Nevadans Pay High Auto Repair Costs

By Farhan Naqvi, Personal Injury Lawyer in Nevada

If you live in Las Vegas or Clark County, you’ve probably had to suffer the ordeal of getting your car repaired. Perhaps you may have even experienced some consternation when you received the total bill. You might have wondered, “Are car repairs this expensive everywhere?”

Maybe not.

CarMD.com reports that according to its 2010 Vehicle Health Index, Nevada is the fifth costliest state in America for auto repairs (behind Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and California). On average, Nevadans pay almost $394 to get their vehicles fixed - which is about 11% higher than the national average. The study looked at repairs which were requested after a vehicle’s “Check Engine” light appeared on the dashboard.

CarMD.com explains this phenomenon by noting that Nevadans drive more miles than motorists in other states because cities are further apart and mass transit isn’t as prevalent. Also, car repairs caused by the heat and dusty air may take more time to fix (resulting in higher labor costs).

You can bet that insurance companies are looking at this data. And they may assume that any car repairs, whether from “Check Engine” lights or from auto accidents, will cost more than the “industry average.” As a result, they might be more obstinate in providing reimbursement for all of the costs you incurred from an accident – whether they relate to auto repairs or medical expenses due to injuries.

That’s precisely why you need a competent auto accident attorney to fight for the compensation you deserve if you have been victimized in an auto accident. He or she knows how to deal with insurance companies and will do everything possible to obtain the largest possible settlement or damage award.

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.

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By Farhan Naqvi, Personal Injury Lawyer in Nevada

Nevada, like most other states, commits a considerable amount of resources to preventing drunk driving. One of the methods used by law enforcement agencies in the state is the implementation of sobriety checkpoints in certain areas where drunk drivers are suspected.

Many times, the locations of these DUI checkpoints are released to the public ahead of time in hopes of deterring people who may drink and drive in those areas. But other times, police purposely do not let the community know where these checkpoints will be set up.

Recently, some individuals and companies have sought to discover the locations of these undisclosed checkpoints and reveal them to the public. There have even been several applications for Apple’s iPhones that have allowed users to identify where these sobriety checkpoints have been erected on any given night.

However, these types of apps will no longer be allowed to be posted to the Apple online store in the future. That announcement was made this week by the computer giant at the request of several U.S. senators, including Nevada Senator Harry Reid. The lawmakers felt that disclosing the locations of the covert sobriety checkpoints helped enable drivers to drink and drive without fear of prosecution. (Of course, people who drink and drive in Nevada always run the risk of being pulled over by regular patrol officers – whether sobriety checkpoints are up or not.)

It should be noted that Apple’s declaration only pertained to future checkpoint-revealing apps and did not address those types of apps that are already available for purchase through the online store. Reid and the other senators are urging Apple to remove those existing apps as well.

If you have been injured because of the recklessness of a drunk driver, you should contact a qualified DUI accident 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.

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By Farhan Naqvi, Personal Injury Lawyer in Nevada

Readers of this blog know that Nevada lawmakers have been mulling a bill which would provide publicly-financed low-cost auto insurance to low-income drivers in Clark County. This week, that bill took a step closer to becoming law.

The Senate Commerce, Labor and Energy Committee voted 4-3 on Wednesday in favor of Assembly Bill 299. The legislation would set up a pool of auto insurance policies that would be available to Clark County families whose household income is 25o% of the federal poverty level or less.

In addition, a driver would have to be at least 19 years of age to qualify and have three or more years of driving experience. Also, that individual could not have more than one demerit on his or her driving record for a moving traffic violation. And they could not have been involved in multiple auto accidents in which they were at fault and that caused property damage.

The program would reportedly save policyholders about $50 a year in premium costs. But to pay for this pilot program, all Clark County drivers would be charged an extra 50 cents on their insurance premiums. And this clause may be the biggest stumbling block for AB 299.

