Las Vegas Personal Injury Attorneys

by Gina Corena

Are Casinos Responsible for Injuries Sustained From Fights Take Place On Their Property?

For many, casinos are an exciting way to spend time with friends or kick back after a long week and try to press their luck. Yet, what happens if, instead of winning big, this exciting night out leaves you dealing with debilitating injuries and excruciating pain because another patron decided to make some bad decisions and a fight took place on the property.

If you were harmed inside a casino because of another person’s wrongful or intentional actions, the last thing on your mind is probably trying to figure out what legal remedies you can pursue in this type of situation. However, to ensure you get the maximum compensation you deserve, it is important to know your rights. That is why in this blog post, we will go over everything you need to know about holding a casino responsible for damages that resulted from an altercation occurring on their premises, including how an experienced personal injury attorney can help you take on these challenging claims.

Injured in a Casino — What Are Your Options

If you are harmed on casino property, you may have a possible claim for damages. Although these laws vary state by state, generally, there are two ways an individual can be injured in a casino — through the negligence of the casino or its employees or the acts of other patrons.

In the first scenario, the injured individual will often need to show that the casino or its staff were negligent, and their negligence caused the victim’s harm. This means that the victim will often have to collect evidence that showed the casino or the employees had a duty to protect them, this duty was breached by the casino or its employees failing to take reasonable action, and this failure to act resulted in injuries and monetary damages.

Regarding the second scenario, which is harm that results from other patrons, these situations often arise when a fight breaks out, or an intoxicated individual injures another person in the casino. In these cases, the casino can also be held liable for the resulting damages, but it is often a difficult and uphill battle since the victim will usually need to prove that their injuries were foreseeable.

Proving Negligence After a Fight

One way to show that a casino was partially to blame for an accident that was due to a fight on the premises is to prove that the casino’s security was negligent. If a victim can show that the security team failed to act reasonably within an appropriate period of time, they may be able to prove that the casino should be at least held partially at fault for the harm and losses they had to endure as a result of the fight.

Yet, proving this negligence is often a challenging task, requiring relevant and detailed evidence. That is why the best thing you can do in this type of situation is to reach out to an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. These lawyers can promptly get to work, investigating your casino accident and gathering the evidence required to prove your case.

Did Alcohol Contribute to the Fight?

No matter how far back you look, alcohol has always been an essential component of the gaming industry across the United States. In truth, the service of alcohol has always been a large part of the social experience in a casino and a huge draw to bring in the crowds to try their luck. Yet, as you can imagine, when casinos mix high stakes and alcohol, tempers tend to flare, and situations can rapidly build until a fight ensues.

However, at casinos, it is not only the security personnel that needs to watch out for people’s safety. The bartenders and waitresses at the casino also have a duty to keep an eye on the patron’s especially when it comes to their alcohol consumption. This is because anyone handling alcohol has a choice to stop serving their customers. More importantly, this staff is often trained to look for signs that someone has had too much to drink and cannot handle themselves without becoming a safety risk to others.

As a result, another way you can prove that a casino was responsible for or contributed to your injuries that resulted from a fight on the property is to show that the casino’s staff breached their duty of care by continuing to serve the intoxicated at-fault party when it was apparent they should have been cut off.

Go After the Justice You Deserve — Reach Out to an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney Today

If you or a loved one has been harmed in a casino because of a fight that took place on the premises, you need to reach out to a skilled law firm that is prepared to take on these cases and go after the compensation and justice you deserve. Thankfully, with an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side, you can get this help, plus so much more.

Once retained, these attorneys can:

• Evaluate your legal claim, determine which legal options you can pursue, and provide you the legal advice you need during this challenging time.

• Answer all the questions and concerns you have.

• Investigate the incident and secure the evidence needed to prove what happened and who was at fault.

• Ensure that legal motions are filed before the statute of limitations expires.

• Handle all the negotiations and discussions with the other side, and fight for a just settlement on your behalf.

• Take your case to trial, if required, and fight for the maximum damages you are entitled to.

That is why following this horrifying accident, do not wait any longer to get the legal help you need. Instead, contact our personal injury law firm today for a free consultation and let us show you how we can fight for you and your rights.

 

by Gina Corena

Premises Liability Laws in Nevada: What You Need to Know

When you visit another person or company’s property, whether for business or pleasure, you have a reasonable expectation of safety while on that property. Some premises owners, however, may fail to properly maintain their premises, resulting in accidents that cause serious injuries. Do you understand the basics of premises liability laws and when you may have the right to file for compensation through a personal injury claim?

Premises Liability Claims: Defined

Premises liability claims state that you suffered an injury on someone else’s property due to someone else’s negligence. Premises liability claims can involve businesses, including hotels, casinos, restaurants, and theme parks, or they may involve claims against private homeowners who have allowed an accident to occur on their properties. A premises liability claims that the premises owner has in some way violated his duty of care to the visitors to that property, often due to poor maintenance, failing to warn the visitor about the possibility of serious injury in a specific area of the property, or creating dangerous conditions that resulted in serious injury.

What Duty of Care Do Property Owners Bear to Visitors?

Property owners bear a high duty of care to visitors to that property. They must ensure that visitors do not face undue, unnecessary danger while visiting their properties. In addition to ensuring that visitors can expect a reasonable degree of safety on the property, business owners must also adhere to OSHA regulations in order to protect their employees.

In general, property owners bear a duty of care to:

Identify potential dangers where possible.

Business owners, in particular, must maintain their properties in order to create a safe environment for visitors to that property. They may need, for example, to ensure that they have safe stairs and handrails, avoid electrical shock and fire hazards, and offer safe exits and fire suppression protection in the event of a fire. Business owners in Nevada may also need to carefully consider the potential dangers caused by threatening individuals on their property. Hotels and casinos, for example, may need to identify potential threats and hire security to help protect their premises and their customers.

