Motorists are required to do everything they can to avoid hitting pedestrians. That means slowing down or stopping as they approach crosswalks or intersections where pedestrians may be present. However, pedestrians have a responsibility to use good judgment and do their part to prevent an accident.

That doesn’t appear to be the case last month in Las Vegas, where a pedestrian with a walker was struck and killed. About 8:25pm on August 25, the man was trying to cross Boulder Highway when he was hit by a vehicle just south of Lamb Boulevard. Police say that the man, who died instantly, was not in a crosswalk or crossing the street at an intersection. A preliminary investigation indicates that the man with the walker was at fault in the auto-pedestrian accident.

Boulder Highway is a six-lane thoroughfare with a flat dirt median in the middle. Reports say that the man was trying to cross from the east side of the roadway to the west side when he was struck by the vehicle traveling southbound. That indicates that the man had somehow managed to make it across three lanes of traffic to the median before getting hit.

While there’s no guarantee that the driver of the car won’t be named in a wrongful death lawsuit by the victim’s family members, it’s highly unlikely that the driver will be held accountable for the man’s death in a civil court. After all, most people would agree that it was unwise for a man with a walker to attempt to cross a busy street without being protected by a traffic signal or crosswalk.

o   About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in car accidents, drunk driver crashes, truck wrecks, slip and falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, product liability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley, or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.

Residents in Las Vegas don’t always do all of the things that tourists do when they come to Sin City. Sure, people who live in the valley will dine out, shop, and check out the club scene. But they don’t tend to gamble, see shows, or stay in posh hotels like out-of-towners do. And generally speaking, residents rarely use taxis to get around Las Vegas.

So it may surprise Las Vegans to learn that they are home to the nation’s best taxis!

Hotels.com surveyed almost 5,000 people from 23 nations to determine the top destination in which to hail a taxi. The publication’s annual “taxi report” rated cities’ cab services in seven different categories. Las Vegas was voted number one in the country in four of those categories: namely best value, friendliest drivers, cleanest cabs, and highest quality of driving. Vegas beat out other major cities like New York, Miami, San Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles in the survey.

What do you think of this result? Granted, Las Vegas is not known for an overabundance of taxi cab accidents. Plus, given the prevalence of intoxication that tends to occur in Sin City, the local cab industry has done a nice job of making taxis available to tourists and residents who need rides home. But earlier this year, there was an article detailing how some cabdrivers might choose to drive faster and more recklessly in order to “make book,” or keep up with company quotas for pickups. That would indicate that the “quality of driving” category may not be as stellar as reported in the Hotels.com survey.

Feel free to voice your opinions on this issue in the Comments section below.

o   About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in car accidents, drunk driver crashes, truck wrecks, slip and falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, product liability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley, or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.

Despite a hotel’s best efforts, there are plenty of things that can go wrong for guests. Their toilets may overflow or get clogged. Their room service breakfast might be delivered late. Their room keys may not work. And on and on.

Hotel guests tend to expect that these little hiccups might occur. But most guests don’t anticipate catching a deadly disease while staying at the hotel.

That’s what apparently happened to six guests of the Aria Hotel in Las Vegas earlier this year. These individuals are now suing the hotel’s property manager after reportedly contracting Legionnaire’s disease during their stay at Aria. Indeed, the hotel did send a letter to all guests who stayed there between June 21 and Independence Day informing them that elevated levels of the Legionella bacteria were detected in several guest rooms on the property.

Legionnaire’s disease tends to form in around water, and the lawsuit implies that Aria failed to adequately inspect its air conditioning, hot tub, hot water, ventilation, and shower systems for the bacteria. The plaintiffs live in different regions of the nation, though some claim they contracted the deadly form of pneumonia while staying at Aria prior to June 21. Legionnaire’s disease is often developed after a person inhales contaminated water in a mist or water vapor form.

CityCenter, MGM Resorts International, and Tutor Perini Corporation are also named as defendants in the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges 225 counts of negligence and is seeking a total of $337.5 million in compensation for the plaintiffs, including punitive damages.

o   About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in car accidents, drunk driver crashes, truck wrecks, slip and falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, product liability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley, or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.

It’s bad enough when a driver fails to notice a red light and subsequently slams into the back of another vehicle. But it’s even worse if the rear-ended vehicle is behind several other cars or trucks waiting at the red light.

Yesterday, one of these chain reaction crashes occurred in Las Vegas on Jones Boulevard about a half mile north of Veterans Memorial Highway. About 4:50pm, a man rear-ended a vehicle after failing to stop at a red light at West Washington Avenue. This wreck started a chain reaction collision involving a total of seven vehicles. The driver was later charged with driving under the influence in addition to following too closely. He had to be transported to a nearby hospital along with two other people who were injured in the collision.

