Personal injury cases are most closely associated with car accidents, and while that is the number one most common personal injury case, there are several more instances where you may find yourself in need of a personal injury lawyer.
1. Car Accident
Auto accidents are the most common type of personal injury case. When you are injured in a car accident, it is your legal right to seek compensation for your injuries, medical expenses, and lost wages. Although the person causing the accident is ultimately responsible in most personal injury claims, an insurance company will be involved, whether it is the responsible party’s insurance company, your insurance company, or a combination of the two.
When you are hurt in a car accident, the first thing you do is to seek medical attention. Then before you talk with an insurance company, you should schedule a consultation with a personal injury lawyer. Your personal injury lawyer will contact the insurance company and help you initiate a claim. A good lawyer can recommend experienced medical providers who know how to properly treat your injuries and document your complaints, your recovery, and your prognosis. Proper documentation of your injury, treatment and recovery is essential to ensure that you receive fair and full compensation for your claim. An experienced lawyer will use the medical documentation to your advantage.
2. Motorcycle Accident
We have a lot of motorcycles on our roadways in Reno, especially in the warmer months and during festivals like Street Vibrations or rallies in Virginia City. Motorcyclists are approximately 26 times more likely to die in a crash than someone riding in a car or truck and are 5 times as likely to be injured. Most motorcycle accidents are caused by the other driver failing to see and yield to the motorcyclist’s right of way. This is especially true at intersections where drivers simply fail to see the motorcycle. It is estimated that 70% of all car versus motorcycle accidents take place at an intersection.
When representing a motorcycle accident personal injury case, our lawyers look at key aspects of an injury claim such as:
- Higher likelihood of extensive injury resulting from even an apparently minor accident
- Lack of safeguards to protect you from permanent, life-threatening injuries
- Failure of motorists to detect or yield to motorcyclists
- Grave consequences when motorists tailgate or cut off a cyclist
- Effect of unsafe road conditions, such as potholes or uneven surfaces, on motorcyclists
3. Slip and Fall
Reno, Nevada law imposes upon businesses an obligation to protect the public from unsafe conditions on the business’s premises. If a business fails to exercise the legally required duty of care and you are injured as a result, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. At Matt Dion & Associates, our slip and fall attorneys employ a tenacious, professional approach to help our clients seek full and fair compensation for their past and future medical bills, lost income, emotional distress, and pain and suffering.
4. Wrongful Death
Wrongful death cases are civil claims, and in Nevada the statute of limitations to file a claim is two years, from the date of the event resulting in death. Nevada statutes also regulate who is entitled to file a wrongful death lawsuit. The surviving spouse, partner, or children of the deceased person; and the parents of the deceased person, may be entitled to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
Examples of wrongful death cases include when a person dies as the result of car accident injuries; a person dies because of someone’s negligence – e.g. missing or faulty safety equipment. These types of lawsuits seek compensation for the survivors’ loss, such as lost wages from the deceased, lost companionship, and funeral expenses.
5. Premise Liability
In order for a business or premise, such as an apartment building, to be found responsible for your accident, evidence must be shown to prove that a dangerous condition on the premises caused your injury and that at least one of the following is true:
- The owner or an employee caused the dangerous condition on the premises.
- The owner or an employee knew about the dangerous condition on the premises and did nothing about it.
- The owner or an employee should have known about the dangerous condition on the premises as would be expected of a reasonable person.
- Depending on state law, a property owner or manager may owe a different standard of care to different classes of visitors such as business visitors or social guests. We pursue optimal recovery based on the specific facts of your case.
