Intersections are areas on the road we all deal with nearly every time we get behind the wheel.  Few people consider the number of rules that everyone must follow and the amount of trust that must be placed in strangers in order to avoid serious accidents.  When accidents do occur at intersections, the results can be disastrous.  Tragically, one woman lost her life in such an incident yesterday afternoon.

According to the Las Vegas Sun:

“A woman died in a two-vehicle crash this afternoon at Blue Diamond Road and South Fort Apache after her car collided with another car.

Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman Joseph Fackrell said the woman was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which happened at about 4:10 p.m. He said a man in the other car was taken to University Medical Center with unknown injuries.

Troopers are investigating the crash, but don’t know which direction each vehicle was traveling, Fackrell said.”

Given the statement provided by police, it’s clear that there is much to be done by way of investigating this accident before coming to a determination regarding which driver could be found at fault.  It’s also possible that both were at fault, but it will likely be some time before these questions are answered with any degree of certainty.

If you or someone you love has been harmed in an auto accident, you need the help of Las Vegas car accidents lawyers who understand what it takes to fight relentlessly and successfully for the rights of those wrongfully injured.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Motorcyclists on the roads are extremely common in and around Las Vegas, and every time one of them takes to the streets, the trust that’s implicitly placed in other drivers is perhaps more critical for those on smaller vehicles than those in sedans, trucks and SUV’s.  The reason is that motorcyclists are much more vulnerable to injury when collisions occur.  Sunday evening, a motorcyclist paid a heavy price for what appears at this point to be a mistake by the driver of a sedan.

According to the Las Vegas Sun:

“A motorcyclist from Colorado was critically injured Sunday evening when he collided with a vehicle that turned in front of him on North Las Vegas Boulevard, authorities said.

Metro Police responded at 6:27 p.m. to the crash at North Las Vegas Boulevard and Sloan Lane, which is adjacent to Nellis Air Force Base and southwest of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Authorities said a 2006 Chrysler 300 was northbound on Las Vegas Boulevard attempting to turn left across southbound traffic.

Michael Price, 46, of Grand Junction, Colo., was riding a 2007 Harley-Davidson motorcycle southbound on Las Vegas Boulevard when the Chrysler turned into his path, investigators said. Price wasn’t able to stop, so he laid the motorcycle down and was ejected into the Chrysler, police said.”

If you or someone you love has suffered because of the driving mistake of another, you need the help of Las Vegas motorcycle accidents lawyers who have been successfully fighting for the rights of the injured for many years.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

We often cover auto accidents that occur in and around Las Vegas and other parts of Nevada, but what people rarely see after the initial incident is how those who are left behind when people are killed or seriously injured struggle with their new reality.  A husband and wife were involved in a crash in Nevada several months ago that killed the husband and seriously injured the wife, and the two have 10 children.  A recent report detailed the problems the family has encountered since this collision.

According to KSL:

“A family is nearing their breaking point months after a car accident killed the father and seriously injured the mother. Now, the medical bills are piling up.

Damon and Barbara Faust were returning from a chiropractic conference in Reno this past September when they were hit by a driver high on meth.

Damon was killed, leaving their 10 kids without a dad.

Now, their friends — and some complete strangers — have come up with a plan to try to help.

At 46 years old, Damon died in a crash on I-80 in Nevada after the car he was riding in was hit by Anthony D. Rock, who was driving under the influence of drugs.

His wife Barbara, the driver, survived — but was in a coma for two weeks and in intensive care for an additional week.

“I had a collapsed lung, a broken clavicle, shattered wrist… Several vertebrae were broken,” she says.

Barbara had to relearn to walk and is still in pain. The family did not have health insurance — Damon was self-employed as a chiropractor and couldn’t afford it. The medical bills are mounting.

“We’re up to $283,000,” Barbara says, “and I still have further surgery and further care.”

While it’s heartwarming to see friends step up in an attempt to help, this sad situation should alert anyone who has been involved in an auto accident to seek the help of an experienced Las Vegas car accidents lawyer who has a track record of successfully protecting the rights of the injured.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

The statistics regarding fatal auto accidents in and around Las Vegas for 2010 continue to pile up at an alarming rate.  Since Sunday, two more accidents resulting in at least one fatality have occurred, marking a continued upward trend in deadly crashes for the calendar year of 2010 that’s not even three two months old.  One crash occurred on Sunday and the other on Monday.

According to the Las Vegas Sun:

“Two people died in separate crashes Sunday and Monday, the Nevada Highway Patrol said.

A woman died Sunday after the car she was riding in crashed on the Las Vegas Beltway near Flamingo Road.

Shortly after noon, the tire tread separated on a Ford Explorer driven by a 28 year-old woman. The driver of the car overcorrected, sending the vehicle into a rock embankment, where it overturned, Highway Patrol Trooper Joseph Fackrell said.

The driver and a 59-year-old woman passenger were taken to University Medical Center, where the passenger died about four hours later, Fackrell said.

On Monday, a man died when his vehicle was hit by another car on Summerlin Parkway near Buffalo Drive.

The highway patrol said a red Isuzu Rodeo driven by a 29-year-old man failed to stay in its eastbound lane at about 4:30 a.m. The Isuzu crossed the median and hit a blue Ford Taurus driven by a 60-year-old man.

Both drivers were taken to University Medical Center, where the driver of the Ford died about six hours later, Trooper Joseph Fackrell said.”

Everyone who navigates the roads in Las Vegas needs to be very aware of the risks.  If you or someone you love has been harmed or worse in a collision, you need the help of Las Vegas car accidents lawyers who understand what it takes to obtain justice on behalf of injured clients.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Yesterday’s news included a tragic story of a woman losing her life as a result of an auto accident that at this point does not appear to be her fault.  The reason one can responsibly make that statement is because a follow-up story today reports that the man involved in the crash will have criminal charges levied against him.  However, authorities are still weighing different options.

According to the Las Vegas Sun:

“The driver of a pickup truck that crashed into a car south of the Las Vegas Strip, killing a woman, could be charged with either misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter or felony reckless driving with death, authorities said Thursday.

A 56-year-old woman was killed Wednesday in a rollover crash on Las Vegas Boulevard after a pickup truck failed to stop at a red light near the Interstate 215 interchange and struck the car she was riding in.

Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman Joseph Fackrell said troopers responded at 3:54 p.m. to the crash after a Chevrolet pickup truck exiting the eastbound ramp south of I-215 collided with the Chevrolet HHR car traveling southbound on Las Vegas Boulevard.

Highway Patrol Sgt. Scott Simon said the woman was in the front passenger seat of the Chevrolet HHR and was pronounced dead at the scene. There were also three other passengers in the car, including a 3-year-old, authorities said.”

This situation should highlight the fact that even if criminal charges are filed, it does not prevent a civil action for personal injury or wrongful death.  If you or someone you love has been harmed in an accident, you need the help of Las Vegas car accidents lawyers who understand what it takes to hold those responsible for these situations accountable.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Head-on crashes almost always lead to terrible damage and injuries, especially when they occur on the highway.  Clearly, when these collisions do occur, they’re the result of a serious mistake by at least one of the drivers involved.  Tragically, details of a violent head-on collision near Henderson over the weekend will be difficult to obtain because both drivers were killed in the crash.

According to KTNV:

“Two families are left sorting through a stream of emotions following a violent head-on crash in the Saturday overnight hours. Investigators say two cars plowed into each other, killing both drivers instantly. Up until now, investigators weren’t sure which car was going the wrong way on 215 Eastbound by Gibson.

After an in-depth reconstruction that lasted nearly three days, Nevada Highway Patrol is now putting fault on 21-year-old Abigail Gallegos.

37-year-old Sam Baum was on his commute home from his job as a limo driver when his life ended.

The deadly accident happened about two minutes away from Baum’s home. His uncle says he was sure Sam was headed in the right direction, considering he was coming home from work.

It’s unclear how fast both cars were going. Detectives say alcohol may have played a part in the crash that ended both lives.”

While this story is indeed tragic, it also highlights situations in which families who deal with sudden loss would be well-served to concentrate on their grief and allow an experienced and successful Las Vegas car accidents lawyer handle the protection and enforcement of their legal rights for them.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

One-car crashes are extremely common on the roads of both Las Vegas and the rest of the country, and when they occur, it can be very difficult to obtain an understanding of what led to the accident.  That’s because there tend to be fewer, if any witnesses to many of these crashes.  Tragically, one person was killed and the other person in the car that crashed was injured in an accident on Summerlin Parkway.

According to the Las Vegas Sun:

“The Nevada Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash that happened shortly after 7 p.m. in the area of Summerlin Parkway and Rampart Boulevard.

One person has been confirmed dead and another person was transported to University Medical Center in unknown condition after the single-vehicle, rollover crash, Trooper Chelita Rojas said.

