When we learn to drive, one of the fundamental lessons we are all taught is to approach our navigation defensively, remaining vigilant for the mistakes of others so that we can avoid a serious accident.  Unfortunately, there are certain mistakes made by other drivers that no one could expect, such as when someone is heading down a road in the wrong direction.  Sadly, that appears to be what occurred over the weekend when a head-on crash left the drivers of both vehicles involved in the accident seriously injured.

According to the Las Vegas Sun:

“Two people were seriously injured Friday night when a car headed in the wrong direction on South Rainbow Boulevard collided head-on with another car, Metro Police said.

The drivers of both cars were taken to University Medical Center with serious to critical injuries, police said.

The crash happened about 6:45 p.m. just south of West Cougar Avenue. Evidence at the scene and witness statements indicate a P.T. Cruiser driven by Daniel Hernandez-Plascenca, 26, of Henderson was headed north in the southbound lanes of Rainbow when it hit a Honda Accord, police said.

Hernandez-Plascenca suffered serious injuries, police said.

The other driver, Carlos Alcantara, 28, of Las Vegas suffered critical injuries, police said.”

Investigators have not stated what may have caused the driver to move down the road in the wrong direction.  Regardless, the other driver likely has a valid legal claim for damages.  If you or someone you love has been harmed in an accident, you need the help of a Las Vegas car accidents lawyer who understands what it takes to hold those responsible for causing unnecessary harm accountable.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Certain auto accidents are relatively simple to analyze, as they involve one vehicle colliding with another.  While these situations are certainly dangerous, there are other crashes that play out like chain reactions.  These incidents only ramp up the risk and the potential for tragedy.  Sadly, a man lost his life in a three-car accident in Henderson over the weekend that involved more than one collision.

According to the Las Vegas Sun:

“Henderson Police on Monday released details of a fatal three-vehicle crash that happened this past weekend on Eastern Avenue.

Authorities said a 45-year-old Las Vegas man died after his northbound 1982 Cobra Roadster crossed the median at about 9:15 a.m. Saturday and crashed into a southbound 2006 Audi A-6. The collision occurred north of Eastern’s intersection with Coronado Center Drive.

The driver of the Roadster was thrown from the vehicle and taken to St. Rose Siena Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His name wasn’t being released pending notification of family members.

After that crash, authorities say a 2000 Ford Contour rear-ended the Audi after the driver wasn’t able to stop in time, then the Contour crashed into the Roadster. The driver and passenger of the Contour weren’t injured.”

It will likely take time for investigators to conclude what occurred and what led to this accident. If you or someone you love has been harmed in a collision, you need the help of Las Vegas personal injury lawyers who have years of experience in successfully fighting for the rights of injured clients.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Statistical rankings can be difficult to put into context at times, as different measurements can produce different results that mean different things to different people.  However, raw statistics rarely lie, and in a recent nationwide survey of most dangerous states for teen drivers, Nevada finished in the middle of the pack at 29th.  The survey measured teen fatalities behind the wheel and placed a large amount of blame for teen traffic fatalities on cell phones.

According to CBS 8:

“Driving is a privilege many teens look forward to but it can also be a very dangerous time. According to a recent report, some states are not very safe for teen drivers.

A report compiled by Allstate Insurance shows Nevada ranks 29th out of 51 states as the least safest state for teen drivers. Teens told 8 News Now there should be a law in place to ban cell phone use while driving because it is so distracting.

“I almost got into an accident when I was just reading the text message,” said Marlaina Osornia, teen driver.

Driving instructors make sure students not only turn off their cell phones when they start their engines, but they stress two other simple rules for defensive driving.

“We want to get the aspect of defensive driving. I use two words speed and space, less speed more space,” said Jim Breslin, Silver State Driving School.

The report based the rankings on a total of 11 factors. One of them being the teen driver death rate. Over a 10 year period, Nevada averaged 44.9 fatalities.”

