Injury Types

Protecting Injured Victims in Las Vegas

If a serious injury has left you with massive medical costs, the inability to return to work or earn income, or physical or mental disabilities that have changed your life, we would like to help you put your life back together. Call our office for a free, no obligation consultation and let us help make your road to recovery a little easier.

While no amount of money can erase the damage that has been done, recovering compensation through a personal injury claim can help relieve some of the stress you and your family now face. When you hire our law firm to handle your case, we’ll help you get the money you need to pay for medical treatment, lost income, and other damages that have placed a burden on your finances and your life.

Recovering Damages in a Personal Injury Case

When you are injured, you may be able to recover three different types of damages after a negligence-based incident.

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Economic Damages
Tangible losses like medical expenses, loss of past and future earnings, household services, and other out of pocket costs are referred to as economic damages. In Nevada, injured people are entitled to full compensation for economic damages. There are no limits imposed in most cases. When injuries are extensive and require ongoing medical treatment and rehabilitation, and you are unable to earn the money you would have earned if you had not been injured, compensation for economic damages alone can soar to millions of dollars.

Non-Economic Damages
Subjective, non-monetary losses like pain and suffering, emotional trauma, loss of consortium and companionship, loss of consortium, and loss of enjoyment of life are referred to as non-economic damages. As a general rule, there is no limit on non-economic damages in injury cases in Nevada. (There is a $350,000 cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases, however.)

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Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are designed to punish the wrongdoer in injury cases and to help prevent the negligent or intentional actions that caused the injuries from happening again. When punitive damages are awarded in Nevada, there is a damage limit in most cases. If the compensatory damages awarded to the plaintiff total $100,000 or less, there is a cap of $300,000 for punitive damages. If the compensatory damages total more than $100,000, the cap is three times the amount of compensatory damages awarded to the plaintiff.

In six types of cases, however, there are no limits on punitive damages in injury cases in Nevada.

1. When the case involves the manufacture, distribution, or sale of defective products
2. When discriminatory housing practices are involved
3. When Nevada’s civil defamation laws are violated
4. When the at-fault party in a motor vehicle accident willingly consumed alcohol or drugs
5. When the emission, disposal, or shipping of a toxic, radioactive, or hazardous material caused the injuries
6. When an insurance company acts in bad faith

Catastrophic Injuries in Nevada

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At Van Law Firm, we handle all types of injury cases. While some injuries are less severe or heal in a shorter period of time, others have lasting effects that change the lives of victims and their families. When injuries result in life-changing consequences, they are known as catastrophic injuries. Here are examples of some of the most common types of catastrophic injuries our firm sees.

Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries can have serious, lifelong effects on a person’s life. The severity of a brain injury varies greatly depending on the location and extent of the brain injury. Even seemingly minor bumps or jolts to the head can cause Traumatic Brain Injuries or TBIs. Brain injuries, such as concussions, can have severe consequences that may impact a person’s ability to work or engage in daily activities for many years.

At Van Law Firm, our Las Vegas brain injury lawyers are dedicated to protecting the victims of personal injury accidents, including auto accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, and slip and fall accidents, who have suffered traumatic brain injuries.

If you have suffered a head injury as a result of the negligent and intentional misconduct of another, you may be entitled to money damages, including compensation for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. Our Las Vegas brain injury lawyers are dedicated to fighting for your rights and advocating on your behalf to get you the compensation that you need and deserve.

If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, do not hesitate to contact the Las Vegas brain injury lawyers at Van Law Firm at (725) 900-9000 for a free consultation to discuss a possible personal injury or premises liability lawsuit.

Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries can vary in terms of type and severity depending on the circumstances of the accident. Symptoms can include nausea, dizziness, paralysis, numbness, or epilepsy. Some of the more common types of head and brain injuries include:

• Concussions – Concussions can happen any time the head accelerates quickly and then suddenly stops or is rapidly rotated. These are also called Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries or Mild TBIs. The term “mild” is misleading as the brain can manifest severe symptoms days or even weeks later. The head does not need to come in contact with a hard surface in order for a person to suffer a concussion. Concussions can result in headaches, nausea, difficulty sleeping, vomiting, fatigue, drowsiness, disorientation, slurred speech, loss of balance, confusion, blurred vision, memory loss, and, in some severe cases, unconsciousness. Concussions are most commonly sustained in auto accidents and sports injuries.

It can take several months for regular brain activity to resume. During this recovery period, the brain is vulnerable to significant damage if it suffers a second concussion.

