Henderson is the second largest city behind Las Vegas in the State of Nevada. Every day, thousands of pedestrians walk through Henderson on their way to work, restaurants, shopping centers and casinos. Unfortunately, careless, distracted and reckless drivers put these pedestrians at risk.
Any time a motor vehicle comes into contact with a pedestrian, the outcome can be catastrophic. If you or a loved one has been injured in this type of accident, our Henderson pedestrian accident lawyers can help you pick up the pieces and move forward with your life. The legal team at Koch & Brim, LLP has decades of experience to put to work on your behalf. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Why Choose Our Pedestrian Accident Lawyer in Henderson
- We have a long track record of success. Our Henderson personal injury attorneys have collected millions of dollars in settlements and jury verdicts for our clients.
- Our Henderson car accident lawyers care about their clients. Your case will be handled by one of our attorneys, not an assistant or paralegal.
- We are aggressive litigators who are not afraid of going to trial, when necessary. Our law firm knows how to go up against auto insurance companies and win.
- Your Henderson personal injury attorney will work on a contingency fee basis. This means you will only pay your lawyer if we win your case.
How Can an Experienced Pedestrian Accident Attorney Help?
In the aftermath of a pedestrian accident in Henderson or Las Vegas, it is important to realize that the driver’s insurance company does not want what is best for you. Despite how friendly an insurance claims adjuster might seem on the phone, his or her job is to save the insurance carrier as much money as possible on your claim. The best way to protect yourself during claim negotiations is by hiring a Henderson personal injury attorney to represent you.
At Koch & Brim, LLP, our injury lawyers can:
- Answer your legal questions and list your legal options after listening to your story.
- Investigate your pedestrian accident, including revisiting the scene and discovering witnesses.
- Determine the cause of the pedestrian collision and collect evidence of negligence.
- Fill out and file all legal paperwork required to bring your injury claim.
- Navigate Nevada law in a way that best protects your legal rights as a victim.
- Handle negotiations with an insurance company to fight for maximum compensation.
- Take your case to trial in Clark County, if necessary (although most cases settle).
Our attorneys are not afraid of going up against powerful adversaries for our clients, such as a motor vehicle driver’s insurance company. We will do what it takes to obtain fair compensation for your medical bills, property damage and other losses from the at-fault party. Most importantly, we will guide you through the legal process for injured pedestrians and make sure you have everything you need. We have the resources and personnel to help you during this difficult time.
Who Is Liable for a Pedestrian Accident in Henderson?
Nevada is a fault-based car accident state. This means the person or party that is liable – meaning legally and financially responsible – for a pedestrian accident is the one at fault for causing the crash. Your lawyer can help you understand the cause of your pedestrian accident to go up against the correct defendant(s). For the most part, a defendant’s insurance company will be the party receiving the claim.
Possible liable parties in your Henderson pedestrian accident case could include:
- A motor vehicle driver
- A motorist’s employer
- The manufacturer of a defective vehicle part
- The city or state government (for a road defect)
- A property owner
- A third party
In many cases, multiple parties are named as defendants. This can help maximize the victim’s financial recovery by providing greater insurance coverage for compensable losses. After our attorneys identify the cause of your pedestrian accident, we can search for key evidence to support your case against one or more negligent parties. Evidence may include witness statements, photographs, video footage, accident reports and expert testimony.
Compensation Available for Injured Pedestrians in Nevada
At Koch & Brim, LLP, we know that no financial settlement or judgment award could possibly be enough to make up for a serious pedestrian accident in Henderson. However, we also recognize the financial struggle that most victims go through as they deal with expensive medical treatments and – in many cases – miss days or weeks of work while they recover. Our goal is to maximize the case outcomes that our clients achieve to help them move forward as much as possible.
Injured pedestrians in Nevada may be entitled to fair compensation for the following losses:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Lost future capacity to earn
- Temporary or permanent disability
- Disfiguring scars
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of quality of life
- Personal property damage
- Wrongful death damages, if applicable
- Punitive damages, in rare cases
Hiring a lawyer to take over your case can help you collect maximum compensation for the full extent of your losses, including estimated future medical expenses connected to catastrophic injuries. Our accident attorneys have years of experience going up against insurance companies on behalf of our clients and achieving the case results that they deserve with smart legal strategies. As your lawyers, we will treat your injury case as if it were our own.
How Long Do You Have to File Your Pedestrian Accident Claim in Nevada?
While most auto accident cases in Henderson reach settlements, you may have to go to trial if an insurance company refuses to offer a fair or reasonable settlement. If you have to file a lawsuit, Nevada has a personal injury law called the statute of limitations that places a time limit on your right to file. Under this law, a pedestrian accident claim must be filed within at least two years of the accident.
Many injuries, including serious injuries such as brain injuries and spinal cord trauma, have delayed symptoms. If you did not discover that you were injured right away, you will have two years from the date of reasonable discovery to file. If you wish to file a wrongful death claim on behalf of a loved one who passed away in a fatal pedestrian accident in Henderson, you will have two years from his or her date of death rather than the date of the accident, if these two dates differ.
Do not wait to contact an attorney about a pedestrian accident that occurs anywhere in Nevada. Waiting puts you at risk of missing the statute of limitations and losing the right to seek financial compensation for your losses forever. Prompt legal action can also lead to a stronger personal injury case, as important evidence may become lost or destroyed over time; for example, eyewitness statements may become less reliable.
Pedestrian Laws in Henderson, Nevada
The pedestrian laws in Nevada – especially in busy metropolitan areas such as downtown Henderson and the Las Vegas Strip – are often misunderstood by residents and tourists alike. For example, it is a common misconception that pedestrians always have the right-of-way. In reality, pedestrians only have the right to cross the road at crosswalks and intersections. If the intersection has a traffic control signal, pedestrians must wait until they are given the signal to cross.
Nevada Revised Statute Section 484B.287 requires automobile drivers (and motorcyclists) to yield to all pedestrians who are crossing the road at marked and unmarked crosswalks. This includes at every intersection. If a pedestrian is in violation of a traffic control signal, however, he or she does not have the right to cross the road. In addition, no pedestrian may leave a curb or place of safety and enter the path of a vehicle that is approaching closely enough to constitute a hazard.
Nevada law also states that drivers must exercise due care to avoid collisions with pedestrians at all times (Section 484B.280). This duty of care comes with responsibilities such as exercising proper caution upon observing a pedestrian on or near a road or highway, at a bus stop or bench for public transportation, in or near a school zone, or in a marked or unmarked crosswalk. This law also requires drivers to honk their horns when appropriate and necessary to avoid a pedestrian collision.
Top Causes of Pedestrian-Vehicle Collisions in Nevada
Negligence is the number one cause of pedestrian collisions in Nevada. Negligence is a breach of the duty of care, meaning a failure to use an ordinary or reasonable degree of care. Driver error is a common example of negligence. If a negligent motor vehicle driver causes a preventable car accident, he or she can be held responsible for losses suffered by accident victims.
The most common causes of pedestrian accidents in Henderson include:
- Distracted driving
- Texting and driving
- Drivers violating traffic signs and signals
- Running red lights and stop signs
- Speeding motorists
- Driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
- Failing to notice pedestrians in crosswalks
- Turning corners without checking for crossing pedestrians
- Backing out of parking spots and driveways without looking
In some cases, Henderson pedestrian accidents are traced back to causes not associated with driver errors, such as a poorly designed roadway, dangerous parking lot or malfunctioning traffic light. A lawyer from Koch & Brim, LLP can conduct a comprehensive investigation of your accident to determine its cause. Then, we can name the appropriate defendant(s) to name in your injury claim.
Common Pedestrian Accident Injuries
Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users. This means they are at the highest risk of suffering life-threatening injuries in traffic accidents. According to statistics from the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety, 84 pedestrian fatalities were reported in the state in 2021. Clark County had the highest number by far at 65 deaths. Pedestrians represented almost one-fourth of all fatalities in Nevada. Even if a victim survives a pedestrian accident, his or her life could be changed forever by a severe injury.
Common pedestrian accident injuries include:
- Amputations
- Broken bones
- Compound fractures
- Crush injuries
- Dislocations
- Internal injuries
- Lacerations and bruising
- Ligament and muscle trauma
- Lower extremity injuries
- Neck and back injuries
- Pelvis fractures
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Wrongful death
At Koch & Brim, LLP, we help clients who have suffered catastrophic injuries, as well as families who have lost loved ones in fatal pedestrian collisions. Our experienced Henderson attorneys can help an injured pedestrian with all of these common injuries, and others. No matter what type of injury you or a loved one has suffered, contact us to discuss your legal options in detail with an attorney who cares about your recovery and future.
What to Do After Being Hit by a Car in Henderson
Getting hit by a car is a frightening and traumatic experience. If all you can focus on after a crash is getting medical care, that is fine. Your safety and health are most important. An experienced legal team can help you build a case against the at-fault party under any circumstances.
If possible, however, take the following steps to protect your rights as an injured pedestrian:
- Try to remain calm and call for help immediately by contacting local law enforcement.
- Get medical care without delay from a hospital or emergency room in Henderson.
- Do not admit fault for the pedestrian accident.
- Exchange information with the motor vehicle driver who hit you.
- If there are any witnesses at the scene, get their information.
- Before you leave the scene, take photographs.
- Write down your police report number and obtain a copy of the report.
- File a claim with the driver’s auto insurance company.
- Do not accept an insurance settlement before consulting with an attorney.
- Contact a Henderson pedestrian accident lawyer to discuss your injury case right away.
Help is available for injured pedestrians at Koch & Brim, LLP. If you get hit by a car in Henderson, our attorneys are here for you. We guide accident victims through every phase of the recovery process, from finding the right doctor for your injuries to reaching a settlement with an insurance company.
Contact Our Henderson Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Today – Free Case Consultation
You have rights as a victim of a pedestrian accident in Henderson, Nevada. The attorneys at Koch & Brim, LLP can help you understand, protect and exercise these rights. We care about our clients and offer personalized legal services to pursue the best possible results for every case. We can help you rebuild your life during this difficult time.
For more information about how we can help you, schedule a free consultation with a Henderson pedestrian accident attorney today. Call (702) 451-3900 or contact us online anytime.