GET A FREE CONSULTATION
(702) 680-1111
Founding Member & Managing Partner at Gina Corena & Associates
Practice Areas: Personal Injury
Wrong-way crashes are among the most dangerous collisions on Nevada roads. They often happen at highway speeds and leave little to no time for reaction. The National Transportation Safety Board has found that alcohol impairment is a leading cause in many of these cases, which makes liability more straightforward in some claims but does not make the aftermath any easier.
If you were injured by a wrong-way driver, what happens next is not just about medical recovery. It also affects how fault is proven, how insurance responds, and what compensation may ultimately be available.
A wrong-way driver is someone traveling against the normal flow of traffic on a highway, ramp, or one-way street. Most of these crashes result in head-on collisions, which are significantly more severe than other types of impacts because both vehicles are moving toward each other at speed.
These cases are often investigated in detail because fault is often heavily disputed by insurance companies, even when the direction of travel seems clear. Evidence such as traffic camera footage, crash reconstruction reports, and vehicle data can become important in establishing exactly how the collision occurred.
Most wrong-way crashes trace back to a handful of causes:
In the Las Vegas Valley, wrong-way crashes most often occur on high-speed routes where drivers are unfamiliar with exits or impaired. Common locations include I-15, US-95/I-515, the 215 Beltway, the Spaghetti Bowl interchange, and freeway on- and off-ramps near the Strip, especially late at night.
These location patterns can help investigators understand how a crash occurred and determine how the wrong-way entry onto the roadway likely happened.
Wrong-way crashes are often severe and chaotic, so the first steps you take can affect both your safety and your claim.
These early steps often become important evidence later, especially in serious injury cases.
The wrong-way driver is usually the primary at-fault party, but they’re not always the only one. Depending on the facts, liability may also reach:
Identifying every responsible party matters because it can mean more insurance coverage to cover a catastrophic injury.
Even in a wrong-way crash, fault is not always one-sided as people assume. Insurance companies often examine whether the injured person had any role in the collision, even if the wrong-way driver clearly caused it.
Nevada follows a modified comparative negligence rule under NRS 41.141. You can still recover compensation as long as you are 50% or less at fault. Your recovery is reduced by the percentage of fault you bear. For example, if your damages are $100,000 and you are found 10% responsible, you would recover $90,000.
That fault percentage often becomes one of the most disputed parts of a claim, because even small changes can significantly affect the final outcome.
Punitive damages may also apply in cases involving drunk driving or extreme recklessness. These are separate from compensation for injuries and are meant to punish especially dangerous conduct. Nevada allows them under NRS 42.005, subject to statutory limits.
Wrong-way crashes often involve uninsured drivers, impaired drivers, or hit-and-run situations. When the at-fault driver cannot be identified or does not carry insurance, recovery may come through uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, depending on the policy.
A claim can include medical expenses, future medical treatment, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and property damage. In more serious crashes, these losses extend into long-term care and ongoing financial impact.
When a crash results in death, Nevada law allows certain family members and the estate to bring a wrongful death claim. This may include funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship. It is separate from any criminal proceedings against the driver.
Most personal injury claims in Nevada must be filed within two years of the crash under NRS 11.190. Some cases involve additional notice requirements or different timelines, particularly when government entities are involved.
Evidence such as vehicle data, surveillance footage, and witness accounts can become harder to secure over time, so these cases are typically evaluated early to avoid losing critical proof.
A Las Vegas car accident lawyer can preserve evidence, identify all liable parties and insurance policies, handle the adjusters, and pursue the full value of your claim, including UM/UIM and, where appropriate, punitive damages.
Usually the wrong-way driver, who violated NRS 484B.340. But a bar that over-served them, an employer, the vehicle owner, or a government entity for bad road design may also share liability.
Alcohol and drug impairment, according to NTSB findings, followed by driver confusion, wrong ramp entry, and age- or medically-related disorientation.
Slow down, move to the right, and get as far from the driver as possible — wrong-way drivers often travel in the fast lane. Call 911 to report it.
Yes. Under NRS 41.141, you can recover as long as you’re 50% or less at fault, with your award reduced by your share.
Generally two years from the crash under NRS 11.190, with a shorter deadline if a government entity is involved.
Wrong-way crashes leave serious injuries and hard questions about who pays. You don’t have to sort it out alone. Gina Corena & Associates can help you understand your rights and fight for full compensation. Contact us for a free consultation.
As founder of Gina Corena & Associates, she is dedicated to fighting for the rights of the people who suffer life-changing personal injuries in car, truck and motorcycle accidents as well as other types of personal injury. Gina feels fortunate to serve the Nevada community and hold wrongdoers accountable for their harm to her clients.
