It’s always terrifying when a vehicle strikes a pedestrian. The Nevada Office of Traffic Safety reported 70 pedestrian fatalities across the state in a recent year alone. If you’re injured while crossing the street, you may be wondering about who’s liable for your injuries, especially if you were jaywalking.
Jaywalking is a crime in Nevada. But just because you were jaywalking does not mean that you can’t pursue compensation for your injuries. The Las Vegas pedestrian accident lawyers at THE702FIRM Injury Attorneys can explain how jaywalking could affect your claim in a free consultation. Contact us today to schedule yours.
What is Jaywalking?
Jaywalking occurs when a pedestrian crosses a street at any point other than an intersection or designated crosswalk. While it may seem like jaywalking isn’t a big deal, pedestrians put themselves and others in harm’s way by crossing the street at the wrong time or in the wrong place ― especially in a busy city like Las Vegas. That’s why jaywalking is illegal in Nevada.
Jaywalking Laws in Nevada
Here’s an overview of Nevada’s crosswalk laws and other regulations concerning pedestrians:
- It is illegal for pedestrians to cross a street other than at a marked crosswalk or “implied” crosswalk. (There’s an implied crosswalk at every street intersection between the ends of the two sidewalks on either side of the street.)
- Pedestrians may not cross an intersection diagonally unless a specific sign or traffic control device indicates they can.
- When the “Don’t Walk” sign is illuminated at an intersection, no pedestrian should proceed into the crosswalk. Pedestrians who are already in the crosswalk are allowed to finish crossing the street.
- Pedestrians should look both ways before crossing the street and yield the right-of-way to any oncoming vehicles.
- Pedestrians should avoid darting out suddenly in front of an oncoming vehicle.
Is the Pedestrian Ever at Fault?
Even when pedestrians are injured while jaywalking, they may not be fully liable for an accident. Drivers have specific responsibilities toward people on foot and can be held financially accountable if their negligence injures a pedestrian.
Under Nevada’s personal injury laws, anyone hurt as a result of negligence is allowed to seek compensation for their injuries as long as they do not bear the majority of the responsibility for the accident. In cases where there is shared fault for a pedestrian accident, the plaintiff’s compensation will be reduced by their percentage of fault, which the insurance company or the court assigns. You can still recover compensation as long as you are not assigned more than 50 percent of the blame.
What To Do if You Are Injured on a Crosswalk in Las Vegas, NV
Here are the key steps to take if you’re ever injured while crossing the street in Las Vegas:
- Call 911 to bring police and paramedics to the scene.
- Document the crash scene by taking photos, getting insurance information from the involved driver, and contact information for any witnesses.
- Get medical treatment as soon as possible.
- Hold on to all your medical records, pay stubs, and receipts of accident-related expenses.
- Don’t provide a statement to any insurance company until you’ve spoken to a pedestrian accident lawyer.
- Contact THE702FIRM Injury Attorneys for a free consultation.
The lawyers at THE702FIRM Injury Attorneys have recovered more than $115 million in compensation for our Las Vegas clients. Call or contact our office today for your free case review.