Nevada law requires that any legislation which calls for public funding be approved by a 2/3 majority of state senators. All three dissenting votes this week were from Republicans, and the GOP holds 10 of the 21 seats in the Senate. So if the eventual vote in the full Senate falls along party lines, the bill will fail.

Keep checking back on this blog for updates on this legislation.

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.

Driverless Cars Coming to Nevada?

By Farhan Naqvi, Personal Injury Lawyer in Nevada

Readers of this blog know all too well that some drivers do pretty stupid things. They drink, take drugs, text, drive on the wrong side of the road, and much more. Very often, this idiotic behavior results in a collision which causes property damage, injuries, and even deaths.

So what if we could just do away with the drivers?

Don’t laugh – one company is tinkering with that very idea. What’s more, the company already has a track record of taking an unusual idea and converting it into a multibillion dollar enterprise: Google.

The search engine giant has been experimenting with driverless cars. And believe it or not, this pilot project has become so successful that Google debuted several of these revolutionary vehicles at the Technology Entertainment Design conference in Long Beach, California back in March. Each of the driverless cars on display had already traveled at least 14,000 miles without an accident.

Now, Google wants to expand the experiment into the real world. And where does it want the laboratory to be? Right here in Nevada.

Google is so serious about this that it has hired David Goldwater, a renowned Las Vegas lobbyist, to plead its case before state legislators. Last month, Goldwater told lawmakers that driverless cars would not only be safer than their human-operated counterparts, but they would also be more fuel efficient and spur economic development in the state.

Bear in mind that Google is only seeking permission to test its driverless cars – not to market, manufacture, or sell them to Nevada consumers. And even getting consent to conduct the experiments here will take more than a simple okay from Carson City. A few new laws will have to be passed to allow driverless cars to be operated legally on Nevada roads. And we all know how slowly the state legislature often moves when it comes to new legislation. In fact, lawmakers aren’t expected to even consider the idea until next month.

Still, the notion of driverless cars is intriguing. Will they cut down on motor vehicle accidents? Will they cause more problems than they solve? How will they respond to real-world conditions on Nevada highways, Las Vegas freeways, or traffic jams on the Strip? Feel free to let us know your opinions on this matter. After all, you could pull up behind a driverless car sooner than you think.

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.

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By Farhan Naqvi, Personal Injury Lawyer in Nevada

You may have been reading about a bill in the State Assembly which would raise the amount of liability insurance that Nevada drivers would be required to purchase in order to drive in the state. AB120 would raise the minimum level of liability insurance coverage from $15,000 to $50,000 per driver. The legislation is currently being debated by Nevada lawmakers.

The downside to this bill is that insurance premiums for drivers will go up because these people will be forced to purchase stronger auto insurance policies. Insurance industry executives say that these premiums could jump by as much as 54% for some individuals.

Here’s what this bill means in layman’s terms: right now, if you are injured (or killed) in a motor vehicle accident in Nevada by a driver with the minimum amount of liability coverage, then the insurance company will not pay you any more than $15,000 – even if your medical expenses exceed that amount. Under the new legislation, that maximum amount would be raised to $50,000.

So for instance, if you sustained a fractured rib and a broken arm in a motor vehicle accident, the costs you would incur from ambulance charges, hospital expenses, physical therapy, and lost time at work could easily exceed $15,000. However, a $50,000 policy might very well cover all of your costs associated with this type of accident. But if the at-fault driver’s insurance policy won’t pay for all of your medical costs, then your next option is to file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver and/or the insurer (depending on the circumstances of the case).

This brings us to another possible consequence of AB120. Insurance companies make money like any other business: by maximizing revenue and minimizing costs. One large portion of the costs incurred by insurers is the money they pay out to accident victims.

So if this bill passes, the maximum payout amount for injuries sustained in any accident in Nevada would more than triple. As a result, insurance companies are likely to respond to this cost increase by contesting more accident claims and vigorously defending personal injury lawsuits. That’s why you need to have a qualified auto accident lawyer fighting for your rights and the compensation to which you are entitled.

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.