Because the wreck started a chain reaction, the DUI suspect will probably be held responsible for repairing the damage to all of the other six vehicles involved. In addition, he will likely be blamed for causing the injuries to the two people who were taken to the hospital. These victims could file personal injury lawsuits against the man in an effort to recoup ambulance charges, hospital expenses, lost wages due to being absent at work (if any), and future physical therapy costs (if applicable).

This incident illustrates the importance of remembering that drivers who cause rear-end accidents may not only be held accountable for damage and injuries to the rear-ended vehicle, but also to everyone who was affected by any chain reaction crash.

o   About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in motorcycle accidents, car accidents, drunk driver crashes, auto pedestrian accidents, truck wrecks, slip and
falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, product liability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley, or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.

Like most cities, Las Vegas tends to allocate additional resources toward catching DUI offenders during holiday periods such as Labor Day weekend. But this year, area law enforcement authorities are starting these efforts a little early.

Valley officials held a press conference on Friday to kick off a three-week heavy enforcement period with the aim of keeping drunk drivers off the streets. This initiative will remain in effect through Labor Day, which is Monday, September 5.

In addition to the presence of additional personnel on the roads to help with identifying and arresting people who are driving under the influence, various police agencies will be setting up and manning checkpoints all around the valley. The first one was performed at Lake Mead Recreational Area on Lakeshore Road yesterday. Officers are being instructed to conduct field sobriety tests if they even detect an odor of alcohol.

In addition, officers will have the flexibility to pull over suspected drunk drivers even if they are in a different jurisdiction. For example, a Summerlin Police officer could pull over a DUI suspect in North Las Vegas, or a Boulder City patrol car could do the same if a possible drunk driver were spotted in Henderson.

Officials are also encouraging partiers who have drunk too much to shell out the money to hail a cab or ride a bus home. They note that the cost of a bus or taxi fare is small compared to the amount of money that would be spent handling a DUI citation.

If you or a family member gets injured due to the negligence of a drunk driver, it is important to contact a qualified DUI attorney as soon as possible.

o   About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in motorcycle accidents, car accidents, drunk driver crashes, auto pedestrian accidents, truck wrecks, slip and
falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, product liability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley, or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.

Readers of this blog have been following the case of Natalie Dawn Dubuisson, the woman accused of causing a fatal hit-and-run accident on I-15 near Blue Diamond Road back in early January. The crash killed a 44-year old woman and injured another man. Today, a judge sentenced the 31-year old woman to between six and 13 years in prison.

The reason for Judge Abbi Silver’s harsh sentence had to do with the unusual circumstances surrounding the crash. Dubuisson was driving her Mercedes Benz at an estimated speed of 85 to 100 mph when she crashed into the victim’s car. But Dubuisson then fled the scene of the accident on foot and “went missing” for two weeks.

Dubuisson claimed in court that she fell asleep at the wheel and blacked out after the crash, and was then abducted from her car and robbed. When she revived, she claims she was in someone else’s car – and she was able to escape when the vehicle stopped at a traffic light. However, she never contacted the police nor gave that statement to authorities after the crash. Dubuisson, who had been convicted of DUI in the past, was eventually taken into custody in March. Judge Silver clearly did not believe Dubuisson’s story as she handed down the sentence on charges of reckless driving and leaving the scene of the accident.

One of the victim’s sons was in the courtroom and said he was happy with the verdict. Now that a criminal conviction has been obtained, he and his relatives can move forward with any wrongful death lawsuit they wish to file against Dubuisson.

o   About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in motorcycle accidents, car accidents, drunk driver crashes, auto pedestrian accidents, truck wrecks, slip and
falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, product liability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley, or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.

It only takes a momentary lapse in concentration or judgment to cause a motor vehicle collision. So every person must be constantly vigilant whenever they are behind the wheel of their vehicle. However, it is difficult to maintain your focus and exercise good judgment when you are impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Case in point: a man who ran a red light in Las Vegas Monday night and smacked into two cars. According to Metro Police, the man was speeding eastbound on Desert Inn Road around 8:40pm when he ran the red light at Jones Boulevard in west Las Vegas. Two cars traveling northbound on Jones were struck, and a woman in one of the vehicles was ejected. She is now hospitalized with critical injuries at University Medical Center. Police charged the man with felony DUI and also cited him for reckless driving and driving without a license.