Easy math shows that 449 teens have been killed in auto accidents over the past decade.  This does not include other fatality accidents in which teens were involved.  If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident, you need the help of a Las Vegas car accidents lawyer who understands how to fight for the rights of those wronged.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

When someone is reckless behind the wheel and those actions lead to terrible consequences for what would otherwise be innocent bystanders, the consequences for the driver can be severe.  However, that is not always the case, and some may feel that the guilty plea entered by a man who killed one person and injured another will not lead to a harsh enough punishment.  Fortunately, those who suffered from this incident likely have other options.

According to the Las Vegas Sun:

“A man who allegedly lost control of his vehicle and fatally struck a pedestrian in December entered a guilty plea today in district court to one count of reckless driving.

Mahmod Alseidahmad, 25, appeared before District Court Judge James Bixler, where he pleaded guilty to the charge in connection with a Dec. 9 collision that left Dennis Dietrich, 56, of Celebration, Fla., dead and Willard Hilborn, 60, of Rancho Mirage, Calif., seriously injured. The men, who were in Las Vegas for a trade show, were struck as they were walking along a sidewalk on Desert Inn Road.

A sentencing date was set for May 13. Alseidahmad could face up to six years behind bars.”

Evidence showed that according to witnesses, the driver was weaving in and out of traffic at a high rate of speed.  In terms of additional liability, the driver could face actions being brought against him for both personal injury and wrongful death.  If you or someone you love has been harmed in a collision, you need the help of a Las Vegas car accidents lawyer who has years of experience in holding those responsible for the harm they cause accountable.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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.

Most of us understand that when we get behind the wheel of a vehicle, we are taking on certain risks that involve our own driving maneuvers and the decisions of other drivers.  However, most would not assume that there is risk involved with traffic while they are at home.  Luckily, no one had to find out the hard way that such risks do exist as a car crashed into a home in Summerlin Friday afternoon after being involved in an accident.

According to CBS 8 Las Vegas:

“A Summerlin couple must now repair a large hole in their home after a car crashed into it Friday afternoon.

Police say it began when a three-car accident took place near the home. One of the cars veered off the road and into the house of Susan Enney and her husband.

She was at work when her husband called to tell her about the accident. “He was sitting on the couch, and he heard a big boom,” she said. “The car came tumbling through the kitchen. I said, ‘What?’ He said, ‘Really, I’m serious. There is a car in the kitchen.’ I came home, and there was a car in my kitchen!”

The crash left debris scattered throughout the kitchen, but Susan Enney says it could have been worse. “If the air conditioner wouldn’t have been there, I am sure she would have come pretty much into the dining room area,” she said. “It’s a relief… that nobody got hurt and it can be fixed. So, I am happy.”

It didn’t take long for repair crews to begin work on the home. The couple now faces numerous phone calls with their insurance companies.”

While it’s fortunate that no one was hurt, the situation still creates a problem for the homeowners.  If you or someone you love has been harmed in an auto accident, you need the help of Las Vegas personal injury lawyers who have years of experience in successfully fighting for the rights of the injured.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.

We relayed information yesterday regarding a tragic accident on the highway near Henderson that involved a young woman rear-ending the vehicle that contained two people.  It appeared to have been a violent collision and resulted in the deaths of both passengers of the vehicle that was hit.  Police immediately got started on their investigation and found that the driver’s blood alcohol content far exceeded the legal limit.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

“A 19-year-old woman accused of causing a vehicle collision that killed two people Tuesday had a blood alcohol level of 0.267, more than three times the legal limit of 0.08, according to Henderson police.

Anita F. Mann was given a Breathalyzer test at the scene of the 11:40 a.m. crash after officers found she was unable to perform any of the field sobriety tests.

When officers talked to her, they noticed a strong odor of an “unknown intoxicant” on her breath, her arrest report states. She was slurring her speech, and her eyes were bloodshot and watery.

“She stated that she had been drinking, stating that she was drunk and should be taken to jail,” the report states.

Mann was followed to the crash scene by a motorist who claimed to have been struck by her about two miles away, at the intersection of Horizon Ridge Parkway and Stephanie Street.”

This is obviously a situation that played out in the worst way possible.  For the family members of the deceased, questions will likely remain.  If you or someone you love has been harmed by a drunk driver, you need the help of a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has years of experience in holding those responsible for this conduct accountable.  Contact Jack Bernstein & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation.