Were you hurt in a slip and fall in Las Vegas, NV? If so, the property owner could be responsible for paying your damages. In fact, you could be entitled to financial compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and more. An experienced Las Vegas slip and fall accident attorney at J. Cogburn Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight for your legal rights and obtain the financial recovery you deserve.
Our dedicated Las Vegas slip and fall accident lawyers have helped many accident victims just like you recover millions through settlements and jury verdicts. We understand the struggles you go through as you try to recover physically while struggling to keep up with mounting medical bills. Our Las Vegas slip and fall accident attorneys stand ready to answer your questions and discuss your next steps on the path to recovery.
Contact our law office in Las Vegas, Nevada, at (702) 996-4786 to schedule a free consultation today.
How J. Cogburn Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Slip and Fall Accident in Las Vegas
If you were injured in a Las Vegas, NV, slip and fall accident, you might not know where to turn at first. Certainly, you should receive medical attention for any injuries or potential injuries. Even if you don’t believe your injuries were serious, some injuries to the neck, back, and other areas can arise days or even weeks after the incident.
A Las Vegas slip and fall accident lawyer can help you collect evidence related to the incident to prove fault on the property owner’s part. A lawyer can give you valuable advice from day one about how to preserve evidence, get proper medical care, document your injuries and lost wages, and build your personal injury claim.
A Las Vegas personal injury lawyer will then do any of the following on your behalf:
- Gather evidence and locate witnesses;
- Work with local police to obtain reports and other types of evidence;
- Negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf to get the most out of an insurance settlement;
- Prepare and file a lawsuit on your behalf if you are not satisfied with the insurance company’s offer;
- Hire expert witnesses to prepare reports and testimony in your case;
- Take your case all the way to a jury trial to fight for what you deserve.
Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning there is no cost to you upfront. An experienced Las Vegas slip and fall accident lawyer knows your financial resources are already stretched thin from the accident and will only collect attorney fees if they secure a settlement or jury award on your behalf.
How Common Are Slip and Fall Injuries in Nevada?
Statistically speaking, over 15,000 personal injury accidents happen in Nevada each year, with over 50% of those taking place in Clark County. Slip and fall accidents make up about 20% of the personal injury incidents in Nevada, accounting for thousands of injuries – some serious or even fatal. The bottom line is that slip and fall accidents happen almost every day and can happen to anyone.
What this means is that nearly anyone could be at risk of a slip and fall injury, for any number of reasons. When a slip and fall injury is caused by a property owner’s negligence, the victim could be rightfully entitled to financial compensation for their damages.
What are some Common Causes of Slip and Fall Injuries in Nevada?
In some parts of the country, icy sidewalks and snowy walkways are a prime cause of slips and falls. Even without those elements to worry about, Las Vegas sees many slip and fall injuries due to a number of different factors.
Some common causes of slip and fall accidents in Nevada include:
- Slippery or slick floors
- Damaged or crumbling pavement
- Potholes
- Damaged stairs
- Missing stair treads
- Loose carpeting and rugs
- Spills that have been neglected and left to sit
- Debris, obstacles, and other hazards in walkways
- Missing safety features such as guardrails
- Dim or nonexistent lighting
- Loose wires and cables
- Construction tools and debris
- Malfunctioning escalators.
As you can imagine (and have probably seen yourself), potential hazards are all around us and are usually caused by negligent property maintenance. Even the most cautious pedestrians, employees, and shoppers can fall victim to any one of these dangers.
How Long Do I Have to File a Slip and Fall Lawsuit in Nevada?
It is important to find a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer soon after your accident. For one, this will help you get your claim started while the evidence is fresh and witnesses can recall the incident. Secondly, Nevada’s statute of limitations for a slip and fall lawsuit is only two years from the date of the incident. It is best to prepare and file your claim while the facts and evidence are readily available.
How to Prove Negligence in a Nevada Slip and Fall Case?
Slip and fall lawsuits are normally based on the legal theory of negligence.
To prove negligence in a Nevada slip and fall case, plaintiffs must show evidence supporting four elements:
- Duty of care. The owner of the property had a duty to guests, customers, and others entering the property to keep the area clear and safe from hazards.
