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.

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.

Almost every auto accident can ultimately be traced to a particular cause.  In the case of a tragic accident in a Laughlin casino last week, there were few indications as to what could have led to such a disaster.  Now comes word that the 70-year-old driver of the vehicle that crashed through the entrance of the property had a history of blackouts and medical problems that would seem to make him a serious liability behind the wheel.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

“The 70-year-old man charged in the deaths of two people after driving a car through a casino entrance in Laughlin told police he had a history of blacking out and was taking medication for seizures, an arrest report released Friday said.

As he sat on the driver’s seat of the 2007 Pontiac Vibe that barreled 100 feet past the main doors of Edgewater Hotel & Casino, Walter McGie of Kelso, Wash., said he was unaware he drove into the building, the report said.

Nevada’s driving laws, some of the toughest in the country, might have prevented McGie from legally getting behind the wheel in the Silver State.

Nevada is one of a handful of states that requires both drivers and doctors to report a medical condition that can affect a person’s ability to drive. Failing to report is a misdemeanor.

Motorists are not supposed to drive for three months following a seizure and may have to surrender their license during that time, according to state law. The driver’s license will also have medical restrictions clearly marked.”

The man was licensed in Washington state, which appears to have less stringent requirements for these types of situations.  Regardless, if you or someone you love has been harmed by someone who should not have been driving in the first place, you need the help of Las Vegas car accidents lawyers who have a long history of successfully fighting for the rights of their clients.  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.

When a new year begins, it’s seen as a fresh start in just about every context.  That includes traffic statistics, as officials always start the year with the hope that area roads will be safe.  Unfortunately, 2010 is not starting off on a positive note for Las Vegas authorities, as yet another fatal traffic accident has occurred within the Las Vegas Metro Police Department’s jurisdiction.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

“A 51-year-old man was killed early Wednesday morning when he lost control of his truck, Las Vegas police confirmed. The man, who was not identified, was driving a Chevrolet Silverado truck at about 12:45 a.m. eastbound on Bonanza Road, near Lillian Street, when his tires began sliding on the wet road, police said.

The truck skipped over a curb before striking a building, rolling onto its left side, and sliding into a palm tree. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.”

This is already the fourth traffic fatality in the area in 2010 before the year is even four weeks old.  In terms of this situation, it’s possible that the wet roads were a factor in the collision, but investigators will need to make that determination.  If you or someone you love has been harmed in such an incident, you need the help of Las Vegas car accidents lawyers who have the experience and skill necessary to help clients determine fault.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation, as you need to make sure that your legal rights are properly protected and enforced.

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.

Perhaps it’s the time of year.  Perhaps it’s the attraction that is Las Vegas.  Regardless of the reason even if there is one that could be named above any others, we have to report on yet another tragic traffic death at the hands of another suspected drunk driver in the area.  This time, the crash occurred between a DUI suspect and a pedestrian, and unfortunately, tragedies like this one seem to be continuing to occur.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

“A driver accused of being drunk struck and killed a pedestrian Wednesday evening on Desert Inn Road near Las Vegas Boulevard.

Las Vegas police said the driver, Mahmoud Alseidamad of Las Vegas was driving a 1995 Honda Civic west on Desert Inn, east of Channel 8 Drive, when he changed lanes and lost control of the car.

The car went onto the sidewalk on the north side of the street at 5:22 p.m. and struck two men — a 56-year-old man from Celebration, Fla., and 60-year-old Willard Hilborn of Rancho Mirage, Calif.

The Florida man, who was not identified, was pronounced dead at the scene. Hilborn was taken to University Medical Center with serious injuries.”

The driver was arrested and booked into the Clark County Detention center on suspicion of felony DUI resulting in death. Clearly, these are serious charges, as they should be.  However, this does not preclude the pursuit of justice within the civil court system.  If you have been harmed or lost someone you love as a result of a drunk driver, contact the Las Vegas car accidents lawyers who have a long track record of holding those responsible for these terrible situations accountable.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

The good news from a recent accident where a vehicle crashed into a local bus stop station was that no one was hurt.  The bad news is that this is a type of accident that’s occurring with more frequency, prompting several parties to sound the alarm regarding the safety of those standing by the side of the road as cars, trucks and SUV’s zoom by as they follow their routine.  A recent story pointed out some troubling facts.

According to KTNV:

“We’ve seen it too many times to count in Las Vegas, where a bus stop is destroyed by wayward drivers. It happened again Monday morning at Bonanza and Rancho. Police say no one was hurt, but a homeless man’s shopping cart was totaled. Yet during the last few years there have been close to a dozen accidents where drivers have gone over the curve, striking transit passengers and even killing them while waiting for their ride. The bus stop shelter near Bonanza and Rancho was barely left standing after a vehicle rammed into the structure leaving only an empty space behind.

Vehicles crashing into bus stops have resulted in fatalities like the death of Patricia Hoff back in July of 2008 near boulder hwy.   But after a bus safety study the RTC concluded that the collisions have nothing to do with the structure of the shelters but rather with the people in control of the vehicles.”

What’s worst is that there does not appear to be a clear solution to this issue.  If you or someone you love has been harmed by a vehicle, you need to seek the help of Las Vegas car accidents lawyers who can sort through complicated fact scenarios and bodies of evidence in order to hold those responsible for injuries accountable.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.