By Farhan Naqvi, Personal Injury Lawyer in Las Vegas

Tourism is the largest industry both in Las Vegas and the state of Nevada. That’s why the people of Vegas do everything they can to be as helpful and friendly to out-of-state visitors as possible. Unfortunately, there are times when tourists do not have a good experience while visiting Las Vegas because they suffer a serious injury in an accident. This usually happens in one of these accidenr scenarios:

When these accidents occur, the victims face the additional discomfort associated with being far from home – in an environment where they don’t know the lay of the land or how things work. This apprehension tends to increase if there are injuries, ambulances, and/or hospitals to deal with after an accident.

All of this anxiety may fuel the temptation to put such an unpleasant episode behind them as quickly as possible. But in doing so, these victims may choose to handle an accident differently than they would had the incident occurred at home. More specifically, they may choose to forgo any legal proceedings or insurance reports in favor of escaping and forgetting the situation altogether.

If you as a tourist find yourself in this situation, it is vital that you keep this point in mind: you have the same legal rights in an accident as any Las Vegas resident does given the same circumstances. So if you are hurt (or think you may experience pain in the future) as a result of an accident, don’t hesitate to fight for what is rightfully yours. Whether it’s compensation for medical bills, flight cancellation charges, or lost wages at work; you have the right to demand that you get reimbursed for these types of expenses by the person or company who is responsible for the accident. 

“What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” is a catchy tourism slogan – but don’t let it shape how you approach an accident scenario. If you are victimized in a Las Vegas accident, consider seeking advice from a local personal injury attorney.

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.

By Farhan Naqvi, Personal Injury Lawyer in Las Vegas

If you’ve ever been to a major European city, you’ve probably seen a traffic roundabout. Instead of traditional crossroad intersections where some traffic must stop before proceeding, roundabouts aim to create a continuous traffic flow by “absorbing” motorists into a circular roadway from which they can exit when they reach their intended outlet.

There are roundabouts in many parts of the U.S. as well, including Las Vegas. But because many Nevadans aren’t used to seeing them, the drivers may get confused when approaching one – and that creates the potential for a traffic accident.

That’s what happened early Thursday morning in Summerlin when a motor bike operator was involved in a single vehicle fatal crash. Metro Police say that the 20-year old man was operating a 2006 Suzuki motorcycle on Flamingo Road near Granite Ridge Drive when he lost control at a roundabout at around 3:25am. The unidentified driver was pronounced dead at the scene. There’s no word on what caused the accident or whether alcohol was involved.

We can only speculate about how this motorcycle accident occurred. Maybe the man didn’t notice the roundabout in the darkness until it was too late. Perhaps there was another vehicle that the motorcyclist swerved to miss which then left the scene of the accident. However it happened, this incident highlights the dangers of roundabouts if you do not navigate them correctly.

Here are some roundabout tips:

  • Decrease your speed before you enter the roundabout.
  • Watch for traffic coming from the left. If you cannot enter the roundabout safely, stop and wait until there is an opening in the traffic flow.
  • If the roundabout is more than one lane, get into the outside lane before you get to your exit street. But be wary of merging traffic if you drive past an entry point while in the outside lane.
  • Try to anticipate other drivers switching lanes in front of you as they try to enter or exit the roundabout.
  • Don’t feel bad about making an extra lap around the roundabout if it means avoiding an accident. 

If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident in a roundabout, you may consider consulting a personal injury lawyer to see about getting compensated for your medical bills.

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.

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By Farhan Naqvi, Personal Injury Lawyer in Las Vegas

This weekend, neighborhoods across Las Vegas, Summerlin, Pahrump, Henderson and Boulder City will be invaded by little ghosts, goblins, superheroes, and princesses.

Halloween is supposed to be a day of adventure, excitement, and fun for Nevada children. Unfortunately, with so many youngsters out and about on All Hallow’s Eve, the chances of vehicle-pedestrian accidents skyrocket. In fact, a recent Center for Disease Control Study found that the potential for auto accidents involving children pedestrians increases four-fold on Halloween.

