Legal News Blog

Defective Part To Blame For Nevada Bus Crash That Injured One

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Keith

January 27th, 2012

A broken part on a casino shuttle bus is to blame for an accident that left one passenger hurt. According to reports from 8 News Now, the accident happened Tuesday morning at around 9:30 AM on Spooner Summit as the bus left a Harrah’s Casino on its way to the Reno-Tahoe International Airport.

Preliminary investigation reports from the Nevada Highway Patrol indicate that a busted drive shaft on the 2000 E450 bus caused the 57-year-old driver to lose control of the vehicle moments before it began to spin and hit a concrete barrier wall running along the median of the highway.

One passenger was injured in the crash and was taken to Carson Tahoe Hospital to receive treatment.

Commercial bus lines are obligated by state and federal law to ensure their vehicle are safe for passengers to ride by preforming and logging routine maintenance on almost every aspect on the vehicle. Failure to do so could result in fines and penalties for the company, as well as the company possibly being held responsible for people and property injured in the event of an accident.

That is why the Nevada bus accident attorneys with the Richard Harris Law Firm are here to help you with your claim if you have been injured in a bus accident at no fault of your own. Contact us today for a free initial consultation of your case.

Posted in Bus Accident, Personal Injury | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Las Vegas Cracks Down On Intersection Safety

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Keith

January 25, 2012

State and local law enforcement in the Las Vegas, Nevada, area will be conducting heavy enforcement at intersections for the next several days. Reports from 8 News Now say that the action comes after the release of a lower-than-average result for the city in regards to pedestrian safety.

The Alliance for Biking and Walking ranked Las Vegas 32nd out of 51 for the safest major cities in the country earlier this week. This prompted law enforcement to step up their actions at major intersections in the city.

For the rest of the week, the Nevada Highway Patrol in conjunction with Las Vegas Metro Police, the Henderson Police Department, and the Boulder City Police Department, will conduct numerous operations to ensure traffic motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians alike follow traffic laws and signals.

The operations will take place:

Tuesday

  • At major intersections near Charleston and Lamb from 6:00 AM – 11:00 AM and     2:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Wednesday

  • At intersections near Maryland Parkway and Desert Inn from 6:00 AM – 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Thursday

  • At major intersections near Tropicana and Paradise 6:00 AM – 11:00 AM and          2:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Friday

  • At major intersections near Serene and Eastern from 6:00 AM – 11:00AM
  • At major intersections near Cheyenne and Losee from 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM

The Las Vegas car accident lawyers with the Richard Harris Law Firm would like to remind both pedestrians and motorists to share the road for safety.

Posted in Auto Accident, Bus Accident, DUI, Motorcycle Accident, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, drunk driver | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Las Vegas Police Approve $1.7 Million Wrongful Death Settlement

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Keith

January 23, 2012

The Las Vegas Metro Police Department (LVMPD) made the approval today for a settlement of $1.7 million dollars to be paid in connection with the wrongful death of an unarmed 21-year-old man. According to 8 News Now, the man was shot and killed by a metro officer during a botched drug raid last year.

Records show that in June of 2010, the LVMPD embarked on a drug raid at a Central Valley apartment where undercover officers had purchased narcotics in the past. They found the suspect in the bathroom and an officer shot the man in the face after saying in reports that the victim made a “furtive movement” toward detectives. Witnesses to the raid said that the man was merely putting his hands up when he was shot.

The officer who pulled the trigger came under major scrutiny after the shooting, as he had been involved in two prior officer-related shootings. A coroner’s inquest determined that although the officer was justified in the shooting, inconsistencies in the officers’ stories were enough to warrant the settlement with the family.

This is the largest settlement in Las Vegas Metro history with 65 percent of the money going to the victim’s young child and the remaining amount going to his fiancée and mother.

The Las Vegas wrongful death attorneys with the Richard Harris Law Firm are available to discuss your case if you feel you have lost a loved one because of someone else’s negligence.

Posted in Wrongful Death | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

CDC Fights Back against Prescription Drug Abuse and Overdose

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Keith

January 20, 2012

In an effort to combat the growing problem of prescription drug abuse and overdoses, the federal government has implemented several new programs targeted at better education for parents, while better monitoring the countries supply and demand of drug’s with potential for abuse.

8 News Now reported that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is teaching parents with a new program to keep all medications put away and out of reach of young children. The program comes at a time when estimates say that one in every 150 toddlers will visit the ER because of an accidental overdose. Some experts say that the problem could grow as much as 20 percent in coming years. This is why they suggest:

  • Never tell a child medicine is candy.
  • Ask visitors and guests to keep medications put up.
  • Keep medication in a locked cabinet—never in a child’s reach.
  • Teach children about drug safety at an early age.
  • Always have the number for Poison Control on-hand.

In addition to the campaign, the CDC also has begun using a national database to monitor the consumption of potentially abused drugs. Now, doctors, pharmacists, and law enforcement can track prescriptions being written and filled by doctors and patients.

The Las Vegas Drug Injury Lawyers with the Richard Harris Law Firm are here to help if you have been harmed by a medication at no fault of your own.

Posted in Drug Injuries, Wrongful Death | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Reckless Driving Costs Nevadans $1.9 Billion Annually

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Keith

January 13, 2012

Two people from Las Vegas, Nevada, were killed early Thursday morning after being involved in a single-vehicle crash on an on-ramp of I-215. According to 8 News Now, the accident occurred as the vehicle exited the highway near Cheyenne Avenue.

Investigators with the Nevada Highway Patrol said that the vehicle did not stop or slow down as it got off the highway and passed through an intersection. Authorities say the vehicle was traveling too fast and collided with a barrier wall next to the highway. The 66-year-old driver and 72-year-old passenger both died at the scene of the accident.

Experts say that Thursday’s deaths bring the total number of highway fatalities in the state to eight so far for the year. The number of highway deaths in the state has slowly, but steadily, risen in recent years.

This rise caused the Advocates for Highway Safety to research the growing problem and released a report yesterday that reveals the monetary cost of reckless driving. The report estimates that state taxpayers pay $1.9 billion a year for accidents caused by negligent driving. That cost includes medical expenses, property damage, legal costs, infrastructure repair, employee payout losses, and lost productivity.

This is why the Nevada auto accident attorneys with the Richard Harris Law Firm encourage motorists to follow these tips to safe driving:

  • Always buckle up
  • Eliminate distractions before driving- check mirrors, phones, and stereos
  • Slow down
  • Never get behind the wheel if intoxicated
Posted in Auto Accident, DUI, Motorcycle Accident, Personal Injury, Speeding while on a Motorcycle, Truck Accident, Wrongful Death, drunk driver, dui deaths | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment