extra attention here because it accounts for a large portion of the fatalities on Las Vegas highways—something we’ve seen firsthand since many of our clients have suffered from hazardous and even fatal accidents at the hand of drunk drivers. Often, the drunk driver will leave the scene, trying to disappear and avoid responsibility—and making a car accident lawyer more necessary for the successful recovery of compensation.
If you were the victim of an accident caused by a drunk driver, retain an aggressive attorney that will fight for your rights in getting the compensation you deserve. Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC will use the facts of the DUI to push the insurance companies to the limit in resolving your case.
If the injuries resulted from a DUI accident are severe, the attorneys at Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC, may decide to file a lawsuit immediately rather than try to resolve the case pre-litigation. The advantages of doing this are case-specific. Should your injuries or the injuries of a loved one result from a DUI accident, please take a moment to fill out a summary of the events on our website or contact us by phone and an experienced attorney will call you back.
T-bone Accidents
A T-bone collision is sometimes referred to as a broadside. It happens when the front end of one vehicle hits the side of another vehicle, roughly forming the shape of the letter T.
T-bones most often happen at intersections when one driver fails to obey a stop sign or signal. T-bones account for a significant proportion of fatal and severe injury accidents at intersections every year.
Side impact car accidents often result in traumatic injuries. A party who runs a stop sign or stoplight usually causes side impacts; thus, no braking or vehicle slowing occurs. The energy from the speeds of both cars is transferred to the occupants. Spinal and/or neck injuries are very prominent, as well as major bone injuries like fractured ribs, broken pelvis, lumbar spine injuries, fractured legs and arms, and serious head trauma.
These types of accidents require a lawyer with specific knowledge of side impact forces, as well as the injuries they cause. At The Law Offices of Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC, our attorneys know how to investigate these accidents to build a solid case for compensation. Our attorneys work with specialists in various fields to identify how the accident occurred and who is to blame. For example, the impact areas of the struck vehicles can tell our investigators who may have entered the intersection first, and skid marks can also help determine speeds. Vehicle recording devices also help our investigators determine exact speeds at the time of impact.
Las Vegas Rear-End Car Accidents
Rear-end car accidents are some of the most common accidents in Nevada—and the number one contributor to these accidents is speed. Rear-end collisions are almost always caused by the rear driver going too fast for traffic conditions or following too closely to the car ahead of them, leaving themselves insufficient time and/or space to stop. If one car is often totally stopped, the impacts can kill people if the speeds are high enough.
Distracted driving is also a major cause of rear-end accidents as texting, cell phone use, and other attention-grabbing issues distract the driver from being careful. Intersections and freeways are major rear-end accident areas as well.
Experienced car accident attorneys who are used to handling such impacts are aware of the needs of rear-end victims as the injuries tend to involve the neck and lower back. Whiplash is also a common injury that can require months of rehabilitation and treatment. Often the injuries are severe and permanent.
Particularly dangerous are motor vehicle rear-end accidents that take place on Nevada’s freeways (I-95, I-15, I-215, I-80, U.S. 395). Traffic will often bottleneck, thereby causing vehicles to abruptly stop. Those operating commercial vehicles such as semi tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers, big rigs, or other heavy equipment need to leave adequate space between themselves and vehicles traveling in front of them. Accidents involving heavy commercial vehicles often result in horrific injuries.
Multi-car Accidents in Las Vegas
Multi-car accidents are typically rear end style accidents where car one hits car two, and car two hits car three, and so on. Unsafe lane changes, whereby a vehicle makes contact with the front or rear of a victim’s vehicle are also common. In unsafe lane change accidents, the victim’s car often spins out of control, often striking other vehicles or even crossing pedestrians.
Depending on the distance between the vehicles energy transfer can occur or be absorbed by any one car in the chain of events. These types of accidents stress the need for under-insurance coverage given that there are multiple parties with a likelihood of minimal insurance coverage; thus, the quandary of little coverage and major damages. The law does not discriminate who gets the lion’s share of the coverage in a multi-car accident. Often Las Vegas car accident victims must share the policy proceeds by way of an equal apportionment or more often, a pro-rata share.
When bodily injury and property damages expenses far exceed the policy limits of the at-fault party, the courts will decide how to split the monies if all parties can’t agree on a fair share. This can get complicated when one of the parties is not represented by counsel, as they may not understand the process causing unnecessary delay and typically costs more as it forces some of the parties to file unnecessary injury lawsuits.
Head-on Collisions
A head-on collision is just what it sounds like: the front of one car hits the other directly in the front. Multiple factors can cause head-on collisions, including weather, failure to check before turning or passing, falling asleep at the wheel, and speeding. So are drunk driving and distracted driving. Driving the wrong way or on the wrong side of the road is responsible for 2.3 percent of all traffic deaths.
Head-on collision car accidents can result in severe consequences. The inertia of energy created by head-on collisions is devastating and often results in death, occupant ejection, and/or catastrophic injuries. Occupants in such car accidents are fortunate to survive. Frontal airbags may avoid facial injuries, but the sudden deceleration is so severe that internal organs including the brain and spinal column often do not stay intact. Brain shearing injuries, spinal cord disruption, and major organ bleeding can occur.
Our Las Vegas car accident lawyers understand the horrific injuries that can occur after a head-on collision. We know that these injuries often result in a lifetime of pain and suffering, as well as long-term disabilities. That is why we offer aggressive, yet compassionate legal assistance for injured victims and their families from the start. We fight insurance companies and aren’t afraid to take these cases to court to get the compensation accident victims deserve.
Sideswipe Car Accidents
In a sideswipe, one car passes the other without sufficient space between them, and the cars scrape or bump each other on the side. It can also happen if a car is merging or changing lanes and doesn’t notice that another car is already in the lane or misjudges the speed at which the other car is approaching. Sideswipes can lead to serious accidents if either car is knocked or jarred into another lane or off the road.
Sideswipe car accidents also occur when a driver may overreact or actually take action to avoid a full-blown T-bone accident.
The severe jerking mechanism of the unexpected impacts can damage shoulders and necks.
Insurance companies often balk at injuries sustained in sideswipe accidents and can argue that the impact forces are not as severe as, say, a T-bone or intersection collision.
Car accident attorneys must understand the physics of the accident to understand what arguments the opposing side will make. The personal injury lawyers of Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC understand the vehicle dynamics of sideswipe car accidents and have handled thousands of vehicle accident cases. Our team investigates, researches, and analyzes the impact to causally link the accident to our clients’ injuries.
Fatal Automobile Accidents
A total of 331 fatal car crashes took place in Nevada in one recent year—roughly 27 per month. Almost any driver’s behavior can, unfortunately, cause a fatal crash. The single most common cause of a deadly crash, according to III, is speeding.
Fatal car accident attorneys are a special, seasoned breed of lawyers who know the applicable Nevada laws and understand how to establish an estate. Natural living heirs are the plaintiffs in a wrongful death action along with the administrator of the estate. The estate is only entitled to punitive damages, medical expenses, and funeral expenses.
Our law firm can represent the estate and the individual heirs in a wrongful death lawsuit. Sometimes it may not be prudent to open an estate if medical expenses were limited and reckless or intentional conduct was not involved (and thus punitive damages may not be available). Opening an estate is a very good idea if the medical expenses accumulated before the death of the decedent were high.
How Is Your Car Handled After It Is Damaged in a Las Vegas Accident?
Here at Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC, we strive to assist with all aspects of our clients’ claims arising out of a car accident. We would like to share some of what we do to ensure that you know what to expect in the event your car was damaged in an accident.
The handling of the damaged car is commonly known in the legal world as a property damage claim. The at-fault driver’s automobile insurance company generally handles that claim, once it has accepted responsibility for the accident. In other words, the at-fault driver’s insurance company will pay for the damage done to your vehicle. You may also have the option of having your insurance company handle the claim, but you have to maintain certain coverage to entertain that option.
Before that happens, an appraiser from an insurance company must record the extent of your car’s damage in an estimate. This helps the insurance company determine whether the vehicle is repairable or a total loss.
