Have you or someone you love been struck by a car while walking in Reno? A Reno pedestrian injury lawyer can help. Leverty & Associates Law is a professional team of personal injury lawyers who know how to help victims of serious accidents get the justice they deserve. Contact us today at (775) 322-6636 for a free consultation about your case.
What to Expect After a Reno Pedestrian Accident
Pedestrians Suffer Most When Involved in a Traffic Accident
Severe injuries are common after a Reno pedestrian accident. Because people on foot don’t have the same metal cage of protection that drivers of a car or truck do, they sustain much more severe injuries, often with life-changing consequences.
Common Reno pedestrian accident injuries include:
- Concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Spinal cord, back, or neck injuries, including whiplash
- Involuntary amputation or loss of the use of limbs
- Broken bones or fractures
- Crushing injuries or internal organ damage
- “Road rash,” deep damage to the upper layers of the dermis.
Just one of these injuries could permanently change your life, compromising your ability to live independently, work, or enjoy the hobbies and activities you used to love. But most pedestrians suffer many of these injuries, leaving them in the hospital or requiring surgery and physical therapy to recover. Trust your experienced Reno pedestrian injury lawyer to file to seek money to help cover all the medical treatment you require.
Leverty & Associates Law: Why Choose Us?
Experienced Pedestrian Injury Lawyers in Reno
Patrick Leverty, one of the lead attorneys at Leverty & Associates Law, focuses on helping businesses and individuals who are having problems with their insurance companies. He has a master’s degree in insurance law, making him uniquely qualified to negotiate with insurance companies in personal injury cases. Patrick’s experience includes fighting for victims in product liability cases and participating in complex tort actions on behalf of dozens of plaintiffs.
Mr. Leverty received the highest rating from Martindale Hubbell and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocate Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocate Forum. And he is a certified personal injury specialist, certified by the State Bar of Nevada. Our firm has secured over $150 million for our clients in many kinds of personal injury cases, including pedestrian accidents.
Many insurance companies will take you, the plaintiff, more seriously when a pedestrian accident lawyer represents you. A Reno pedestrian injury attorney can help you in many other ways, explaining the case details so that you can participate in your claim.
How We Can Help
Choosing the right pedestrian accident attorney for your Reno personal injury lawsuit can make a big difference, not just in whether you win but also in how large your settlement might be. The Leverty & Associates Law legal team can help build your case and has the experience you need every step of the way.
We Build the Case Against the At-Fault Driver
A claim of fault against the driver that struck you is the crux of your personal injury case. Your Reno pedestrian accident lawyer conducts a full investigation into your claim, including interviewing witnesses and looking for any video footage of the accident. We also use the police report from the accident to establish fault and may even consider whether the driver was cited for driving under the influence or distracted driving.
Sometimes, multiple parties could be responsible for your accident. For instance, the City of Reno may have failed to correctly label a crosswalk or maintain safe pedestrian crossing zones, which could have contributed to your accident. If a commercial driver struck you, the carrier company and the driver may both have contributed to your accident. Your Reno pedestrian accident attorney will ensure that every party who contributed to your accident is held accountable for their actions.
We Negotiate on Your Behalf with the Insurance Company
The defendant’s insurance carrier will pay for the damages in nearly all personal injury cases. Pedestrian accident cases are often settled in mediation, where your pedestrian accident attorney negotiates with the other party’s insurance company. With his background in insurance law, Patrick Leverty is uniquely qualified to negotiate skillfully on your behalf.
We Help You Understand Your Compensation for Your Claim
Many insurance companies may approach you right after the accident with a fast settlement offer. It may be very appealing, especially if you aren’t able to work because of your injuries. But this offer is usually low and may not even cover all the medical bills and ongoing treatment you need. At Leverty & Associates Law, we help our clients get the compensation they truly deserve.
Facts and Statistics About Reno Pedestrian Accidents
Whether you’re a Reno native or one of the city’s thousands of annual visitors, walking is a great way to get around Reno. The weather is often pleasant and sunny, making walking a viable option. Places like downtown, Plumas, and Wells Avenue neighborhoods have a high walkability score, and many residents and tourists often walk to their destinations.
According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Nevada ranked #10 in the nation for pedestrian accident deaths per 100,000 people. Furthermore, Washoe County, of which Reno is the county seat, had 12 fatalities, the second-highest number of pedestrian fatalities in the state in 2020.
Even if a pedestrian doesn’t die from being struck by a Reno driver, they can suffer significant injuries. If you’ve been hit by a car, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries. A Reno pedestrian accident attorney can evaluate your case and determine whether you qualify to file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver that struck you.
Nevada Laws for Pedestrians
Nevada allows pedestrians to have the right of way at intersections where a traffic signal allows them to cross and in crosswalks. However, pedestrians entering crosswalks must use caution when entering the space, ensuring that approaching vehicles can stop on time so they may safely cross.
If a driver strikes a pedestrian legally crossing a street, the driver is considered at fault for their injuries. However, the case can be more complicated in cases where the right of way isn’t as clear. Part of the job of your pedestrian accident lawyer is to determine who is at fault for your accident and, therefore, who will be named as a defendant in your personal injury case.
Although Nevada law allows pedestrians specified right of way in crosswalks and other designated crossing areas, it also restricts pedestrian crossings in certain areas. For example, jaywalking, which is walking outside the crosswalk, is illegal, and a walker can be fined or cited for doing so.
Furthermore, if you’re struck by a car when jaywalking, it could be more difficult for your Reno pedestrian injury attorney to successfully prosecute your injury claim. Pedestrians are required to yield the right of way to vehicle operators if they’re crossing at any other point besides a marked crosswalk or an intersection with an unmarked crosswalk.
Hazards for Reno Pedestrians
As one of the most dangerous states for pedestrian accidents, Reno’s streets have plenty of dangers for the unwary foot traveler. Understanding some of the hazards you may face while walking can make you more aware of your surroundings, so you avoid being hit by a car or truck while walking along the University district or Wells Avenue Corridor, the “Bungalow District.”
Poorly Lit Intersections
Good lighting can make a big difference in safety, even when cars are using headlights at night. Unfortunately, many residential areas in Reno have sparse streetlights, and some crossing areas may be too dim to safely determine how close an approaching vehicle is.
Crosswalk Issues
Some crosswalks, even in the walkable Old Southwest or Idlewild Park areas, may be spaced too far apart, increasing the odds that someone may cross the street at an unmarked location instead of “taking the long way.”
Wide Lanes on Roads Encourage High Speeds
Nevada has long stretches of highway with very high speed limits; even in cities, drivers often exceed posted limits. Wide lanes in the busier thoroughfares may pose dangers for pedestrians trying to cross the street, as drivers tend to go faster when the lanes are broad, and the roads are straight. Furthermore, the right turn lanes of these roads may take drivers straight through intersections when pedestrians are trying to cross.
Frequently Asked Questions About Reno Pedestrian Traffic Accidents
Every pedestrian traffic accident case is different, but for the most part, these cases follow a similar pattern and are handled consistently. Our clients have many questions about what happens next in their case, and we will address your particular circumstances in your confidential consultation. These are some of the most popular questions our clients have.
The amount that your Reno pedestrian injury lawyer will ask for depends on how much your medical bills are, including aftercare like surgery or physical therapy. If your home or vehicle requires modifications to allow you to drive or live independently because of the limitations of your injuries, we will also add that to your claim. Many accident victims miss work to heal and recover, and we also add lost wages into the claim.
You’re also entitled to compensatory damages for any pain and suffering and emotional trauma you experienced after the accident. We consider that when we are filing your claim.
Pain and suffering compensation is considered “non-economic” damages – that is, damages that you can’t add up like you can medical bills and missed wages (those are economic damages). Under Nevada law, plaintiffs are entitled to seek both forms of damages in a personal injury case.
Essentially, pain and suffering damages provide compensation for the effects your injuries have on your life. Being struck by a car hurts! The pain can affect your ability to work or go to school and may even affect your mood and personality.
Furthermore, many people who have been hit by a car experience significant emotional trauma and mental anguish and may even develop PTSD or other mental health concerns, like anxiety or depression. Non-economic damages compensate for that damage and can provide funds to help you seek treatment to ease the pain and PTSD symptoms.
Many personal injury attorneys, like those at Leverty & Associates Law, work on a contingency basis, meaning we only collect attorney’s fees if we win your case. Your lawyer fee will be a percentage of the final settlement.
Older people and children have the highest risk of being hit by a car. Elderly people may move slower or have a slower response time to get out of the way of an oncoming vehicle, while children may be too small to see or may impulsively run out into the road.
Yes, in this case, your Reno pedestrian accident attorney will file a wrongful death case. You’ll be entitled to many of the same damages as a personal injury suit but also be entitled to recoup the costs of funeral expenses and any potential loss of earnings of your loved one.
If you don’t see the answer to your question here, don’t worry. We will cover every concern that you have about your case when we have a one-on-one conversation with you.
Our Reno Pedestrian Injury Attorneys Are Here for You
If you suffered severe injuries after a pedestrian accident in Reno, we can help. Contact Leverty & Associates today at (775) 322-6636 for a free consultation about your claim.
Client Testimonial
”Patrick is a great lawyer, he help me with my case and solved a great problem ,thanks to him and his quick response time we won the case thanks, could not have done it with out him.” – Lloyd Fellon (Google Review)
Attorney Patrick Leverty
With his master’s in insurance law, Patrick routinely helps individuals and businesses who are having issues with their insurance company. He also has extensive experience with personal injury actions, complex tort actions, product liability matters, and class actions. Patrick Leverty is rated AV by Martindale Hubbell (the highest rating) and has been granted membership in the Million Dollar Advocate Forum, and Multi-Million Dollar Advocate Forum. Patrick Leverty has been certified as a Personal Injury Specialist by the State Bar of Nevada. [ Attorney Bio ]
