Hit-and-run accident leaves pedestrian injured

Jan 25, 2018

A serious accident occurred in the eastern part of Reno and has left a man clinging to life. The devastating incident happened at the intersection of Sixth Street and Valley Road in the early hours of the morning. The man was discovered in the roadway with significant injuries to his face and head. He was taken to the hospital and it is reported that he is in critical condition.

What makes this story even more tragic is that the vehicle and driver that allegedly hit the man were not at the scene of the accident when law enforcement and rescue officials arrived. The absence of a driver and vehicle has left police calling the incident a hit-and-run matter and they are currently working to collect video and picture evidence from the time of the accident to use to identify the driver who caused the victim’s harm.

Hit-and-run vehicle accidents are difficult on many levels. Aside from the serious injuries and losses that victims must contend with, they must also exercise patience as authorities attempt to find the people who caused their harm to occur. Hit-and-run perpetrators often face criminal sanctions as well as civil penalties for their involvement in their crashes and their failure to stay at the scenes of the accidents they cause.

With any luck the victim of this tragic incident may recover and may be able to provide law enforcement officials with information that may lead to the identification of the hit-and-run driver. Until then, he and his loved ones may search for ways to keep their lives moving forward despite the loss of his contributions and the mounting medical bills that are assessed for his ongoing hospitalization.

Source: rgj.com, ” Man in critical condition after suspected hit-and-run in east Reno ,” Jenny Kane, Jan. 21, 2018

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What is the difference between a complete and incomplete SCI?

Jan 19, 2018

An injury to a person’s spinal cord can be a devastating and life-altering experience. While some individuals may eventually recover from their harm and live lives comparable to what they enjoyed prior to sustaining their injuries, others may never recover. Nevada residents who have endured this traumatic form of injury may be aware that there are two general categories of spinal cord injuries , being complete spinal cord injuries and incomplete spinal cord injuries.

A complete spinal cord injury is one in which the victim has no feeling or other sensory experience below the site of their injury. For example, if the victim suffered an injury to their lumbar spine and had complete loss of movement and sensation in their legs, their injury may be considered complete.

If, though, the victim’s lumbar spine injury did not result in a complete lack of sensation below the site of their trauma then their injury may be classified as incomplete. An incomplete spinal cord injury suggests that the victim has some nerve impulses still traveling through the site of their injury and that some movement may be possible.

Both complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries are serious. Individuals who suffer from these forms of extreme harm may need assistance and medical treatment for the rest of their lives. As previously discussed on this Reno personal injury legal blog, living with a spinal cord injury can be very expensive and overwhelmingly burdensome on the individual who is unfortunate enough to suffer from such losses. Victims of spinal cord injuries can often find financial recompense through lawsuits based on their personal injury damages.

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What is comparative negligence?

Jan 12, 2018

Accidents between vehicles on Nevada roads often occur because of negligence. Negligence is the failure of a person to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances. When it comes to driving, reasonable care may involve avoiding driving distractions, following traffic signage and laws, and maintaining one’s calm when conditions are challenging.

When two vehicles collide it may be the case that one of the drivers was completely responsible for the accident. For example, if a driver is stopped at a stop sign and the other driver drives directly into the back of the victim’s car then the second may be completely at fault for the crash.

Now, however, imagine in the same scenario but that the first car had defective rear brake lights. If there were no glowing red indicators on the back of the car it may have been more difficult for the second driver to determine that the first car was stopped. Though the second driver should have taken precautions when approaching the other car and may have seen the stop sign at the intersection, it is possible in this expanded scenario that the first driver and presumptive victim contributed to the incident by driving a car with defective lights.

This is where comparative negligence comes into play. In Nevada, a presumptive victim cannot recover their damages if it is found that they were more than 50 percent responsible for the harm that caused their losses. In our above scenario, if a court found that the presumptive victim was 60 percent responsible for the crash due to their defective brake lights and the other driver was 40 percent responsible then the victim may not get their damages at trial.

The state’s comparative negligence law is more complex than discussed herein. Readers should talk to personal injury attorneys about their car accident cases and how the comparative negligence law may impact their ability to recover.

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A spinal cord injury can affect more than a victim’s body

Jan 4, 2018

When a Reno resident suffers an injury to their spinal cord they can experience a range of traumatic and life-changing symptoms. They may find that their mobility is impacted if their injury causes paralysis or tetraplegia. They may discover that their coordination is diminished due to harm suffered to their neurological system. These are only a few of the many ways that a spinal cord injury can impact the functionality of their body.

While many of the complications that individuals suffer after spinal cord injuries are physical, victims may also suffer psychological, social and emotional harm from their injuries. For example, the physical symptoms of their injuries may decrease their abilities to engage in the activities of their pre-injury lives which, in turn, may manifest in reductions of their quality of life.

