Reno Car Accident Lawyers

If you get into a car accident in Reno in which property damage, injury, or death occurred, then you must report your accident to the Reno Police or the nearest office of the Nevada Highway Patrol. The best, safest, and most conscientious way to do so is to call 911 from the accident scene.

We always advise people to err on the side of caution. If the accident results in any property damage, or even the slightest injury, report it.

Personal injury lawyers typically receive approximately one-third of the total settlement amount you receive for your injuries, as payment for their services. At Benson & Bingham, we will never take advantage of your situation and are dedicated to helping you receive the full compensation you deserve. We will never charge you a dime until you have successfully received the full settlement.

If you were involved in a hit and run car accident, it is imperative that you contact a lawyer immediately. An experienced Reno hit and run accident attorney will offer a free consultation where you can discuss your case, your injuries, and your questions, and learn more about the legal options available to you.

By retaining an attorney, you maximize your potential compensation. Oftentimes, an insurance company will increase its settlement offer immediately upon your retention of legal counsel. Insurance companies are in the business of making money and attempt to protect their bottom line regardless of how it affects the lives of injured individuals. The less an insurance company pays out, the more profit it makes. A car accident lawyer will make sure you get a fair and reasonable settlement or else file a personal injury lawsuit.

In the event that you are incapacitated because of an accident, you should have a loved one contact a car accident attorney for you. If you lost a loved one in a car accident, you should contact a lawyer as soon as possible regarding your eligibility to file a wrongful death claim. It is pertinent to start working on your case as soon as possible so that your attorney has adequate time to negotiate with insurance companies and prepare to file a lawsuit, if necessary.

Car accident injuries range from minor to catastrophic. Additionally, the accident itself may not cause you injury, but the airbags can cause injuries, including burns. Injuries that you could potentially suffer when you are in a car accident include:

• Scrapes, Cuts, Abrasions, And Bruises: These generally heal quickly unless open cuts are deep. Regardless of the size or depth, an open wound can become infected, which means it will take longer to heal and may need additional medical care.
• Broken Bones: You may suffer from fractures or compound fractures. A compound fracture involves a bone that breaks through the skin, creating an open wound. These wounds may get infected, in which case the injury will take longer to heal.
• Catastrophic Injuries: These types of injuries include head and brain injuries and neck and spine injuries. These can take months to heal and may even leave you disabled for the long-term or permanently. Catastrophic injuries may include head and neck injuries, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, internal bleeding, and damaged internal organs.

Nevada law permits eligible family members to take legal action via a wrongful death lawsuit against anyone at fault for causing the death of a loved one. Through this type of lawsuit, grieving families can receive compensation for grief, loss of probable support, companionship, society, comfort, and consortium, and damages for the pain, suffering, or disfigurement a loved one suffered.

A jury may also award the personal representative of a deceased person’s estate special damages for medical expenses before death, funeral expenses, and punitive damages if the wrongful death was a result of intentional harm or gross negligence.

Nevada law also allows the personal representative of the deceased person’s estate to file a survival action, which is, in effect, a lawsuit the deceased person could have filed had he or she survived, instead of succumbing to, car accident injuries. The personal representative, typically the executor or administrator of the estate, can recover losses and damages that the loved one incurred before death.

Taking legal action after a car accident means seeking compensation from any individual or entity whose actions or decisions caused the accident and resulting injuries.

Every case has its own unique features, but this type of legal action typically seeks to recover the costs of:

• Medical treatment including ambulance ride, emergency room visit, hospital stay, X-rays, surgery, aftercare, and medication
• Future medical treatment when a car accident leads to a severe injury requiring multiple surgeries, extensive recovery, or a permanent disability
• Lost wages for time away from a job as a result of the accident, hospitalization, and recovery
• Lost future wages when a severe car accident causes catastrophic injuries that prevent an accident victim from returning to work or seeking gainful employment in the future
• Rehabilitation services including physical therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral therapy, and any other specialized therapy to help accident victims regain function or cope with their injuries
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Reduced quality of life
• Loss of consortium with a spouse
• Exemplary damages in rare cases when injuries are a result of gross negligence

No one can predict in advance whether all (or any) of the categories of damages listed above will apply in a particular Reno car accident case. The most reliable way to determine what damages you might seek after getting injured in a Reno car accident, and the potential amount of those damages, is to work with an experienced motor vehicle accident injury lawyer.

Attempting to file a personal injury claim independently will likely result in you receiving a much lower settlement than you deserve. The defendant’s insurance company may offer you a settlement right away, but it will be a lowball offer. With an attorney on your side, you can focus on rest and recovery while your lawyer negotiates on your behalf for the full compensation you deserve.

If you have suffered injuries in a car accident in the Reno area, consult with an experienced car accident attorney as soon as possible. Generally speaking, Nevada law gives you two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit against anyone with a legal liability for your car accident injuries. However, exceptions may apply that shorten or lengthen this time period. Better to be safe than sorry: call a lawyer as soon as you can to protect your rights to compensation.

Leaving the scene of the accident is a crime in Nevada and every other state. The financial consequences of a hit-and-run driver’s choice to flee the scene can have the most severe impact on accident victims. Unless the authorities identify and apprehend the driver, victims may not have someone from whom to seek compensation for their injuries.

After sustaining injuries in a Reno hit-and-run accident, some victims can seek compensation from their own uninsured motorist insurance coverage, if they carry it. Those who do not may need the help of an experienced Reno car accident injury attorney to help them track down information and evidence the Reno Police may have missed, and which may help to identify the hit-and-run driver.

A lawyer can also evaluate whether the actions of other, known parties played a contributing role in the accident, and thus may have a legal liability for a victim’s injuries even if the hit-and-run driver remains unidentified.