Eliminate what dangers they can.

Some dangers can be eliminated quickly: a spill on the floor, for example, or a broken handrail. When possible, premises owners should remove those hazards to provide a safer environment for their guests. Maintaining the property is a key part of overall property ownership, especially for business owners and landlords.

Warn visitors about potential hazards so they can avoid them.

Some hazards cannot be eliminated quickly. For example, during a rainy day, store owners may have a hard time keeping all the water off the floor as visitors track it inside. Since they cannot eliminate that hazard entirely, premises owners may need to post signs warning guests about that potential hazard. In other cases, premises owners, including private homeowners, may need to warn visitors to their property about those dangers directly.

Who Bears Liability in a Nevada Premises Liability Claim?

There are several parties who may bear liability for an accident that occurs on a Nevada property. These individuals all bear a high duty of care to people using the property for any reason.

• Business owners

• Private homeowners

• Landlords

• Management companies

• Maintenance services

• Third-party companies operating on the premises

• Tenants who have caused damage to the property

Identifying the liable party after a serious accident can prove critical to ensuring that you can receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries. As the injured party, you may have the right to recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering related to the accident. Those financial elements can add up fast, so seeking compensation through a Nevada premises liability claim may prove critical to your eventual financial status.

Nevada’s Statute of Limitations and How It Applies to Premises Liability Claims

In Nevada, you have two years after the date of an accident to file a personal injury claim against the party that caused your accident and your injuries, including a property owner. The statute of limitations starts counting down the day of the accident, regardless of when you might discover your injuries, so you must begin your personal injury claim before the statute of limitations passes.

The fact that you have two years to file your claim, however, does not necessarily mean that you need to wait until the statute of limitations gets close to begin your Nevada premises liability claim. In general, it proves much easier to collect evidence, including witness statements, video footage, or direct photos of the accident scene, immediately after the accident. If you wait to contact an attorney and start moving forward with your claim, it may make it much more difficult to file a claim.

Do I Need an Attorney to Handle a Nevada Premises Liability Claim?

You suffered serious injuries on someone else’s property in Nevada. Now, you need to move forward with a personal injury claim. Do you really need a lawyer to help you?

In short: yes!

An attorney will start by investigating every element of your claim, including taking a look at all potential liable parties and identifying the injuries you sustained in the accident. Then, the attorney will collect evidence related to the accident, including all parties who may have caused or contributed to the accident. An attorney can help you understand your full right to compensation, including what to expect as you deal with insurance companies and navigate the difficult road to compensation. Finally, an attorney can represent you as you move forward with your claim, from taking on negotiations on your behalf to going to court to help prove your right to compensation. Without an attorney, you may find yourself inadvertently limiting the compensation you ultimately recover for your injuries.

Did You Suffer Serious Injuries in an Accident on Someone Else’s Property?

If you sustained serious injuries on a Nevada property due to another party’s negligence, you may deserve significant compensation for those injuries. Contact Gina Corena & Associates today at 702-680-1111 to schedule your free consultation.

 

by Gina Corena

Common Types of Hotel and Casino Related Injuries

A vacation in Las Vegas often sounds like an exciting time. There are casinos, shows, and food like nowhere else in the world. An accident in a hotel or casino, however, can completely derail your vacation and leave you with serious injuries that may remain with you for the rest of your life. Does the hotel or casino bear liability for your accident and your injuries? Take a look at these common hotel and casino injuries to learn when that facility might bear liability for your injuries.

Hotel Room Accidents

Hotels have a high duty of care to their visitors when it comes to ensuring that they have a safe environment. Unfortunately, some hotels may not take adequate precautions to ensure that they have offered that safe environment. For example, a hotel room might have unsafe electrical wiring exposed inside the room, a malfunctioning Jacuzzi tub, or a railing that could fall away when a guest leans against it, all of which could mean substantial risk of severe injury.

Transportation Accidents

Many hotels and casinos provide transportation to and from their facilities for their guests. Ground transportation is convenient, but it’s not without danger. When the driver fails to take adequate precautions on the road, including deliberate acts of negligence like driving while distracted or speeding, the driver–and, by extension, the company–may bear liability for injuries to the passengers in that vehicle.

Elevator and Escalator Accidents

Elevators and escalators can pose a substantial danger when the facility that owns them fails to maintain them properly. Falls from heights, escalators that catch on clothing or flesh, or elevators whose doors close on guests can all cause significant injuries. If a hotel or casino fails to properly maintain their escalators and elevators, resulting in serious injury to a guest, the facility may bear liability for those injuries.

Food Poisoning

While in Las Vegas, you may choose to try the wide range of foods available, including those served in hotels and casinos. Many casinos offer buffets or easy-service meals, where you can get a meal and then return to the slot machines or your poker table with barely a hitch. Food that is not properly prepared and stored, however, can cause serious food poisoning in guests. Even minor food poisoning can lead to a great deal of discomfort, completely ruining your vacation. More serious food poisoning can lead to dehydration, time in the hospital, and even, in extreme cases, death.

Dangerous Chairs

In many hotels and casinos, you will find a number of places where you naturally need to sit. As you enjoy your vacation, you may note everything from tall bar stools to shorter chairs. Those chairs help you get off your feet and relax after a long day of wandering through the streets of Las Vegas, taking in the sights and enjoying the local attractions. Sometimes, however, those chairs wear down over time or due to excess use. Hotels and casinos must inspect and regularly replace those chairs as needed in order to reduce the risks faced by patrons who use them. A chair that breaks can send a patron crashing to the floor, resulting in serious injuries to the back, neck, and head. Some guests may also try to catch themselves, resulting in severe hand and arm injuries.