Diminished physical functionality can also impact a person’s ability to retain a job. The trauma suffered by a spinal cord injury victim may prevent them from returning to the work that they did before they suffered their harm and may keep them out of other possible lines of work. The inability to earn an income can impact the victim’s psychological health as well as financial capacity to thrive.

There is rarely an easy path out of a spinal cord injury , but medical professionals suggest that early treatment and care after such an injury can be imperative to reducing the physical and related symptoms that can indefinitely plague the life of a victim. Because of this it can be important for victims of spinal cord injuries to seek compensation for their losses so that they may receive the best possible treatment and care for their devastating afflictions.

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Drinking and driving can be a big holiday problem

Dec 28, 2017

The end of the year is almost here and at this time many Reno residents may be in between celebrations with family members and cherished friends. They may be wrapping up holiday get-togethers with co-workers and employers, traveling to see loved ones in distant places and preparing to ring in the New Year with the special people in their lives.

The holidays are an exciting time because they give individuals many reasons to celebrate and often those celebrations are festive events with good food and good drinks. While most individuals understand that drinking responsibly involves finding sober drivers to get them home if they are not able to drive for themselves, others make dangerous choices to operate their motor vehicles when they are under the influence of alcohol.

Drunk driving accidents happen every day of the year, including during the winter holiday season. They are tragic events because they are so often preventable through self-awareness and responsible decision-making; when drunk drivers get behind the wheels of their vehicles they put the lives of themselves and everyone else on the roads in jeopardy.

The attorneys of Bradley Drendel & Jeanney hope that the readers of their personal injury legal blog have happy and healthy ends to 2017. They know, though, that despite their best efforts not all individuals will be able to avoid serious and sometimes life-threatening collisions. When drunk driving accidents happen victims can suffer losses that can impact the quality of their lives, their capacities to work and their abilities to care for their loved ones. The firm is available to provide legal support to those who are harmed in accidents with intoxicated drivers.

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Truck drivers may not use cell phones while driving

Dec 21, 2017

Distracted driving is a serious problem for the Reno drivers who engage in the dangerous practice as well as those who must be on the roads at the same time as them. While certain forms of distractions are prohibited for drivers of personal vehicles, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has also issued restrictions on the use of cell phones by truck drivers. Those restrictions prohibit truckers from holding cell phones to make calls, dialing numbers with their hands or having to alter their sitting position in order to reach for cell phones.

When the driver of a large truck takes their eyes off of the road in order to check a text message or to dial a phone number they are taking a huge risk with their safety and the welfare of other motorists. FMCSA estimates that when a truck driver checks their phone the average amount of time that they look away from the road is just under four seconds. At 55 miles per hour that truck driver could cover the length of a football field without ever seeing conditions around them.

Truck drivers may be ticketed if they are caught engaging in prohibited conduct but they also may be sued if they cause an accident due to their distraction. As previously discussed on this personal injury blog, victims of truck accidents must sue under civil law for the collection of their accident-related damages.

No driver should prioritize any task over driving when they are behind the wheel. This extends to truck drivers and individuals who operate other commercial rigs. Distracted driving is a problem all across the nation and puts the lives of innocent people at risk.

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What is whiplash and why is it a common car accident injury?

Dec 15, 2017

The injuries that Reno residents may sustain in a vehicle accident can range from minor contusions or bruising to life-threatening organ damage and bleeding. One factor that can make vehicle accident injuries quite troublesome is the fact that some do not manifest for hours or even days after the victim was involved in a collision. For example, the pain and stiffness of whiplash may not appear as symptoms of a victim’s injury until after they have woken up the day after their car accident.

Whiplash involves the fast forward and backward movement of a person’s neck. When a car accident victim’s vehicle is struck from behind, the force of the collision may throw their head forward and then back as their vehicle comes to a stop. The resulting motion can cause strain in the muscles and connective tissue of the neck, causing pain and stiffness.

Victims of rear-end collisions often suffer from whiplash but the injury can occur in victims of other vehicle crashes. It can be a debilitating condition that may manifest in a loss of the victim’s range of motion, dizziness, numbness, headaches and even concentration issues and depression. Victims of whiplash may require medical treatment to recover from their injuries.

Car crashes are violent events and as a result the victims of car crashes may suffer violent injuries. Whiplash is a serious medical issue that can have long-term consequences on the health and well-being of a person who suffers it from a vehicle collision. To learn more about how car accident injuries like whiplash may be compensable victims are encouraged to seek out the counsel of personal injury attorneys in their communities.

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Should I accept settlement after a drunk driving accident?

Dec 8, 2017

Should I accept settlement after a drunk driving accident?
On Behalf of Bradley, Drendel & Jeanney • Dec 08, 2017
Drunk drivers are more than a nuisance to Reno residents: they are a threat to the health and safety of people within the community who must take to local roads and highways in order to get where they need to go. Drunk drivers cause injuries, financial losses and fatalities. Their reckless actions can alter the course of their victims’ lives as well as the lives of those who loved victims who succumbed to their accident-related injuries.

When a victim of a drunk driving accident suffers significant losses they may wonder what rights they have to seek compensation for the harm they unwillingly had to endure. They may speak with personal injury attorneys about their options and the possible legal courses of action they may pursue to recover from their catastrophic harm. They may also, however, receive communications from the responsible driver’s insurance providers to settle the victim’s claims regarding the accident.

A settlement is a legal agreement that provides one party with compensation and, in exchange, absolves the other party from any future claims based on the events covered in the settlement. For example, an insurer may wish to settle a drunk driving accident by paying a victim a lump sum of money but in exchange for accepting the lump sum the victim would have no future recourse against the insurer.

Insurers may push settlements in drunk driving cases if they are concerned that a trial verdict would far exceed the amount they wish to settle. They may want a settlement to reduce their association with a drunk driver and may wish to settle to speed up the resolution of the potentially challenging legal matter.

The victim of a drunk driving accident does not have to settle their claim. If a settlement serves their interests it may be a good option. However, it is best for victims to discuss all possible legal options with personal injury attorneys who understand victims’ rights as well as the repercussions for selecting different legal paths.

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Who do I sue if I am injured in a truck accident?

Dec 1, 2017

Who do I sue if I am injured in a truck accident?
On Behalf of Bradley, Drendel & Jeanney • Dec 01, 2017
Large trucks and cargo vehicles travel through Reno each day, carrying goods to the stores where residents shop and purchase their wants and needs. While most trucks get to their destinations without any accidents or issues, others are involved in collisions that put Nevada residents’ lives at risk. When a person is hurt from an accident with a semi or other large commercial vehicle they may not know how to pursue the damages they need to get their life back on track.

Initiating a truck accident lawsuit can begin with knowing who to include as a defendant in a personal injury case. It may be obvious that the driver of the truck should be included in the suit if it was their negligence or recklessness that caused the crash to occur, but beyond the driver a victim may not know who to add to their civil litigation.

One possible defendant is the company responsible for putting the truck on the road. Some businesses own their own delivery trucks and the individuals who drive them are employees of the businesses. If the truck involved in the accident was one from such a business then the victim may be able to include the company as a defendant in their suit.

If the truck was owned by the truck driver and the driver worked as an independent contractor rather than an employee of the company whose products were being delivered then it may not be as easy to include the company in the suit. It is important to determine the status of the driver before filing a lawsuit for damages based on a truck accident.

Insurers, product manufacturers and others may be included in personal injury litigation but a victim must first understand what role each played in creating the harm that led to their truck accident losses. Discussing one’s case with a personal injury attorney can help a victim determine who to sue when seeking financial compensation for their harm.

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You should not have to bear the costs of your spinal cord injury

Nov 24, 2017

You should not have to bear the costs of your spinal cord injury
On Behalf of Bradley, Drendel & Jeanney • Nov 24, 2017
As recently discussed on this Reno-based personal injury legal blog, the costs associated with living with a spinal cord injury can reach into the millions of dollars over the course of a victim’s lifetime. When that injury is caused by the negligence of another person through a motor vehicle accident or other road-based incident, the losses can be compounded by the fact that the victim did nothing wrong and still suffered serious losses.

Spinal cord injuries can impact the victims’ ability to move, work and communicate. They can render healthy and vibrant individuals unable to care for themselves and unable to earn the incomes that their families depend on to stay afloat. Spinal cord injuries therefore do not only affect the direct victims who must live with the consequences of other people’s negligence: victims’ families also suffer.

If your life has been irreparably changed by the reckless and dangerous actions of a drunk driver, fatigued trucker, or other hazardous driver on the road and you have suffered damage to your spinal cord, you may have rights to pursue your losses. Personal injury claims based on negligence and other causes of action may avail you to the financial compensation you need to get your life back on track.

The attorneys of [nap_names id=”FIRM-NAME-1″] take pride in the conscientious care that they provide to their spinal cord injury victim clients. Spinal cord injuries can be highly technical and complex injuries to present at trial and it is important that victims of these devastating losses work with attorneys who know how to present them in court. To learn more about how the law firm of [nap_names id=”FIRM-NAME-1″] can help you work toward the recovery of damages you deserve after your spinal cord injury, please visit the firm online.

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