Tag: Las Vegas automobile accidents

Prevent Injuries This Summer 

Prevent Injuries This Summer 

Prevent Injuries This Summer 

For many people, summer is the best time of the year. School is out, friends are around every day, and the hot weather allows for all kinds of fun outdoor activities. Unfortunately, more and more people out and about also means an increase in accident injuries. To help you and your family stay safe, the Las Vegas injury lawyers at The Paul Powell Law Firm offer this guide on how to prevent summer injuries.

8 Things You Can Do to Avoid Summer Injuries

Although it’s unfortunate that summer introduces opportunities for injury, the good news is that the majority of accidents can be avoided through simple safety measures. After decades of successfully representing Las Vegas injury victims, our team of Nevada attorneys have learned many things from the accidents our clients have been involved in. Here’s what our personal injury lawyers suggest.

Keep a Close Eye on the Kids Around the Pool

Drowning is a leading cause of death in children under 14, and a majority of those deaths occur during summer months. Local laws call for fencing off swimming pool areas. Teach children to know that they are not allowed inside a pool area without an adult present. If kids are playing in or around a pool, they need a sober adult’s undivided attention and supervision. It only takes a few seconds for an accident in a pool to result in a catastrophic injury. 

Pace Yourself and Keep Hydrated

Dehydration is a huge concern during summer in Las Vegas. The high temperatures and arid climate combine to drain water from your body. This can lead to heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day in order to prevent dehydration. The typical eight glasses of water may not be enough during the summer, so constant sipping is suggested. Also, note that alcoholic beverages and highly-caffeinated drinks can actually contribute to dehydration instead of replenishing your body’s fluid levels.

Gear up for Summer Activities

Summer is a fantastic time for outdoor bicycle rides, skateboarding, outdoor sports, and other thrilling activities. If you’re engaging in such activities, then make sure that your equipment is in good condition, fits well, and is worn correctly. Know your sport and wear the appropriate safety gear, such as helmets, life vests, and mouth, wrist, elbow, or knee guards. Using the right gear can help you avoid or limit the impact of bicycle injuries, broken bones, slips, trips, and falls, and other summer injuries.

Practice Sun Protection

Sunscreen, shade, hats, and protective clothing are the tools needed to avoid painful sunburns. Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect against ultraviolet radiation. Use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 and apply it liberally 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors and reapply at least every two hours. Note that the sun typically peaks between 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. during the summer, while peak temperatures are usually after that since the ground absorbs heat.

Keep Foods Cold

During the summer, salmonella is especially problematic. Dairy products, as well as egg dishes, can be breeding grounds for salmonella. Do not let food sit out for more than two hours, and on a hot day that is 90°F or higher, reduce this time by an hour. Place all perishable items in a cooler or insulated bag and ice it down. 

Fend off Creatures

Bugs, bees, scorpions, snakes, and other pesky creatures can disrupt a picnic, hike, or sporting event. Mosquitoes carry dangerous viruses like Zika, West Nile virus, and ticks are known for Lyme disease. Although mosquitoes aren’t usually a problem in Nevada, more and more have been appearing in recent years, especially around swimming pools, lakes, and sprinklers. Wear protective clothing when visiting areas where such pests are common. Insect repellents are safe and are recommended for kids as young as six months. 

If you encounter a bee sting, remove the stinger from the skin as quickly as possible. Use tweezers, a credit card, or anything with a firm edge to swipe and pop the stinger out. See a doctor if a rash develops or any other symptoms develop following a bee sting. Be especially careful with strings in areas that restrict breathing. If a family member or friend is allergic to bees, then be sure to have an EpiPen handy.

Be Careful Driving at Night

Tourism is high during summer in Las Vegas, with many visitors unfamiliar with local roads. Even worse, drunk driving car accidents increase in the warmer summer months. If you cannot avoid sharing the road with inebriated drivers, then take extra caution when driving, especially at night. Increased police presence and checkpoints are not enough to deter the most reckless offenders, so always keep an eye on other vehicles.

Avoid Unfamiliar Areas

Vacation goers are often prime targets for criminals in Las Vegas. They are in unfamiliar locations, often carrying cash, and usually distracted and not completely in tune with their surroundings. All kinds of crimes increase during summers, some say because of increased daylight, traveling strangers, teenagers being out of school with too much free time, or homes lying empty while folks are away on vacation. Additionally, higher summer temperatures and more interaction with people brings on short tempers. 

Contact a Las Vegas Injury Lawyer

The Paul Powell Law Firm hopes that you found this guide on avoiding summer injuries useful. Please share it with your family and friends to increase their safety. Should you suffer summer injuries in an accident caused by another party, then contact us for immediate assistance. Our experienced Nevada injury attorneys have extensive experience winning full compensation for injury victims.

The Paul Powell Law Firm is available to assist you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to discuss your injury claim and to schedule your free consultation. You can reach us by phone at (702) 728-5500 or visit our Las Vegas office. Contact us today to make sure that you get the settlement that you deserve.

The information on this blog is for general information purposes only. Nothing herein should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
Reasons to Have Your Insurance Claim Filed by an Attorney

Reasons to Have Your Insurance Claim Filed by an Attorney

We have people who help us prepare our taxes. Yet amazingly, after an accident, we abandon that good sense; having professional help. Instead of using a qualified attorney to get our insurance claim filed, we step out from under the umbrella of safety and decide that we can file the insurance claim all by ourselves. It defies logic. 

Accidents Change Lives

An injury accident changes the course and heading of a person’s life. It gets disrupted. Sometimes drastically, severely, and irreparably. They are no longer going to be able to do what they used to do. Their achievements of the past become useless relics for the future. The skills they invested in and worked so hard to perfect can no longer be done. In one cataclysmic moment, their whole plan and their cherished goals get blown apart. 

Have Insurance Claim Filed by an Injury Attorney

When entering the world of insurance claims, do not act alone. Co-pilot with The Paul Powell Law Firm. You see, here at Paul Powell, we will actually file insurance claims for you. 

Even though insurance companies rank near the top on a list of “Companies You Are Most Dissatisfied With” (only cable companies or car dealers make a worse showing), people persist in going it alone. You have to give insurance companies credit. They do a terrific job of brainwashing and training us about what to do when we have an accident, especially in the automotive world. 

Free Case Evaluation

5 Things Automotive Insurers Care About

Take car accidents, for example. Insurance companies have five areas they care most about the most.  

When there are injuries, did you:

  1. Summon emergency services 
  2. Call the police 
  3. Exchange information
  4. Document with pictures, videos, witnesses, etc.
  5. Call and report the incident to the insurance carrier first

The one at the bottom of the list is super important to them. In their world, things would be perfect if we in fact called immediately. You cannot look at an insurance document or website without seeing “If you’ve been in an accident” numbers prominently displayed. Their ultimate goal is to have us dialing them while still sitting at the scene. 

Why? Because like a runaway horse, the best way to take control of the situation is to grab it by its head right at the start. And when we have had an auto, motorcycle, slip and fall, pedestrian or bicycle accident, we become an insurance company’s runaway horse.

Why Consumers Don’t like Working with Insurance Companies

Most consumers usually dread working with insurance companies after an accident because it usually goes something like this:

  • The injured party calls and reports the accident to a warm, caring, and concerned report taker who most likely transfers them to their own “personal claims adjuster.” 
  • The claims adjuster is very concerned and the first question they ask is “Are you okay?” Of course, at that moment, the average person does not know for sure and most often responds with “Yes.”
  • Then insurance wants informational answers to seemingly benign questions which they may inform you are being recorded. What time did the accident occur? Where? Was anyone hurt? Who was involved? What happened? Were police contacted? And so on.
  • They close out this phase of the process by giving out their personal contact information and offering words of comfort, but the “die has been cast.” 
  • You are on record and everything you just said can and could be used against you to erode or defame your claim.

Over subsequent weeks 

  • The insurance company will have multiple people contact you. Perhaps a repair specialist or a medical services representative.
  • You’ll file and process paperwork back and forth in regard to auto repairs and medical treatments.
  • Insurance will recommend and offer to facilitate getting the vehicle to one of their approved and preferred repair shops.
  • You might defer that to pursue one you know better.
  • Your vehicle gets towed.
  • You might be provided with a loaner car.
  • You may or may not receive status reports about ongoing repairs. 
  • You get news about more undetected damage, supply chain delays in delivering parts, and other issues.
  • You await the final return of your vehicle, which most often fails to meet the projected deadline.
  • Should the vehicle be totaled, should there be out-of-pocket expenses, should other financial burdens have occurred, the insurance company will make an initial payment offer and press to expedite things by sending a check overnight or doing an almost instantaneous account transfer. 