Negligent Security Incidents

While Las Vegas offers a sparkling nightlife, it may also offer some security hazards to its visitors. Drunken visitors to casinos, for example, may become belligerent. Sometimes, thieves may attempt to break into hotel rooms, especially if they have reason to suspect that you might have valuables concealed inside. In the heavy tourist traffic that comes through Las Vegas each year, it naturally follows that there will be some dangerous individuals who could pose a hazard to others in the area. Hotels and casinos, in particular, bear a strong duty of care when it comes to keeping their guests safe from those dangerous individuals. That means putting multiple layers of security in place, from strong locks on hotel room doors and a system that helps prevent unauthorized access to the room to ensuring that those facilities have security guards in place who can help deal with any potential threats. Hotels and casinos may also need to pay particular attention to the lighting around them, especially in parking garages. Failure to attend to those key details could result in serious injuries to guests in an attack.

Dealing with the Aftermath of a Hotel or Casino Accident

Many of the hotels and casinos in Las Vegas are owned by large corporations and insured by large insurers who may fight to reduce the compensation they have to pay out after an incident as much as possible. At Gina Corena & Associates, however, we fight hard to increase the odds that our clients will get the compensation they really deserve following hotel or casino negligence. You may deserve compensation for your medical bills, your lost wages, and the suffering you experienced as a result of your hotel or casino injuries, and we want to help our clients maximize the odds that they will receive that compensation.

Our experienced team of attorneys will start with a close look at the evidence, including any past claims involving the hotel or casino whose negligence caused your injuries. Then, we build a compelling claim that will establish who caused your injuries, what challenges, pain, or limitations you suffered as a result of those injuries, and what compensation you deserve. We help our clients understand the full compensation they deserve for their injuries so they do not get taken in by an insurance company determined to limit them. If necessary, we will go to court to fight for our clients’ right to compensation after serious hotel or casino injuries.

Did You Suffer Serious Injuries in a Las Vegas Casino or Hotel?

If you sustained serious injuries due to the negligence of a hotel or casino, do not wait. Contact Gina Corena & Associates today at 702-680-1111 to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your rights.

by Gina Corena

Who Is Responsible for Medical Bills After a Car Accident?

Serious car accident injuries can leave you with immense medical bills. The medical providers who take care of your treatment, from initial emergency treatment to long-term rehabilitation, require payment for their services and any medical equipment you used during the course of your recovery. Unfortunately, someone has to take responsibility for those bills.

Who, exactly, is responsible for medical bills after an accident?

The Injured Party’s Responsibility

Ultimately, the injured party–or the injured party’s parents, in the case of a minor child–receives that medical care and assistance and so, therefore, ultimately bears responsibility for paying those critical medical bills. In fact, you may start seeing bills arrive before you can even reach a settlement with the liable driver’s insurance policy. If you suffer serious injuries in a car accident, you may need to plan for how you will handle those costly medical expenses, especially if you know your injuries will require ongoing care.

Auto Insurance Coverage and Serious Accident Injuries

Many people assume, after a serious auto accident, that the liable driver’s insurance will simply pay for everything. Unfortunately, that does not always hold true. There are several things you must keep in mind when calculating the compensation you may receive through the liable driver’s insurance policy.

Medical bills will come directly to you.

After your accident, most of the time, your care providers will not bill the liable party’s auto insurance company. Instead, they will send the bills directly to you. You must then decide how you will manage payment for those bills.

Most auto insurance policies will have significant limits.

In Nevada, a driver who carries minimum auto insurance may carry a policy that offers just $25,000 for bodily injury or death for any one party involved in an accident, and just $50,000 in coverage if two or more parties suffer serious injuries in an accident. If you get into an accident with a Nevada driver who carries only minimum auto insurance, and you sustain injuries that exceed the protection offered by that coverage, you may find yourself struggling to manage your medical bills without much help from the insurance company at all. Uber and Lyft drivers, commercial truck drivers, and private drivers who carry higher-value policies may offer additional coverage, but you may not know immediately how much assistance that insurance policy will offer.

An experienced Nevada car accident lawyer can review the terms of the liable driver’s insurance policy and give you a better idea of how much coverage you can expect for the medical expenses associated with your accident.

The liable party’s insurance company may try to deny that you needed certain types of medical care.

In some cases, the liable party’s insurance company may look at long-term medical services you received and try to deem them unnecessary. Suppose, for example, that you chose to go to a long-term care facility after leaving the hospital, because you felt you would not have adequate care and support at home; or that you had a more expensive procedure to help treat your injuries, rather than opting for the less-expensive form of treatment. The insurance company may try to claim that you did not need those expensive medical aids and could deny coverage for those specific elements of your care on the basis of that claim.

A lawyer can prove essential when arguing that you really did certain types of medical care and that you deserve compensation for any treatments you received. Your lawyer may bring in expert witnesses, take statements from your doctors, and help build your case.

How Your Insurance Can Help

Your insurance can provide vital financial protection and assistance following a serious auto accident. Understanding your coverage can help you make critical decisions about your care, including what type of coverage you can afford.

Personal Injury Protection Insurance

Nevada does not mandate personal injury protection insurance for all drivers, but you can choose to add PIP coverage to your auto insurance policy. PIP insurance provides coverage for injuries sustained in auto accidents, minus the amount of your deductible and up to the maximum amount of coverage you have chosen. It does not matter who caused your accident; regardless of which driver is at fault, you can still use your PIP coverage. Take a look at your auto insurance policy, determine whether you have PIP coverage, and evaluate what aid that coverage will offer as you move forward with medical treatment.