If she chooses to do so, the woman has excellent grounds for a personal injury lawsuit against the DUI suspect. Since she is trying to recover from critical injuries, her hospital bill is probably climbing by the hour. She has already incurred ambulance charges, and her account will be charged for medical procedures, tests, and examinations. Also, she will quite likely have to undergo physical therapy for some time after her release. Finally, the woman is probably missing work while in the hospital, so she is not getting paid. A personal injury lawsuit can recover all of these costs, and the defendant may even be ordered to pay damages for pain and suffering.

o   About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in motorcycle accidents, car accidents, drunk driver crashes, auto pedestrian accidents, truck wrecks, slip and falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, product liability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley, or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.

Last week, this blog told you about the elderly man who was killed in a Las Vegas auto accident caused by a DUI suspect. Today, we learned that the victim’s wife was driving the car – and that she is now fighting to stay alive.

The 78-year old woman was driving her husband on Flamingo Road last Thursday when a 29-year old man ran a red light and plowed his GMC Suburban into the couple’s Lincoln Town Car while it was trying to turn left near the UNLV campus. The elderly man was declared dead on the scene, and his wife was rushed to University Medical Center where she is still in critical condition. Hospital officials say that the woman may not survive her injuries.

The SUV driver was observed by Metro Police as being wobbly on his feet and having slurred speech. In fact, the man told police that he had taken both Xanax and Hydrocodone even though he did not have a prescription for either of them. Metro Police arrested him on a charge of driving under the influence resulting in death. He is scheduled to be arraigned on that felony count next week.

It’s certainly unsettling to learn that the DUI suspect took two different controlled substances without a doctor’s permission. But even if he had obtained a prescription for the drugs, he would still be facing DUI charges - because drivers are not permitted to operate motor vehicles if they are under the effects of any type of drug (even legally acquired medications).

Similarly, the DUI suspect remains severely exposed to a wrongful death lawsuit and a personal injury lawsuit, both of which could be filed by the 82-year old man’s wife if she does recover from her own injuries. If she dies in the hospital, the couple’s heirs could file two wrongful death lawsuits against the 29-year old man.

Check back to this blog for more updates on this case.

o   About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in motorcycle accidents, car accidents, drunk driver crashes, auto pedestrian accidents, truck wrecks, slip and falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, product liability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley, or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.

It’s not uncommon for us to grumble about Monday mornings. We have to transition from a relaxed state achieved during the weekend back to a “hustle-and-bustle” lifestyle for the workweek. But you know what is the only thing worse than facing another Monday morning? Not getting to face one.

That’s the fate of a 54-year old Las Vegas man who was killed in a head-on collision shortly after sunrise on Monday morning. The man was driving a 1995 Geo Metro eastbound on East Flamingo Road near the UNLV campus around 6:15am when a 2008 Lexus IS350 coming toward him crossed the raised median and plowed into his car. Photos of the aftermath show the Metro’s entire front completely obliterated with the roof torn off. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital but was later pronounced dead.

Police arrested the driver of the Lexus, a 29-year old man from Las Vegas, and charged him with driving under the influence. He is being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center.

Whatever happens with the criminal case against the Lexus driver, the family members of the victim appear to have strong grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit. The plaintiffs would likely be eligible to collect compensation for hospital and burial costs, damages for loss of care and mental anguish, and lost future wages the man would have earned had he not been victimized in the head-on collision. If the 29-year old is charged with drunken driving, the possibility exists that a judge could also award punitive damages to the victim’s family.

o   About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in motorcycle accidents, car accidents, drunk driver crashes, auto pedestrian accidents, truck wrecks, slip and falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, product liability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley,or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.

There’s a very simple reason why Metro Police and other law enforcement authorities place such a huge emphasis on catching people who are driving under the influence. It’s because alcohol and drugs muddle the judgment and retard the decision-making process of the people who use them. And when that happens to a person behind the wheel of a large vehicle, the consequences can be deadly.

This appeared to be the case just before noon yesterday in Las Vegas near the campus of the College of Southern Nevada-Charleston when an 82-year old man was killed in a motor vehicle accident. The man was a passenger in a 2001 Lincoln Town Car on West Charleston Boulevard which was trying to make a left turn onto South Jones Boulevard. But a 29-year old man in a 1995 GMC Suburban ran a red light while the Town Car was making the turn, and the SUV slammed into the passenger side of the car.

The elderly man was pronounced dead at the scene. The Town Car’s driver was taken to University Medical Center with critical injuries. The Suburban’s driver was arrested by Metro Police on charges of driving under the influence of drugs involving a death, as well as driving without a license and running a red light.

Not only is the suspect facing a jail sentence, but he may also become the defendant in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the elderly man’s heirs. The injured driver of the Town Car could also file a personal injury lawsuit against the 29-year old.

o   About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in motorcycle accidents, car accidents, drunk driver crashes, auto pedestrian accidents, truck wrecks, slip and falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, productliability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley, or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.