As North Las Vegas continues to grow, the city is continually looking for ways to keep its people safe. Unfortunately, some drivers are negligent or simply oblivious to bicyclists, resulting in severe injuries and sometimes death. After a bicycle accident, one should concentrate on caring for their injuries and seek a North Las Vegas bicycle accident lawyer.
A Bicycle Accident Lawyer in North Las Vegas Can Help You Seek Compensation for Your Medical Bills
Bicycle accidents can lead to a lengthy period of recovery or worse. You may have ended up in the emergency room, in a hospital bed, and taken a trip or two to the operating room. You could be unable to work and suffer from a lack of income.
Your routine bills may be mounting up along with growing medical bills. A personal injury attorney with experience in bicycle accident law can help you recover your financial losses and to aid in what could be an uncertain future.
How a Bicycle Accident Attorney in North Las Vegas Can Strengthen Your Case
In North Las Vegas, look for a personal injury lawyer familiar with the area and bicycle accident cases. Kris Helmick, the founding lawyer of Pacific West Injury Law, is just such an attorney.
When you contact us, you will be offered a free initial consultation. This gives Kris a chance to review your accident and formulate an opinion about your potential case.
To move forward, Kris will need to feel you have a legitimate case and be able to prove another party was responsible for your injuries. If so, you should be comforted that Kris feels he can win your case and get you the proper compensation.
Proving Negligence to Recover Damages
To win a settlement or a court case, and get you proper compensation, your North Las Vegas bicycle accident attorney will need to:
- Provide proof of your injuries. This evidence would come from your medical records and that you have followed your doctor’s orders toward recovery.
- Prove negligence or an intentional act as causation for your accident. Negligence could be a distracted driver, a pothole, or a broken sidewalk.
- Prove that negligence was the direct cause of your injuries.
Damages You Can Pursue in a Bicycle Accident Injury Case
The amount you can expect from an appropriate settlement depends upon the economic and non-economic damages you suffered from the accident.
Economic Damages
These are the financial expenses you have incurred directly from the accident, including medical bills and property damage. Depending upon the extent of those damages, you may receive compensation for:
- Emergency room care
- Hospitalization
- X-rays, MRIs, and other tests
- Surgery
- Medical support devices including crutches, slings, boots, walkers, and wheelchairs
- Future medical bills
- Loss of income
- Repair or replacement of your bicycle
Proof of the need for compensation for economic damages comes from copies of your medical expenses and bike shop repair bills.
Non-Economic Damages
These damages do not come through bills but rather the pain and suffering you have endured from the accident. They might include:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional and psychological anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life, including not being able to ride your bike
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Permanent partial or total disability
Your North Las Vegas bicycle accident attorney will weigh these elements and compare them with past cases to see what financial compensation may be appropriate for the non-economic damages you have and are experiencing.
What if You Lost a Loved One Due to a Bicycle Accident?
In Nevada, the surviving spouse, domestic partner, and children would be the heirs and could rightfully file a wrongful death claim. If the victim was unmarried and had no children, their parents or siblings could file a claim. Fiancées, significant others, and friends cannot file a wrongful death lawsuit even if they are named as beneficiaries in a will.
Damages in a Wrongful Death Claim
In the case of the loss of a loved one, the plaintiff may seek compensation for funeral and burial expenses as well as final medical expenses. They may also seek compensation such as:
- Loss of financial support
- Loss of emotional support
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of consortium
Wrongful death cases can be even more complex than other injury accidents as the individuals who lose their lives due to an accident can no longer speak for themselves. You need an experienced personal injury lawyer who is passionate yet forceful to handle such a case.
Who Deals with the Insurance Companies?
You may hear from the insurance company of the individual responsible for your accident. Do not talk with them. The representative will try to get you to settle for as little as possible. That is their job.
Furthermore, the adjuster may try to intimidate you if you were not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. Don’t take the bait. Nevada does not require bicyclists to wear a helmet, although the state’s Department of Transportation recommends that bicyclists of all ages wear one for safety.
Your bicycle accident lawyer in North Las Vegas will deal with the insurance company and demand proper compensation for your losses. If you have received an offer, turn it over to your lawyer.
Is There a Deadline to File a North Las Vegas Bicycle Accident Lawsuit?
According to Nevada law, you have up to two years from the time of your accident to file a claim for a bicycle accident injury or any other personal injury case.
If you miss the filing deadline, you may surrender your right to compensation. Contact a North Las Vegas bicycle accident lawyer as soon as possible to file your claim promptly.
Why Choose Pacific West Injury Law?
When you contact Pacific West Injury Law, you can count on having our undivided attention from the time of your initial free consultation until you receive your settlement. Our legal team is dedicated to winning cases like yours and getting our clients the compensation they need and deserve.
We will do the same for you. Contact us today!