Health Insurance

If you carry health insurance, you may have much more protection against many of the medical bills that will come your way following a serious car accident. Your health insurance will help with the amount of your medical bills that exceeds the coverage offered by a personal injury claim against the liable driver’s insurance company and your personal injury protection insurance. Understanding your health insurance coverage, however, can leave you confused, especially as you deal with complex in-network versus out-of-network questions, copays, deductibles, and maximum out-of-pocket payments. If you have questions about your health insurance coverage, consult your insurance company.

How a Lawyer Can Help

Any time you sustain serious injuries in an auto accident, having an experienced auto accident attorney on your side can prove critical. An auto accident attorney can:

• Review your case and help establish who might bear liability for your accident and your injuries

• Build a compelling claim that will help show how much compensation you really deserve

• Bring in expert witnesses who can establish the extent of your injuries and the compensation you should expect for them

• Fight to help you get the full compensation you deserve, including fighting to help get your medical costs covered by the insurance company or to prove that you did need essential medical treatments

Dealing with the aftermath of a major car accident can prove extremely difficult, especially if you try to handle it on your own. At Gina Corena & Associates, we help car accident victims understand and fight for their right to compensation. Contact us today at 702-680-1111 to schedule your free consultation.

 

by Gina Corena

Types of Burn Injury Claims: Causes, Severity & Liability

Even minor burns can cause severe pain. They may prevent you from engaging in your usual activities or interfere with your enjoyment of life for some time, especially if they are accompanied by significant scarring. If someone else’s negligence causes a burn injury, you may have the right to file a personal injury claim that will help you receive compensation for those injuries.

Types of Burns

When you think of burns, you likely think of heat burns–most often, those caused by direct exposure to flame. However, in addition to heat burns, you may suffer burns in a variety of other ways.

Electrical Burns

Electrical burns can cause immense trauma, not only at the site of the burn itself, but throughout the rest of the body. Electrical burns often involve an immense jolt of electricity. Sometimes, it passes fairly harmlessly through the body or causes only external damage. In other cases, however, electrical burns can cause organ damage and trauma throughout the body as the electricity passes through.

Cold Burns

Like extreme heat, extreme cold can also cause burns. Often, extreme cold exposure comes through exposure to chemicals or on specific job sites.

Chemical Burns

Exposure to caustic chemicals can cause serious burn damage. The longer those chemicals linger on your skin, the more severe the burns they may cause. Chemical exposure can cause immediate signs of burning, or you may not notice the burn until some time after that initial exposure. Chemical exposure may also have lingering impacts that go through the rest of your body, including respiratory distress. Always see a doctor after exposure to dangerous or hazardous chemicals so you can receive proper treatment.

Friction Burns

Friction burns occur when something drags across the skin repeatedly or very rapidly. For example, in an auto accident, dragging across the road can cause severe road rash. Often, friction burns include foreign debris in the wound, which doctors will need to remove in order to decrease the risk of infection and reduce scarring.

Radiation Burns

Exposure to high levels of radiation can cause severe burns to the victim. Often, radiation exposure occurs in a medical or construction setting.

Determining Burn Severity

Whether you’re seeking treatment for your burns or you need to file a personal injury claim following severe burns, you will need a doctor to grade the severity of the burn. Doctors use a numeric system to grade burn severity.

First Degree Burns

First degree burns usually involve minor redness and some sensitivity. While first-degree burns can cause some pain and may limit immediate activities, victims usually recover with minor medical attention and at-home treatment. They usually involve only the first, top layer of the skin. If first degree burns occur on the face or around the genitals, or on an infant or senior of any age, they should always receive medical attention.

Second Degree Burns

Second degree burns involve both the top level of skin and the second level. They may cause immediate blistering and severe redness. Second degree burns frequently result in significant scarring, especially if they involve a large area of the skin. Second degree burns often involve immense pain and have a high risk of infection, since burns strip away the protective layer of skin that usually prevents bacteria from entering the body. Second degree burns may involve a long road to recovery. In some cases, especially if they cover an extensive area of the skin, second degree burns may pose substantial danger to the victim.

Third Degree Burns

Third degree burns pass below the skin and into the underlying tissue. Third degree burns may not involve as much pain as second degree burns because they often include the destruction of the nerves around the injury. Victims with third degree burns will usually experience severe scarring and may need multiple procedures. Without prompt medical attention, third degree burns can quickly grow life-threatening. Victims should expect a long stay in a burn unit and extensive rehabilitation. Victims with third degree burns may also experience immense medical bills related to their injuries.

Determining Liability in Burn Claims

Most burns occur as a result of high heat exposure at home, from a cooking accident to a curling iron. However, burns can also occur in a variety of settings. They may result from a hot water heater in a public building set too high, from an unsecured stove, or from inattention on the part of someone handling hot items. Chemical exposure, which can lead to severe chemical burns, often occurs around construction sites or factory settings, frequently due to improper storage or disposal of those chemicals. Electrical burns often occur because of open electrical panels or improper electrical work.

How do you know who bears liability in your burn injury claim? Take a look at these vital elements.

• Who bore a duty of care to you at the time of your accident? Your landlord? The construction company working on a building you needed to visit or inhabit? The owner of the building, whether a business or private property?

• Who committed the act of negligence that led to your burns? An attorney can help investigate that negligence and how it impacted you, whether you suffered burns on a construction site because of a negligent electrician or in your home due to the negligence of your landlord.

• How did that act of negligence contribute to your injuries? In order to establish the right to a burn injury claim, your attorney will need to show that you suffered injuries as a direct result of an act of negligence. If you did not sustain injuries, even if the other party’s negligence put you in danger, you may not have the right to file a personal injury claim.

Serious burns can lead to a long-term hospital stay and substantial medical bills. A personal injury claim can help you seek compensation for those expenses. Did someone else’s negligence cause your burn injuries? Contact Gina Corena & Associates today at 702-680-1111 for a free consultation regarding your right to a claim.

 

by Gina Corena

How Spinal Cord Injuries are Evaluated in Personal Injury Claims

After suffering a spinal cord injury in an accident, you may find that it impacts every area of your life, from the leisure activities you can enjoy to your ability to work normally. If someone else’s negligence caused your accident, you may need to file a personal injury claim to help you seek compensation for those injuries. However, you may find yourself wondering how your specific injuries will impact the compensation you can claim as part of your personal injury claim.

Generally, personal injury claims include compensation for three basic elements: the medical expenses you faced as a result of your injuries–which, after spinal cord injuries, may be very expensive; the wages you lost when you could not return to work after your accident; and the pain and suffering you faced because of your injuries. In order to determine the full impact of your spinal cord injuries, including how they impact your life, the insurance company will typically evaluate your injuries.

Each spinal cord injury looks a little different. Even minor details of your injury and your recovery may impact how much compensation you can receive for those injuries. While your medical bills form the foundation of your personal injury claim, you will also want to seek compensation for the long-term impacts of your spinal cord injury on your life: the loss of independence, the loss of activities you once loved, or the loss of the freedom you once enjoyed to do things entirely on your own. How do insurance companies evaluate your spinal cord injury and your right to compensation? These elements all come into play.

1. How much do or will you heal over time?

Complete spinal cord injuries–injuries in which the spinal cord severs completely–are usually permanent. However, some victims with spinal cord injuries may show some improvement over time: gains in mobility that decrease the permanent impacts on many areas of their lives. If you suffer spinal cord injuries, the insurance company will work with your doctors to evaluate the permanence of those injuries and determine how they will impact the other areas of your life.

Generally, your doctors will not be able to fully predict how much you will recover until some time after your accident. In fact, it can take six months after your spinal cord injuries–and in some cases, even longer–before your doctor can fully predict what your recovery will look like and how much mobility you will regain. Your attorney may recommend waiting until you have reached that point before you officially file your personal injury claim, though you should, of course, start working with an attorney as soon after your accident as possible.

2. How much were you disabled by your spinal cord injuries?

Spinal cord injuries, as a rule, result in a significant loss of mobility and function below the site of the injury. However, they can cause a range of disabilities, from full paralysis below the site of the injury to minor loss of function, depending on the extent of the injury and how it impacts your body. Disability from a spinal cord injury may include:

• Paraplegia, or paralysis of the legs. Paraplegia usually occurs when the spinal cord injury occurs around the waist.
• Quadriplegia, or paralysis of both legs and arms. Quadriplegia usually occurs when the spinal cord injury occurs higher on the spine. Quadriplegia is sometimes also called tetraplegia.

In some cases, the spinal cord injury may primarily impact one side of the body, while in others, you may find that it impacts both sides nearly equally. The more your spinal cord injury impacts your body, the more it may prevent you from doing the things you would normally do–and the more disability you may suffer.

3. Does your spinal cord injury negatively impact your overall life expectancy?

Severe spinal cord injuries do more than just cause immediate disability and challenges that you must overcome. In some cases, they may also cause widespread health problems that can shorten the length of your life. For example, spinal cord injury can also decrease organ function below the site of the injury which, over time, can lead to organ failure. Sometimes, your doctor may report that your spinal cord injuries can decrease your overall life expectancy due to the challenges you face over time.

4. Did you suffer infections or complications that extend the length of your recovery?

Recovering from a spinal cord injury and getting released from the hospital is not as simple as learning how to cope with a wheelchair or the loss of the mobility and independence you once had. As you recover, you may suffer a variety of complications, from immediate infections to long-term complications that can cause increased disability. Infections and complications cannot be predicted ahead of time. They can, however, cause immense, long-term suffering that may add to the difficulties you face because of your spinal cord injuries. If you suffered complications in your recovery, it may increase the medical costs associated with your injury and, therefore, the compensation you deserve.

5. How did your spinal cord injury impact you mentally and emotionally?

Spinal cord injuries may permanently change the course of your life. They can prevent you from engaging in the activities that you once enjoyed or make it very difficult for you to care for yourself. Many people, after suffering spinal cord injuries, face immense mental anguish and emotional turmoil along with the physical effects of their injuries. Talk to your attorney about how your spinal cord injury has impacted you mentally and emotionally and how much compensation you should expect for that impact. Pain and suffering usually does not have a direct financial impact. It does, however, have an ongoing impact on your life, especially if your suffering includes direct diagnoses like depression or anxiety. An attorney can help you go over how that impacts your claim.

Did you suffer spinal cord injuries as a result of someone else’s negligence? Gina Corena & Associates can help you determine how much compensation you might deserve. Contact us today at 702-680-1111 for a free consultation.

by Gina Corena

What Damages Can I Recover if I was Injured in a Las Vegas Casino?

You suffered serious injuries in a Las Vegas casino. Now what? You may know that you deserve compensation for your injuries due to the way your accident took place, whether due to negligent upkeep or a problem with the casino’s security. However, many accident victims find themselves wondering just how much compensation they should expect after an accident in a Las Vegas casino.

In order to understand the compensation you deserve for a serious accident in a Las Vegas casino, you must first understand several basic components of personal injury law, including who you should sue for compensation after your accident and how to determine liability.

Who Bears Liability for an Accident in a Las Vegas Casino?

Several parties may share liability for an accident that takes place in a Las Vegas casino. Most notably, the casino itself often bears liability for an accident that occurs as a result of negligence by the casino or its staff. However, other parties may also share liability for an accident that takes place in the casino, including:

• The casino’s parent company
• A hotel or other business where the casino is located
• The owner of the property, even if it’s a standalone casino
• A third-party company providing security at the casino
• A company that provided a defective product or service to the casino: for example, a construction company that failed to properly construct a stairway or handrail

Most often, if the casino bears liability for an accident, you will need to deal with the casino’s insurance company. Most casinos carry property liability insurance that helps provide a high level of financial protection for anyone who suffers severe injury as a result of negligence on the part of the casino or its staff. However, if another party shares liability for the accident, it can complicate your claim. Talk with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon after your accident as possible to get a better idea of who may bear liability for the injuries you suffered and how you should pursue compensation.

The Duty of Care Carried by Casinos

Casinos in Las Vegas bear a strong duty of care to do whatever they can to reduce the odds of any foreseeable injury to its patrons. This requirement extends to all areas of the casino: the casino proper, its bathrooms, its parking lot, and any other area visitors may conceivably turn while in the casino. Las Vegas casinos must exercise all proper food safety requirements, avoid over-serving inebriated patrons, and provide adequate lighting and security. They must also keep up with regular maintenance, make sure that they provide a safe environment for their visitors, and even keep safety gear on hand so that they can provide reasonable aid during an emergency. If the casino fails in its duty in any way, you may have grounds for a personal injury claim regarding the injuries you sustained as a result of that act of negligence.

What Damages Can You Recover?

If you suffered damages in an accident in a Las Vegas casino, you can reasonably expect to recover damages under these categories.

1. Medical expenses.

Most often, medical costs serve as the foundation of any personal injury claim, including a personal injury claim stemming from an accident in a casino. If you sustained a serious injury, you may find yourself with mounting medical costs: the cost of emergency transport and treatment, the cost of your hospitalization or stay in a long-term care facility, and the cost of any ongoing treatments or procedures. If you suffered an injury that will leave you with lifelong limitations, you may have grounds to include durable medical equipment or those ongoing treatments as part of your claim. Furthermore, you may have the right to include physical and occupational therapy as part of your medical costs.

2. Lost wages.

After a serious accident, you may not have the capacity to return to work immediately–if at all. Some employers will work with their employees to get them back to work. Others may want their employees to stay home and focus on recovery. Unfortunately, if you cannot work after your accident, it may leave you without a source of income–and your regular bills will not stop coming while you manage the aftermath of your accident. You have the right to include those lost wages as part of your personal injury claim.

3. Lost earning potential.

You suffered a severe, life-altering injury. Now, you cannot go back to work in your former field–or, in some cases, go back to work at all. If your injuries prevent you from going back to work, you may seek compensation for lost earning potential, which can make it possible for you to pursue new certifications or opportunities in a new field.

4. Pain and suffering.

You have many tangible expenses associated with your accident and your losses. In many cases, you may also have immense personal losses that cannot be financially quantified. You may suffer significant physical pain because of your injuries or considerable emotional anguish. Your injuries may prevent you from engaging in the activities you usually enjoy or leave you dependent on someone else and unable to enjoy time with family members and friends. Talk to an attorney about how to include those non-financial losses as part of your personal injury claim and seek the compensation you deserve for them.

5. Wrongful death damages.

Did you lose a loved one in a Las Vegas casino accident? If so, you may have the right to recover wrongful death damages, which can help pay your loved one’s final medical bills as well as providing compensation to your family. Wrongful death compensation may include compensation for the deceased’s missing income, the services the deceased performed for the family, and the loss of the deceased in your life.

Contact an Experienced Las Vegas Personal Injury Attorney Today

If you suffered serious injuries in a Las Vegas casino, Gina Corena & Associates can help you better understand your right to compensation, from what damages you can claim to how to maximize the compensation you can receive for your injuries. Contact us today at  702-680-1111 for a free consultation.

by Gina Corena

4 Common Issues That Can Delay Your Accident Claim

Following serious injuries due to another party’s negligence, you may want to settle your personal injury claim as quickly as possible. You have medical bills mounting fast. You might not have another source of income during this difficult period. Unfortunately, there are several common delays that can significantly extend the time needed to settle your claim.

1. You haven’t yet recovered enough from your injuries.

Some people will never make a full recovery from the injuries they sustained in a serious accident. You will, however, continue to make immense improvements over the first several weeks or even months following the accident. In many cases, including accident claims involving serious injuries like traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injuries, or back and neck injuries, your doctor may not have a full picture of your eventual prognosis until several months after the initial accident.

Your recovery, including how much mobility and independence you eventually regain, can impact your personal injury claim in several key ways.

Delays or complications in your recovery may increase the compensation you deserve.

The more complications you face during your recovery, the more your medical bills will mount, and the more compensation you may deserve for those injuries. Serious complications and setbacks could lead to additional time in the hospital, further medical procedures, or even greater overall losses, which could increase the compensation you need to ask for from the party that caused your injuries.

The extent of your eventual recovery may have an impact on the compensation you deserve.

Many of the injuries involved in personal injury claims involve a significant loss of independence or function. Your injuries could prevent you from enjoying the activities that you usually love most or stop you from working. In some cases, they may even prevent you from taking care of yourself. If you suffer severe injuries with lifelong limitations, you may deserve more compensation than if you ultimately make a full recovery from your injuries.

2. The insurance company that covers the liable party wants to dispute liability.

Sometimes, the evidence clearly shows exactly who caused an accident, especially one that resulted in severe injuries. In other cases, however, the insurance company may try to dispute liability. If the insurance company can show that you caused or contributed to your accident through your own willful negligence, it may decrease or even eliminate the compensation you deserve for your injuries. As the insurance company disputes liability, it can drag out the personal injury claim process and make it harder for you to complete your claim.

In addition to claiming that you caused the accident yourself, the insurance company may attempt to pass liability on to another party. For example, in a construction site accident, the electrician that left an open power line exposed might try to claim that the construction company overseeing the site must have turned the power back on unexpectedly, which would leave the electrician free of liability. Often, these disputes can significantly drag out the claim process, leaving you struggling to get the compensation you deserve..

3. Administrative delays prevent your claim from moving through the system.

Personal injury claims require input from several entities: your attorney, the insurance company that covers the liable party, the liable party themselves, and the court system.

Administrative delays can occur at any point in the process. If the insurance company is experiencing a high volume of claims, for example, the employees may have a difficult time processing claims through quickly and effectively. They may have staffing issues due to illness or delays due to many people working from home, without access to the information they need. Claims may move slower during the summer months, when more people are likely to go on vacation–and, in many environments, claims are more likely to come in to begin with. For example, hotels may see an increase in traffic during the summer months, leading to more potential accidents and injuries, while many roads see more traffic, which can raise the risk of severe auto accidents.

Administrative delays in the court system often remain outside anyone’s control. Those delays may occur as a result of an influx of cases or due to slowdowns or shutdowns in the local government system. COVID-19, for example, led to shutdowns across many jurisdictions, and claims processing slowed to a crawl for any claims that needed mediation or a trial. Other challenges may impact local court systems.

4. The insurance company may deliberately try to slow down processing on your claim.

Paying out a claim, especially a high-value claim, costs money for the insurance company. The insurance company may know that it owes you that money, based on the circumstances that led to your accident and the extent of your injuries, but may not want to pay that amount out immediately. Sometimes, the company will deliberately drag out the process in an effort to reduce its immediate financial liability. In the meantime, the insurance company may try to pressure you to take a low settlement offer instead of going after the full compensation you deserve. Many people may accept those offers in an effort to get the money they need in their hands quickly. However, an attorney can help advise you about the reasons the insurance company may attempt to delay your claim and how to navigate those delays while still pursuing the compensation you deserve.

Do You Need Help with Your Personal Injury Claim?

If you have faced a significant delay in the processing of your personal injury claim, you may already be frustrated or struggling to manage without the funds you desperately need. At Gina Corena & Associates, we can help move your claim through the system, including streamlining that process and avoiding many of the delays often associated with personal injury claims. Contact us today at 702-680-1111 to learn more about how we can help you move your claim through the system and increase the odds that you will get the full compensation you deserve when you need it.

by Gina Corena

Top 5 Ways Using Social Media Can Hurt Your Personal Injury Claim

Many people post information about every area of their lives on social media. It allows you to stay in contact with friends and family members around the world. After your accident, you may naturally turn to social media to keep all of your followers updated about your prognosis. You might share photos of your injuries, talk about the accident, and give vital information about your recovery.

Unfortunately, when you’re filing a personal injury claim, your social media posts could damage your claim and impact the compensation you ultimately receive for your injuries. Consider these common challenges social media can pose as you move forward with your claim.

1. You may inadvertently share something that the other party’s insurance company perceives as accepting liability for the accident.

You put up a post that says, “Man, I wish I had looked a second time before I went through that intersection.” You respond to a friend’s comment of, “Trust you to end up in trouble on X street! You’re always speeding!” With the equivalent of, “I know, right?” As you share more details about the accident, however, you may find that other parties, including the insurance company, do not take your posts the way you intended. In fact, they may see those posts as accepting partial or full liability for the accident. You may later have to contest that evidence that you have provided in court–and it may end up ultimately decreasing the compensation you receive.

2. You accept a friend request from someone you don’t really know.

After your accident, you may receive an influx of friend requests from people who claim they want to follow your progress. They may want to see how you’re doing or “keep you in their prayers.” As a result, you may find yourself hitting “accept” on whatever friend requests come your way, assuming that they found you by taking a look at your story.

Some of those friend requests, however, may come from someone who doesn’t have a vested interest in wishing you well–but who, instead, is coming to your social media page to find evidence against you or against your personal injury claim. Once you accept that friend request, that person has full access to everything on your page, from your updates about your condition to any past information you may have shared. As a result, the insurance company that covers the liable party may use that information against you in the courtroom.

3. You may inadvertently brush off the challenges you now face when talking to friends and loved ones.

“Oh, I’m doing fine.” “Yeah, everything is healing great!” “I expect to be back to my job any day now!” You may downplay the challenges associated with your injuries when talking to friends and loved ones. You might not want their sympathy. You might know that some family members will worry more than you like if you share information about your condition. You may simply want your followers and friends to see you as “tough,” rather than thinking that you constantly whine about your accident and your condition.

To an insurance company that must pay out following a substantial accident, however, those statements might sound like you letting them off the hook for your injuries. After all, if you’re recovering fine or have not suffered as much as you claim as part of your personal injury lawsuit, the insurance company should not have to pay out, right? Ultimately, that may mean that the insurance company will not pay out the full compensation you deserve for your injuries.

4. You post photos of you having fun and going about your usual daily activities.

You may have, in the past, used your social media accounts to document all the most fun moments in your life, from the travels you’ve taken to days hanging out with friends. After your accident, you may want to continue to take those photos and share that information. Unfortunately, insurance companies may deny or devalue your claim after seeing those photos. They see only the snapshots: the moment in which you’re having fun, not the price you paid to be there with your friends or the fact that you had to leave early because of pain from your injuries. Worse, they may claim that if you were as injured as you claim, you should be at home recovering, not out at the lake, hitting a local concert, or traveling with friends and loved ones.