Now the drama escalates 

  1. Was the amount offered fair, considering the replacement value of your vehicle? 
  2. Do your injuries still give you persistent problems? 
  3. Are you sure your current discomfort will indeed heal? 
  4. Are the medical services you receive adequate or do you need to see specialists outside your immediate area?
  5. Have you been out of work and without pay?
  6. Has your future career been impacted?
  7. Have your commitments to others gone unfulfilled? 
  8. Do issues with other involved parties still remain?

Things Tend to Work out Differently than Planned

As you answer these questions, you will probably come to the realization that it makes sense to reject or negotiate some things with the insurance company. And if things have become disagreeable or reached an impasse, you no doubt want to seek legal counsel.

Now the Insurance Company has Become Your Runaway Horse

And like the insurance companies prefer to operate, you’ll find yourself thinking you should have grabbed the head of the runaway horse right at the start! 

That happens when you have your insurance claim filed by Paul Powell. The head of the horse, the ongoing process with insurance, is under control.

Smart People Get Their Insurance Claim Filed By an Attorney

When you get your accident insurance claim filed by Paul Powell, you’ll save time, save money, save tons of aggravation, and avoid errors by putting yourself in the best hands possible right at the beginning. So as soon as humanly possible after you have been involved in an accident, any kind of accident, contact Paul Powell.

Paul wants what is best for you. He strategizes, advocates, and, when necessary, litigates for you. You pay no fees until your case is won or settled. And Paul never makes more from your case than you receive. He puts that in writing. Paul Powell. More Lawyer. Less Fee.

The information on this blog is for general information purposes only. Nothing herein should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

What To Do If You Are In A Car Accident In Las Vegas

What To Do If You Are In A Car Accident In Las Vegas

Just like other cities around America, car crashes are a major concern in Las Vegas. Car accidents are unexpected and stressful, and even the most careful drivers can be involved one.

It was reported that Las Vegas ranked 144 out of 200 cities for driver safety. As a result you are  more likely to be involved in an accident here than most other major metropolitan areas. It is estimated that a typical motor vehicle driver in Las Vegas will have at least one accident every eight years. A good way to protect yourself from traffic collisions is to know the main causes.

Why Are There so Many Accidents in Las Vegas?

Car accidents occur here for a variety of reasons, but they almost always involve some degree of negligence. More so than in any other city, drunk driving is a common cause for motor vehicle accidents. It was reported that 30 percent of all traffic fatalities involved a drunk driver with a blood alcohol content over the legal limit. But there are many other causes of car accidents that people may or may not be aware of.

Distracted Driving:

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of accidents in Las Vegas. Just think about the millions of visitors streaming into town who have never seen anything like it before, with the jaw-dropping allure and constant visuals that assault them. Add into the mix all the normal distractions like talking to passengers, eating, texting, talking on the phone, or grooming; all qualify as distracted driving. Due to the high number of crashes and citations from texting or fiddling with a cell phone while driving, Nevada has issued a no tolerance approach to texting while driving with fines starting at $50. If any driver regardless of age is caught texting or talking on their phone behind the wheel, they will be issued a citation.

DUI Incidents:

Another leading cause of car accidents in the Las Vegas valley is drunk drivers. Maybe it’s due to Las Vegas’ party image, but DUI accidents continue to occur and are a major cause of road collisions in the city. With over 8,000 arrests for DUI every year, Las Vegas leads the nation for DUI related accidents. Although it’s impossible to avoid everyone who is driving under the influence, you can avoid them and protect yourself by looking for warning signs such as drivers swerving between lanes and erratic speed.

Las Vegas Gridlock and Saw-Toothed Streets:

A not-so-commonly known cause of car accidents in Las Vegas is that the city is arranged in square-mile blocks with six lane streets at one-mile intervals. As a result, Las Vegas tends to gridlock during rush hours. Then a glut of traffic builds up waiting at the stoplights at each one-mile cross street. Antsy drivers start making impulsive, bad decisions that frequently result in car accidents.

What’s a “saw-tooth?” Ever notice how many streets in the greater Las Vegas area suddenly narrow down from three lanes to one lane with little to no warning? Then a few block later they expand to two or three lanes again? Longtime locals know our streets have been that way for years, due to the laws about who is responsible to pay for streets as real estate is developed. Locals call these “saw-tooths” and we have a ton of them. Unfortunately, saw-toothed streets can lead to unnecessary accidents.