- Breach of duty. If the property owner fails to take reasonable care of the property and prevent foreseeable risks of harm, this would be a breach of their duty of care.
- Causation. There must be a clear connection between a defendant’s breach of duty and the plaintiff’s injuries as a result. This is often the most hard-fought element in a slip and fall case. However, causation can be proven through evidence and witness testimony.
- Damages. The victim must have suffered actual damages, such as an injury requiring medical treatment. Without damages, there is nothing for the defendant to be liable for.
Under Nevada’s premises liability laws, property owners owe duties of care to those legally allowed on their premises. This includes both public and private properties, such as someone’s home. The duty relates to anticipated uses of the property when it is privately owned.
For business owners, the duty of care is broader. This is because they regularly invite the public to their property, and invitees are owed a higher duty of care.
For this reason, Nevada business owners are expected to:
- Regularly inspect their property to identify potential hazards;
- Fix unsafe property conditions within a reasonable period of time (for example, a spill should be cleaned up as soon as the owner knew or should have known about it);
- Give adequate warning about any known hazards (for example, “wet floor” signs or alerts to “watch your step” can protect a business owner).
If the business owner fails to do the above, and you are injured as a result, you could hold the property owner responsible for your damages.
Can I Still Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for the Slip and Fall Accident?
Nevada is a modified comparative negligence state. This rule allows you to recover compensation if you are less than 51% to blame for the slip and fall. However, your damages are reduced in proportion to your share of fault. If you are more than 50% at fault for the accident, you are barred from recovering compensation entirely.
What Types of Damages are Available in a Slip and Fall Claim?
After a slip and fall accident, you can seek two general types of damages: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages include those items that can be easily connected to dollar amounts, such as:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Therapy and rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Costs for prescriptions and home medical equipment
Non-economic damages include items that aren’t so easily calculated, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of companionship
- Disfigurement or disability
- Diminished quality of life.
When calculating both economic and non-economic damages, it is critical to factor in future costs, such as the potential for reduced earnings in the future, anticipated rehabilitation and therapy over time, and the pain and suffering that will continue in the years ahead. Experienced slip and fall attorneys know how to estimate these costs and build them into your claim.
How Much Is My Slip and Fall Case Worth?
Not all cases are the same. The value of your slip and fall case will depend on the factors specific to your claim.
What your case is worth can depend on:
- The nature of your injuries and whether any were long-term;
- Your ability to make a full recovery;
- The impact on your work and ability to earn income in the future;
- Your mental suffering, including depression and anxiety;
- Whether you shared any responsibility for the incident.
Some factors will lead to an increased award, while others could lessen your overall settlement value.
Contact a Las Vegas Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Slips, falls, and tripping accidents can happen almost anytime in Las Vegas, NV. If you suffered a slip and fall accident, you could be entitled to compensation from the negligent property owner. The experienced Las Vegas slip and fall accident lawyers at J. Cogburn Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers can help you explore your options and fight for the payment you deserve.
Visit Our Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer Office in Las Vegas, NV
J. Cogburn Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers
2300 W. Sahara Ave. Suite 800-816, Las Vegas, NV
(702)-996-4786
Open 24/7
Las Vegas Slip and Fall Accident Review
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Emergency Rooms in Las Vegas
- Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center Adult Emergency Room – 3186 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89109
- Elite Medical Center – 150 E Harmon Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89109
- MountainView Hospital Emergency Room – 3100 N Tenaya Wy, Las Vegas, NV 89128
- ER at Green Valley Ranch – 2581 St Rose Pkwy, Henderson, NV 89074
Chiropractors in Las Vegas
- The Las Vegas Chiropractor – 1500 E Tropicana Ave Suite 102, Las Vegas, NV 89119
- The Joint Chiropractic – 10220 W Charleston Blvd Ste 2, Las Vegas, NV 89135
- NuSpine Chiropractic – 6150 N Decatur Blvd Ste. 101, North Las Vegas, NV 89031
- Precision Chiropractic Care – 7541 Tule Springs Rd Unit 130, Las Vegas, NV 89131
*Disclaimer – we do not endorse these companies or profit from having them listed on our website.
