CAR ACCIDENT FAQ
Crash Statistics
Over 36,000 people die in car accidents each year across the United States. According to the most recent reports from the Nevada Department of Transportation, there are approximately 49,000 traffic accidents per year in Nevada, resulting in over 300 deaths. 35,000 of those traffic accidents occurred within Las Vegas. So, if you live and work in Las Vegas, odds are you have been or will be involved in a car accident.
Car Accident Claims Handled by Cohan PLLC
Not all car accidents are the same. They vary depending upon the vehicle you are operating, the vehicle the other driver is driving, the insurance coverage available, or the driver’s mental state or degree of intoxication. Similarly, not all lawyers you hire for car accidents and injuries are the same either. We have the experience to handle all the games insurance adjusters play. Here are some of the different types of automobile accidents we handle:
Pedestrian Accidents
Bicycle Accidents
Dram Shop Accidents
How Can a Car Accident Lawyer Help?
Having an auto accident lawyer on your side can be the difference between winning and losing your case. A Las Vegas car accident lawyer like Cohan PLLC can also help make your road to recovery easier by:
Helping you get the medical care you need
Cutting through the red tape and filing all available insurance claims
Pursuing compensation for all of your losses
Locating the responsible parties
Investigating the causes of the wreck
Proving liability
Drafting a demand letter
Negotiating a settlement
Negotiating liens
Litigating the case
How Much Does Hiring a Lawyer Cost?
Cohan PLLC works on a contingency fee and we pay all the litigation expenses upfront. This means that you pay nothing unless we win your case. If we do not win your case, we eat our expenses, and you pay nothing. If we win, in addition to our costs being reimbursed out of the proceeds, our attorney’s fee is 33.33% if we settle before filing a lawsuit, 40% if we file a lawsuit, and 45% if the case goes up on appeal.
Contact a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer at Cohan PLLC today for a 100% free consultation.
What Should I Do Right After a Car Wreck?
Follow these five steps if you are in a automobile accident:
Assess your injures and seek medical care
Contact the police and request a report be done
Photograph the scene and injuries
Obtain a copy of the police report
Call a car accident attorney
Should I Seek Medical Attention Immediately?
If you are involved in an automobile accident, you need to assess all injuries and determine if an ambulance is required. Often, individuals experience a rush of adrenaline after a car accident and do not feel their injuries until time has passed. Remaining safe after a car accident is the most important thing, so a medical professional should examine any injuries sustained as soon as possible.
Should I Contact the Police After a Car Wreck?
Always call the police when an accident occurs. Regardless of the severity, be sure to request an accident report. This helps ensure no facts about the accident can be skewed. Some habitually bad drivers use fake insurance information and may change their story after the accident. This is just one step you can take to protect yourself from this kind of negligence.
How Can I Obtain a Crash Report?
Nevada makes it pretty easy to obtain your accident report via online request. Below are the instructions for finding your report with the Nevada Highway Patrol and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Requesting a Report from Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
If your accident occurred in Las Vegas, there’s a good chance that your report will be found with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Most traffic accident reports can be delivered through email via a secured link, but you can also elect to pick them up in person or have them mailed. Make sure to allow a minimum of 10 business days from the date of the incident before requesting a report. Once your request is received, you will be notified by email. Click this link to request your report from Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Requests for accident reports can be made online. Obtaining an accident report in Nevada will cost you $10 per report, plus $5 for a photo CD.
Once your request is submitted, the Department of Public Safety/Nevada Highway Patrol will typically contact you about your request within three business days to arrange receipt of the report, which may take up to 7 to 10 days.
Requesting a Report from the Nevada Highway Patrol
To request a crash report from Nevada Highway Patrol, you will need to know which area your crash occurred in. Nevada divides its state into three regions: Northern Command West, Northern Command East, and Southern Command.
Northern Command West: Reno, Carson/Tahoe/Minden/, Fernley, Fallon, Yerington, Hawthorne & Tonopah
Northern Command East Covers: Lovelock, Winnemucca, Elko, Ely, Austin, Battle Mtn, Carlin, Eureka, Golconda, Imlay, Wells, W. Wendover as well as other parts of Eastern Nevada.
Southern Command Covers: Las Vegas, Beatty, Nixon, Boulder City, Laughlin, Searchlight, as well as other parts of Southern Nevada.
Once you know which region your crash occurred in, you can fill out a crash report at one of the links by clicking on the correct region:
How is the Value of an Auto Accident Claim Determined in Nevada?
There is no exact formula for determining the amount of a car accident settlement in Nevada. Factors that contribute to a settlement amount include:
The severity of a person’s injuries, including scarring, disfigurement, pain, and emotional duress.
The cost of necessary medical expenses and predictable future medical expenses
The total amount of your property damage
The total amount of your lost wages and lost earning capacity
How much you contributed to the cause of the accident
Your lawyer’s ability to present evidence and argue your case
Each accident has unique circumstances that will impact the amount of a claim. As a “fault” insurance state, the laws in Nevada allow an injured person to file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance. Furthermore, Nevada law requires drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance coverage. However, the presence of insurance coverage does not mean a person will recover the entire amount of the policy.
Have You Been Injured? We Can Help.
Suffering an injury at the hands of someone else is a profoundly disorienting experience. Many of our clients come to us because they simply don't know what to do next. What kind of claims do they need to file? What do they do to get medical care for their loved ones, or how do they afford a funeral in the wake of a wrongful death? Most of our clients ask an even more straightforward question: "with all my medical expenses, how do I provide for my family?"
Regardless of your situation, you are bound to have countless questions. Cohan PLLC will help you get answers. To help you find your feet during this difficult time, we have compiled some of the most commonly asked questions and provided general answers. For specific answers about your case, review your legal options with us in a free consultation.
Contact our accident lawyers if you were involved in a serious car accident at (888) 424-2736. We're ready to fight for what is right and get you the compensation you deserve.