Following too Closely:

The DMV handbook in Nevada lists the safe following distance when behind another vehicle as two seconds, but this should change depending on many factors including road conditions and how fast you are travelling. Following vehicles too closely causes injuries and even fatal accidents. In a transient, growing city like Las Vegas with lots of people new to the area, it’s not unusual to see abrupt stops and last second lane changes.

Speeding and Driving too Fast for Conditions:

The posted speed limit applies in dry conditions when the roads are in good shape. When there is bad weather or the road is not in good condition, the law states that drivers should slow to an appropriate speed. Having only four inches of precipitation per year, area streets are notorious for collecting surface oil and other automotive fluids. When rain finally does come, the streets turn notoriously slippery. Drivers often miscalculate stopping distances, which can lead to disastrous results. Give yourself time to get where you are going during inclement weather. Speeds on Las Vegas roads are often much slower than the posted limit and that one person who is in a hurry or used to driving in other cities where rain is no big deal often cause accidents. Speeding is probably the biggest cause of spin-outs, hydroplaning, and rollover accidents during and after rainstorms.

Failure to Yield Right of Way:

Failure to yield the right of way when expected to often results in T-bone collisions, side swiping, or pedestrian accidents. This happens when a driver runs through a stop sign, yield sign, red light, turns left into oncoming traffic when it’s not their turn, or does not give right of way to pedestrians. As a result, Las Vegas area pedestrian accidents are at an all-time high in recent years.

Maintaining Lanes:

Failure to maintain a lane is a cause of serious motor vehicle accidents in Nevada. Even though we have those white bumps, with frequent road construction, wear and tear and the hot sun can make lanes tough to judge. Also an aggressive driver might change lanes unsafely or quickly while leaving little room between vehicles. Add in a little distraction and this can come as a big surprise to a not-so-with-it driver. People have been known to lane drift into other vehicles going their direction and even into oncoming traffic.

Defective Equipment:

Although driver error or negligence is the most common cause for car accidents, defective products, such as tires, air bags, seat belts, and seat backs have been known to cause more than a fair share. Negligently performed automotive repairs and maintenance are a definite factor. Three weeks into summer the roads are littered with blown out tires due to the extreme heat coming off of Las Vegas roadways. As a result, road debris and hazards cause a higher incident of accidents here than elsewhere. Highway dividers and desert landscaping call for lots of rock and gravel and it’s not unusual to encounter these would be “roadway land mines.”

What You Should Do After an Accident

It is easy to see how car accidents in Las Vegas happen. While you may not be able to avoid them there are some things to do if you are involved in an automobile accident including:

Be Prepared:

  • It helps to have a pen and a card with any relevant medical information for you and your family.
  • Keep an “accident kit” in your ride, including flashlights and accident documentation instructions.
  • Know what your insurance covers. Don’t wait until after an accident to find out your insurance will not cover the cost of repair, towing, or rental cars.
  • Call our office for an insurance screening before anything occurs. We will tell you if you have enough coverage based on the cases we see and our extensive experience fighting with insurance companies.

Immediately After an Accident:

  • Safety first. Only exit your vehicle if it is safe to do so.
  • Dial 911 if there are injuries, fires, or other emergencies.
  • Call the police by dialing #311 from your phone even if the accident is minor.
  • Turn on your vehicle’s hazard lights.
  • Take photos of the accident scene, your vehicle, and any vehicles involved.
  • If there are witnesses to the accident, get their information (name, number and address).
  • Do not deny medical care. Even minor injuries may take days to become ailments. Get checked out. Most insurance policies will cover a screening whether you are at fault or not. Your health and well being matters most.

Other Important Things to Remember:

  • Be polite, but don’t tell anyone the accident was your fault, even if you think it was.
  • If possible, don’t leave the accident scene before the police and other drivers do.
  • Don’t sign any document unless it’s for the police.
  • Make immediate notes about the accident scene including witness information, signal conditions, weather conditions, and any other information you can think of.
  • Don’t take legal advice from your tow truck driver, paramedic, etc. They see a lot of accidents but they do not deal with insurance companies. Call a lawyer.

A vehicle crash, especially a car accident that’s not your fault, can change the lives of people and families in an instant. The injuries can be horrific. And the aftermath for all involved can be very sad. Who will handle your doctor bills? What about lost time from work? Have you lost the use of your car? That is a lot for anyone to handle.

After a crash, your focus should be on healing. Call our office and we will handle the rest. Our team at The Paul Powell Law Firm will make sure wrongdoers are held responsible. We will make sure you are made whole again.

The information on this blog is for general information purposes only. Nothing herein should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.