If your car is deemed repairable, you can take your payment from the insurance company and choose the mechanic and body shop to fix it.
If the insurance company deems your vehicle totaled, it is not obligated to repair the car. Instead, the insurance company will pay you fair market value, after you decide whether you want to keep the car or to surrender it to the insurance company. Under Nevada law, total loss means that the cost of the estimated repair exceeds 65 percent or more of the fair market value of the vehicle at the time it was damaged. As an option, you may choose to keep your totaled vehicle and obtain a salvage title along with a reduced payment.
Whether or not your vehicle is deemed repairable, in most instances, you are entitled to a rental car—but certain guidelines govern the type of car and the length of time you may have it.
Your property damage claim will close once you repair your vehicle or receive fair market value for it. Of course, you may face additional issues during the process. However, if those issues arise, Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC will walk with you every step of the way to guide you and bring your claim to an expeditious and proper resolution (see also: Property Damage and Auto Accidents).
Causes of Car Accidents in Las Vegas
Failure to Yield Car Accidents in Las Vegas
In various driving scenarios, vehicles are required by law to yield the right of way to other vehicles, as well as motorcycles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Nearly 18 percent of accident deaths occur because of an angled impact, often resulting from a failure to yield, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III).
Failure to yield car accidents are typical in Nevada because Las Vegas and Reno use green permissive lights requiring drivers to yield to oncoming traffic. Drivers often confuse the green circle with the green arrow thinking green means go. Drivers also will attempt to make a green circle turn thinking they can beat oncoming traffic who might also have a green light. Misjudging speed is a critical mistake and creates a liability mess if independent witnesses were not there to eyeball the accident. Similar to T-bone style accidents, vehicles often travel at excessive speeds when drivers fail to yield the right-of-way, causing severe injuries and death.
At the Law Offices of Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC, we have extensive experience representing victims of failure to yield accidents. We know that when a Defendant fails to obey Nevada’s Right-of-Way laws, and they are cited for their failure to do so, they become Negligent Per Se. This means that they are deemed negligent as a matter of law. Further, the Defendant driver’s employer may also be held liable if the driver was acting in the course and scope of his employment. Our car accident lawyers work tirelessly to uncover all liable parties after a serious failure to yield accident in Las Vegas.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving has several components, but talking or texting on an electronic device is likely the most common. It is illegal in Nevada to text, use a hand-held cell phone, or even to access the internet while you’re at the wheel. Drivers who text while they drive may feel they are only distracted for a split second, but in fact, they can cover the length of a football field in five seconds if they are going 55 miles per hour—more than enough space to have an accident.
More broadly, distracted driving can include taking your eyes or focus off the road and driving, including reaching for maps, CDs, or gazing around. Although many states have banned texting and talking while driving, and public attention has been focused on the dangers of distracted driving for more than a decade, it still claims 9 lives and injures 1,000 people in accidents each day nationwide, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Aggressive Driving
Aggressive driving is one of the leading causes of Las Vegas automobile accidents resulting in neck and back injuries. In fact, aggressive driving contributes to almost 50 percent of all car accidents on the roadway. Per the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, “Aggressive driving is when an individual commits a combination of moving traffic offenses that endangers other persons or property.”
There are many forms of aggressive driving which include:
- Speeding
- Driving too fast for conditions
- Tailgating or following too close
- Successive or rapid lane-changing maneuvers
- Failure to yield to the right-of-way
- Lane blocking
- Passing or traveling in the emergency lane or shoulder
- Racing
- Ignoring or disregarding traffic signals
- Failure to obey the laws governing safety zones or school zones
- Driving outside lanes or on the wrong side of the road
Aggressive driving usually leads to aggressive injuries including spinal displacement injuries such as a disc bulge or protrusion, neck and back sprain or strain injuries, head or traumatic brain injuries, and or death.
At Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC, our car accident attorneys in Las Vegas can assist you in putting the insurance companies on notice in opening a claim with the aggressive driver’s insurance carrier. Do not let them mitigate or downplay their aggressive driving. Aggressive drivers often attempt to deny or dispute what actually caused the accident after leaving the accident scene.
We work closely with investigators and when necessary we deploy investigators and engineers to the scene of an accident to survey the area and roadway, gather critical physical evidence such as skid marks, debris, and roadway indentions as well as gathering witness information and eyewitness statements. The fact-gathering process is critical in preserving the evidence in your case.
Our Las Vegas injury firm has successfully handled tens of thousands of car accident claims. Let our team of compassionate and experienced lawyers walk you through securing the evidence in your claim and protect your rights under Nevada law.
What happens if I contributed to my accident?
Check the police report and discuss the claim with your lawyer. Nevada law distinguishes between minors and adults. Parents are liable for the acts of their children up to $10,000 in certain circumstances.
How much compensation should I receive after a car accident?
After a car accident, the compensation you receive will vary depending on your injuries and the coverage carried by the person responsible for the accident. However, most people claim:
- Bills resulting from injury
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
If I have car insurance, do I need a lawyer after a car accident?
After a simple car accident involving only property damage, you may not need an attorney to help you pursue the compensation you deserve. On the other hand, if you suffer serious injuries, including Brain injury, traumatic brain injury, or spinal cord damage, you may need an attorney to help you seek the compensation you deserve.
Should I take the insurance company’s first offer when they contact me?
Sometimes, the responsible driver’s insurance company will contact you immediately after the accident to issue a settlement offer. The company may offer to send you a check immediately if you will sign the paperwork absolving it of further responsibility.
Unfortunately, these settlement offers often fail to reflect the full compensation you deserve from your injuries. You may discover, as you progress through your recovery, that your injuries cost more than you originally thought. While accepting that check can get funds in your hands fast, you may miss out on the full compensation you deserve. Always consult with an attorney before taking that offer.
Contact a Las Vegas Car Accident Lawyer
Contact our Las Vegas injury law firm to help you deal with the basics of the car accident:
- Retrieval of your car from storage/tow truck yard
- Vehicle repair estimates
- Recorded statements with insurance companies
- Providing notice to insurers of potential claims
- Obtaining a rental car
- Arranging the best specialized medical care
- Gaining copies of the police report
- Investigating your accident
- Identifying all liable parties
- Gathering evidence
- Interviewing eyewitnesses
- Employing specialists and experts
- Negotiating with insurance companies
If an ambulance took you to the emergency room for treatment there, you likely did not receive a copy of the police report. Don’t worry—we can obtain that for you, based on the date and cross streets of the accident.
How much will it cost to hire an attorney to represent me after a car accident?
After a car accident, you may worry that you do not have the money to hire a lawyer to represent you. Fortunately, you have options. At Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC, we make it easy for you to afford the attorney you need after an accident with serious injuries. We start with a free consultation, which gives both us and you a better idea of what you might face as a result of your injuries. We take clients on a contingency fee basis—rather than requiring payment upfront, we take our payment from the compensation you recover after your accident.
Will I have to go to court over my car accident claim?
An attorney cannot determine ahead of time if you will need to go to court over your car accident claim. Some insurance companies offer reasonable compensation for injured victims. Other insurance companies, however, may show less generosity. At Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC, we prioritize getting our clients the compensation they deserve. If we can settle out of court, we try to do so. If we cannot, we will go to court to fight for the compensation our clients deserve.
Did a Car Accident Injure You? Call Our Las Vegas Car Accident Attorneys Today
Let Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC, start your claim off on the right path by listening to you, calculating your damage, and identifying all of the available insurance relating to your accident. We are here to help. Just give us a call at (702) 382-9797, or send us an email through our online contact form.
Client Testimonials
“Never being in a car accident before I wasn’t sure about the best way to go about things. Being referred to Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC made this process ease and flow. Phillip was so helpful with making sure I had a full understanding with every step and communicating consistently with me on things. I am so happy with the service I obtained with my case. You guys are the best!!!”
Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Angelique R. Read more reviews on Google!
Hear this testimonial from retired USAF Airman Phillip Sisneros about how Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC helped him through his horrific car accident
A second testimonial from Ty Pierce about his experience with Benson & Bingham Accident Injury Lawyers, LLC
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