To you, those photos may be evidence of a return to normalcy or of your determination in spite of your injuries. To the insurance company, however, they may be evidence against you.

5. You go back and delete posts about the accident later, which could indicate that you have something to hide.

You already posted content about your accident on social media. After hearing that you shouldn’t post that information, you go back and delete it in the hopes that it won’t act against you later. Unfortunately, the insurance company may use the fact that you deleted your posts as further evidence against you. After all, why would you delete it if you didn’t have something to hide?  In general, you should leave posts that you’ve already made–but avoid posting anything further about the accident.

Often, after a serious accident, it’s best to take a social media hiatus: to avoid posting, not only content related to the accident, but anything at all. By dropping off of social media until your personal injury claim concludes, you can avoid the chance that anything you post will be used against you later. You may also want to ask friends to avoid posting any photos of you or information about you until you have concluded your personal injury claim.

Do you need help navigating your personal injury claim or managing the challenges that go along with it, including the things you should avoid posting on social media after your accident? Gina Corena & Associates can help. Contact us today at 702-680-1111 to schedule a free consultation.

 

by Gina Corena

How Do Wrongful Death Lawsuits Work in Nevada?

Losing a loved one due to the negligence of another party can cause an immense amount of emotional anguish in addition to the financial drain that comes from losing a family member: the loss of that individual’s income and the services and that individual performs for the family. A wrongful death claim cannot bring back your loved one, but it can reduce some of that financial strain and give you the funds you need to rebuild your life after that loss.

How does a wrongful death claim work?

Who Has the Right to File a Wrongful Death Claim?

In most cases, the individuals with the closest family relationship to the deceased have the right to file a wrongful death claim. Generally, this includes:

• The spouse of the deceased
• The deceased’s children
• The parents of a child who has neither spouse nor children

You can file only one wrongful death claim per family, even when more than one person may have the same right to file a claim for a deceased individual. For example, if a deceased individual with no spouse, but multiple children, dies due to the negligence of another party, each child will have the same right to file a claim, and the surviving family will need to work together to determine how to distribute those funds.

In order to have grounds to file a wrongful death claim, your loved one must have died due to the negligence of another party. Generally, if your loved one would have had the right to file a personal injury claim if he had lived, the surviving family will have the right to file a wrongful death claim after his death.

Determining the Liable Party

To file a wrongful death claim, you will need to work with an attorney to identify the party or parties that caused the death of your loved one. Generally, the liable party in a wrongful death claim:

• Bore a duty of care to your loved one at the time of his death
• Violated that duty of care in some way
• Caused your loved one’s death due to that violation

For example, if your loved one died in a car accident, you might establish that the liable driver was texting on his cell phone at the time of the accident. That individual violated his duty of care to your loved one and to others on the road by texting and driving instead of driving safely, with attention on the road. If your loved one died in a construction site accident, the company managing that site, or the subcontractor that committed the error that resulted in your loved one’s death, might bear liability for your loved one’s death. An attorney can help go over the conditions that led to your loved one’s accident and give you a better idea of who might bear or share liability for your injuries. Sometimes, the attorney might identify more than one party that shares liability for the accident, which may increase the compensation you can receive for your losses.

Investigating the Claim

Once you have established that you have grounds for a wrongful death claim, based on your relationship to your loved one and the circumstances that caused your loved one’s death, your attorney will investigate the claim. The attorney will look at any evidence from the scene of the accident, including witness testimonies or video footage, if relevant, to help determine what factors contributed to your loved one’s death. The attorney may also want to look into the party that caused your loved one’s death: for example, if a specific company has caused multiple accidents in the past, it could indicate negligence on the part of the company.

Expect the investigation to take some time, since the attorney will need to look into all the details associated with the loss of your loved one. Your attorney may also ask for evidence about your loved one’s injuries, including hospital bills acquired before your loved one died or any suffering your loved one may have faced.

How Much Compensation Can You Receive in a Wrongful Death Claim?

The compensation you can receive for the loss of a loved one may depend on the insurance policy that covers the liable party. Many entities and individuals carry insurance policies designed to protect both them and victims of negligence. For example, drivers usually carry bodily injury protection and wrongful death insurance, while premises owners usually carry property insurance that includes compensation for bodily injury or death that occurs on the property as a result of negligence on the part of the property owner.

Talk to your lawyer about the financial and non-economic losses you have faced as a result of the loss of your loved one. Those may include:

Your loved one’s final medical expenses

Your loved one did not necessarily have to die immediately, at the scene of the accident, for you to have grounds to file a wrongful death claim. If your loved one lingered for days or even weeks, you may have substantial medical bills related to those injuries to pay. You can include any medical expenses as part of your wrongful death claim.

Your loved one’s pain and suffering.

In addition to significantly increasing your family’s financial burden, if your loved one lingered, he may have suffered immensely in the aftermath of the accident.

Loss of income.

Your loved one’s death may mean that the family loses your loved one’s income, which can cause immense struggle for many families.

Loss of services performed.

In addition to your loved one’s actual income, you will lose the services your loved one usually performed for the family: the loss of childcare, home care, senior care, and other key elements. When you have to hire someone else to perform those services, it can lead to immense financial cost for your family.

Loss of relationship.

Losing your spouse, parent, or child can cause a gaping emotional hole in your life. The loss of these relationships does not have a tangible financial cost. Talk to an attorney about how to include it as part of your personal injury claim.

Did you lose a loved one due to the negligent acts of another party? Contact Gina Corena & Associates today at 702-680-1111 to learn more about how to file a wrongful death claim.