So as a driver, here are some suggestions for keeping Halloween safe for trick-or-treaters:

  • During hours when the kids are trick-or-treating, drive below the speed limit through neighborhoods or populated areas.
  • Pay extra attention to intersections and crosswalks.
  • Keep an eye on the sidewalk, curb, or side of the road for kids who may suddenly step into the roadway.
  • Be wary of kids crossing the street going house to house looking for treats.
  • Do not pass cars that are parked in the roadway. They may be dropping off or picking up trick-or-treaters who may cross the street in front of you.
  • If you are transporting trick-or-treaters, leave your hazard lights on while you are parked.
  • Absolutely do not talk or text on a cell phone while driving during trick or treat hours. If you have to make a call or return a text, pull over. 

If your child gets involved in a crosswalk accident on Halloween, seek medical attention immediately. Then contact a personal injury lawyer to see about getting compensation for your youngster’s injuries.

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.

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By Farhan Naqvi, Personal Injury Lawyer in Las Vegas

Horseback riding is a common activity for Nevada residents. With thousands of acres of open land statewide, many people like to mount their steeds and explore the outdoors. But if you choose to engage in this activity, it is imperative that you do so safely.

Recently, horseback riding accidents have received a great deal of attention after Nevada governor Jim Gibbons fell off a horse and broke his pelvis at a ranch in western Nevada on September 21. Three weeks later, Gibbons is finally healthy enough to participate in administrative meetings via telephone, even though the 65-year old remains hospitalized.

Those who have ridden horses for years will tell you that the possibility of a fall always exists no matter how many precautions you take or how skilled a rider you are. And a fall from a horse can result in serious injuries. A high-profile example is actor Christopher Reeve, who was thrown from a horse in 1995 during an equestrian competition and became a quadriplegic.

Here are some tips for avoiding horseback riding falls and reducing their severity:

  • Choose a horse that matches your skill level.
  • Ride in a safe environment and stay in control of your horse at all times.
  • Try to anticipate anything which might spook your horse.
  • Make sure your saddle and stirrups are properly secured.
  • Consider wearing protective equipment like a helmet or crash vest.

If a fall from a horse is imminent:

  • Let go of the reins.
  • Kick your feet out of the stirrups.
  • Don’t stick out your arms to break your fall. This increases the chances of a broken bone.
  • After a fall, quickly assess your body. If you are injured, notify someone immediately. 

If you are injured during a fall from a horse owned by another person or company, or if your horse was spooked by something else, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Contact a personal injury lawyer for a free consultation.

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.

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The Las Vegas Sun revealed that there were 1,363 cases of preventable medical mistakes in acute-care centers across Nevada, but only 402 of these medical errors were officially reported. The State Division chief examined recent records and discovered 342 of these mistakes in the second half of 2009 alone, but only 44 were reported, according to kolotv.com.

The underreporting of preventable medical errors is a major issue not only in Nevada, but across the country. Many states are not legally obligated to report these types of mistakes so the statistics currently available may be a gross underrepresentation of the problem.

What we do know is that, just based on the current reported data, preventable medical errors are the sixth biggest killer of Americans. Over 100,000 people in the U.S. have died due to medical mistakes, according to justice.org. Now imagine if all 50 states were legally required to report all preventable medical mistakes. This problem could quickly reveal itself to be an epidemic.

What’s truly disturbing is the fact that (as the name implies) these mistakes are preventable. The injuries and loss of life could be avoided if more diligence was applied before and after care. For example, utilizing a “safe surgery check list” to make sure all surgical instruments are accounted for could reduce the number of errors involving sponges, needles, and clamps left inside a patient (nearly 1,500 people suffer this type of injury every year).

I highly respect all of our doctors, surgeons, and medical professionals but it is just plain wrong to underreport these medical mistakes. We need to fully understand the scope of the problem so we can appropriately determine what needs to be done to cut down on these preventable errors.

 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.

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