Sidewalk Accidents

A person’s biggest fear while walking on a sidewalk in Las Vegas should only be the heat. There should not be any other reason to be concerned about walking down a sidewalk. However, when a sidewalk in Las Vegas is not taken care of properly by the party that owns it, pedestrians can become seriously injured. When an individual slips, trips, or falls on a sidewalk in Las Vegas, they may be subject to broken bones, lacerations, concussions, spinal cord injuries, and other injuries. Typically, the party that owns the sidewalk is the party that owns the adjacent property. Sometimes, this is a hotel, a casino, a business owner, the local municipality, or a private citizen. It can be difficult to determine who owns a sidewalk in Las Vegas. If you or a loved one has become seriously injured in a Las Vegas sidewalk accident,  it is important to retain the services of an attorney that can hold the owner liable while recovering an award of maximum compensation. Lawrence C. Hill & Associates is committed to fighting for justice on behalf of injured parties in Las Vegas. If you have been injured, contact Lawrence C. Hill & Associates today to discuss your case.

Sidewalk accidents can happen in Las Vegas for a number of different reasons. With such a high density of tourists, they have a tendency to be very crowded with people who aren’t sure where they are going. This confusion, coupled with dangerous conditions, can be a recipe for disaster. Some of the dangerous conditions that often result in these accidents can include the following:

  • Standing water
  • Surface issues
  • Loose debris
  • Hazardous materials
 
If a property owner fails to ensure the safety of their sidewalk, passersby can be very seriously injured. In the event that a sidewalk does have a dangerous condition present, it is necessary for the property owner to remedy the situation in a timely manner.

When an individual is seriously injured in a sidewalk accident, they often consider taking legal action. After all, a successful lawsuit can provide the injured party with significant compensation for their burdens, both financial and nonfinancial in nature. However, the plaintiff in the case is subject to fulfilling the burden of proof, which means that they must show that the property owner knew or should have reasonably known about the hazards and failed to fix it. If the hazard had been remedied, the accident may not have occurred. It can be difficult to prove that the property owner was negligent.

It is important to try and take pictures or videos of the dangerous conditions before leaving the scene of the accident. If this isn’t possible, it can be difficult to prove because the property owner may fix the hazards by the time the injured party is able to return. It may also be a good idea to obtain witness contact information and surveillance footage.

There are two categories of compensation that may be able to be recovered in a sidewalk accident case. First, economic damages. This is compensation for all of the financial burdens that the injured party faced, such as medical bills, lost wages, and more. Noneconomic damages are for all of the other burdens that the accident caused. These can include emotional distress, pain and suffering, among others.