The Dangers of Left Turns In Las Vegas

Taking a left turn usually requires crossing a lane or two of oncoming traffic. A driver who doesn’t make sure an intersection is clear before taking a left turn can misjudge the speed of other vehicles and can cause a car accident. When left turns result in a collision, the driver who took a left turn is often held liable for the accident.

In the state of Nevada, the laws regulating right-of-way require drivers to wait until there is enough room to cross safely in front of cars or wait until they have passed before taking a left turn. Left turn errors that end in T-bone accidents and other collisions can cause severe injuries to other drivers. If you have been injured in a car accident caused by a left turn gone wrong, you should contact a car accident attorney in Las Vegas to explore your legal options.

As a car accident victim, you may be able to seek compensation for your medical bills and other damages from the driver who was at fault. At Cogburn Law, we help injured victims in Las Vegas pursue compensation after accidents caused by someone else’s negligence. If you are an immigrant and are afraid you can’t file a car accident claim, you can. Learn all about it here.

Statistics Of Left Turn Accidents

The majority of left-turn accidents take place at intersections. They can also occur when pulling out of parking lots or driveways. According to a study on intersection accidents 22% of accidents were caused by left turns. Another study showed 60% of accidents at intersections in a year were caused by left turns as well.

Left-turn accidents at intersections may be caused by a driver’s:

• Turning with a blocked view
• Inadequate attention
• Wrong assumption about other drivers’ actions
• Misjudgment on gaps between cars or speed of cars
• Distractions

According to Zero Fatalities Nevada, between the years 2015 and 2019, there were 477 fatal crashes at intersections in Nevada. 511 lives were claimed. Around 381 of them took place in Clark County. In the state of Nevada, 32% of all car accident fatalities are caused by intersection accidents.

Who Is Liable in a Left Turn Car Accident?

In the majority of cases, a left turn accident is considered a failure to yield. The driver who does not yield right of way while trying to do a left turn is considered liable. However, that is not always the case.

The driver of the car passing by the intersection may be liable in a left turn accident when they:

• Run a stop sign or a red light. In this case, the driver who did this failed to yield and caused the accident
• Speed. If the driver is speeding they can be in the intersection when the other driver takes a left turn
• Drive distracted. When a driver is on the phone, texting, or is distracted could have avoided the crash if they were paying attention to the road
• Drive while impaired. If a driver was drinking, tired, or using drugs, that may have played a big part in the driver’s inability to avoid the crash

It is very important to determine who was at fault for the accident because given Nevada’s modified comparative fault rule. Under this law, a jury must consider how much an injured party contributed to the accident and injuries caused by it. If an injured driver was at fault in any way, the jury assigns a fault percentage to each driver and the amount of money the victim is eligible to get is reduced in proportion to their degree of fault.

The victim may recover compensation as long as they are less than 505 at fault for the crash. If someone is found to be more than 50% at fault, they can’t collect anything from the other at-fault party.

Winning a Left Turn Accident Claim

Every driver involved in an accident of this nature may bear responsibility for it. This makes it easier for insurance carriers to reduce settlement payouts or deny claims. While the rule of modified comparative fault is only a part of jury deliberations, an insurance adjuster may claim you were partly to blame and reduce the settlement offer.

To get compensation for injuries caused by a left-turn accident, you need to be able to provide evidence that the other driver was at fault and be prepared to lessen the impact of any evidence against you. Cogburn Law can negotiate on your behalf with the insurance adjuster. 

Our experienced attorneys can investigate your accident and get evidence to build a strong case. When needed, they also work with accident reconstruction professionals who can recreate the crash and find out exactly what caused the crash.

Our team will compile a strong case to present to the insurance company including your demands for just compensation. We will file s formal lawsuit for you and fight in court if necessary.

Given the unique contributing factors to left-turn accidents, it is worth the money and time to talk about your claim with a personal injury attorney.

Talk To A Las Vegas Car Accident Attorney Today

At Cogburn Law, we focus on making sure you are given the best advice for your case. We will put your needs first and build a strong case to get you the compensation you deserve. Call us at (702) 747-6000 for a free initial consultation today.