The vehicle was eastbound on Summerlin Parkway when it rolled over and ended up in the rocky center median of the highway, Rojas said”

What has yet to be determined is whether it was the driver or the passenger who was killed.  In situations like this one, the driver has a legal duty to reasonably protect the safety of the passenger in the vehicle.  If the driver was negligent and this negligence led to the crash, it could give rise to civil liability.

If you or someone you love has been injured or worse in a collision, you need the help of Las Vegas car accidents lawyers who understand how to work through these scenarios in order to hold those responsible for the harms created accountable.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Motorcyclists are not only generally loyal to their chosen mode of transportation, but most if not all of them are aware of the risks they take on and the disadvantage they have in terms of sharing roads with much larger vehicles.  Tragically, one man paid the ultimate price recently when his motorcycle collided with an SUV at an intersection.  The collision killed the motorcyclist and an investigation is beginning.

According to the Las Vegas Sun:

“A motorcyclist was killed in a two-vehicle crash this morning in the eastern Las Vegas Valley.

Metro Police responded at 7:50 a.m. to the crash at the intersection of South Pearl Street and East Reno Avenue. That location is southeast of the intersection of East Tropicana Avenue and South Pecos Road.

Police said a 2000 Harley-Davidson Soft Tail motorcycle driven by a 52-year-old from Las Vegas was westbound on Reno while a 2008 Honda Element driven by Adam Hallam, 29, of Las Vegas, was southbound on Pearl.

According to witness statements and evidence at the scene, the Honda entered the intersection in front of the motorcycle, police said.

The motorcycle fell onto its side and struck the left side of the Honda, police said.”

The article goes on to state that this is already the third traffic fatality in Metro’s jurisdiction this year.  If you or someone you love has been harmed in a collision, you need the help of Las Vegas car accidents lawyers who understand how to hold those responsible for these incidents accountable.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Many auto accidents can be explained by one or even several factors that include driver inattention, the presence of alcohol in someone’s system, speeding and the like, but there are also areas in and around Las Vegas that tend to be the setting for a high number of accidents.  One such area is I-15 near Sahara Avenue, and a look at the statistics in a recent published report should lead anyone to take notice.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

“According to my calculations, which are based on Regional Transportation Commission e-mails alerting motorists of traffic troubles, more accidents happen at Sahara than any other spot on the valley’s freeways.

“We’re aware of the situation. We’re just trying to find a solution,” Nevada Department of Transportation spokesman Bob McKenzie said in a head-scratching tone. “It’s an enigma, to say the least. I can’t figure out why people are crashing.”

Yet they are.

During a two-month period, 140 accidents occurred on Las Vegas freeways; 38 percent were on I-15 at or near Sahara. Of those collisions, 87 percent happened in the northbound lanes.”

Some officials appeared reluctant to discuss the issue, and to date there has not been one tangible cause or reason identified for the high number of crashes here.  Regardless of the reason or reasons, motorists should be especially aware of their surroundings in this area and should be prepared for anything that could happen.  If you or someone you love has been harmed in an auto accident in this area or anywhere else, you need the help of a Las Vegas car accidents attorney who understands how every variable, including road design, can play a role in resulting injuries.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Drinking and driving is all-too-prevalent in the Las Vegas area, and when this behavior occurs, anyone and everyone around such a driver is placed in a situation of danger, many times without any knowledge or warning.  Those who can be harmed unexpectedly even includes police officers, as a motorcycle patrolman was hit from the rear last night and had to be hospitalized for his injuries.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

“The Las Vegas motorcycle officer rear-ended Wednesday night remains hospitalized as of 6 a.m. today, although his injuries are not life threatening, police confirmed.

Evidence at the scene indicates a Jeep, traveling east on Sahara, hit the officer from behind as both vehicles traveled in the left passing lane.

The driver of the Jeep was arrested for DUI with substantial bodily harm.

The officer, a 45-year-old male, was not identified.”

While it’s a relief that the officer is expected to survive, the situation presents a potentially complicated legal question.  When people are injured in the course of work, one of the available remedies involves worker’s compensation law.  However, when someone is simply harmed in this sort of situation, it could also give rise to a civil claim for personal injury.

These are the types of questions that should be answered by an experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorney.  If this sort of situation has happened to you and you’ve been harmed by a drunk driver, you need the help of an attorney who has the experience necessary to sort out complicated legal matters and to make sure that your rights are properly enforced and protected.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.