Moderate TBIs are more serious and can occur in the same manner as mild TBIs. Common symptoms include: repeated vomiting, convulsions, inability to wake up, dilated pupils, runny nose or fluid leaking from the ear, loss of coordination, numbness in extremities, persistent and long headaches, and loss of consciousness for minutes or hours. Moreover, there may be issues with agitation, aggression, slurred speech, profound confusion, and comas.

• Whiplash – Whiplash is a head and neck injury that is commonly sustained in auto accidents, especially rear-end collisions. Whiplash is caused when the head is thrust forward and back at a high speed, causing injury to the muscles of the head and neck.
• Direct trauma injuries – These injuries include any injuries that occur as a result of direct contact with the head and brain, including skull fractures, contusions, and brain hemorrhages.
• Diffuse axonal injuries – These injuries are caused by the severe and sudden twisting of the brain.
• Hypoxia – Hypoxia is caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain and is typically sustained as a birth injury but can be the result of inadequate medical treatment following a personal injury accident.
• Secondary brain injuries – this includes swelling of the brain, collection of blood on the brain, or fluid on the brain.

Common Causes of Brain Injuries

Brain and head injuries can occur in a variety of different accidents. The Las Vegas brain injury lawyers at Van Law Firm represent clients who have suffered brain injuries as a result of the following types of accidents:

• Automobile accidents
• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Public transit or bus accidents
• Slip and fall incidents
• Construction accidents
• Medical malpractice
• Sports injuries

Spine Injuries

Because the spinal cord is responsible for carrying messages from the brain to the rest of the body, injuries to the spine can result in paralysis or loss of function in a particular area of the body. The severity of a spine injury varies depending on the location of the injury. Spine injuries that occur higher along the spinal cord affect more of the body and often result in paralysis, or a complete loss of sensation and movement. Spine injuries in the upper part of your body can also cause loss of sensation to your shoulders, arms, and hands. Spine injuries that occur lower along the spinal cord may only affect a portion of the body, often the legs. Spinal cord injuries to the very highest vertebrae are often fatal. Those to the very lowest vertebrae can cause loss of bladder or bowel control and sexual dysfunction.

Spine injuries can also lead to a number of other medical problems, including pain disorders, muscle spasms, bladder infections, or lung infections.

Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal injuries can be caused by a number of personal injury type accidents. At Van Law Firm, our Las Vegas spine injury attorneys represent clients who have suffered spinal cord injuries as a result of the following types of accidents:

• Auto accidents
• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Construction accidents
• Workplace accidents
• Swimming pool accidents
• Bullet or stab wounds
• Sports injuries

People who suffer spinal cord injuries often face months or years of rehabilitation, ongoing medical treatment, the need for special medical equipment and supplies, medications, and in-home care. In many cases, spinal cord injuries cause permanent disabilities and victims must make accommodations throughout their lifetime. Many people will never return to work. They may lose the ability to conceive children. Some people will suffer emotional trauma, severe anxiety, depression, and unfortunately may die.

The Road to Recovery for Spine Injury Victims

For those whose conditions improve, the road to recovery is usually long and frustrating. Fortunately, advances in technology, stem cell research, in other experimental treatments, and cutting-edge therapy are improving the prognosis for people with spine injuries.

If you’ve suffered a spinal cord injury, you may be entitled to substantial amounts of money to cover your medical expenses, lost wages and earning capacity in the future, non-economic damages, and possibly even experimental treatments that could change your life.

We urge you to contact our office right away to get help with your recovery. Our team will listen to your situation, create a legal strategy that is in-line with your goals, and help you make the most out of life after a serious spine injury.

Neck Injuries

Neck injuries are often sustained in auto accidents, slip and falls, diving accidents, incidents at work, and other personal injury accidents. When people suffer serious neck injuries, they may face long term pain, varying degrees of paralysis, and even death. If you were in an accident and suffered a neck injury, call our office right away. We can help you access medical treatment, get money to pay for doctor and hospital bills, and even recover compensation for the pain and suffering you are experiencing.

Types of Neck Injuries

Some types of neck injuries, like sprains, strains, and pinched nerves may go away fairly quickly. For people who are not as fortunate, the consequences can be life-changing.

Whiplash
One of the most common types of serious neck injuries our firm sees is whiplash. Whiplash is caused by violent, back and forth movement of the head. This causes damage to the neck and intervertebral joints, discs, and ligaments. Rear-end collisions are a main cause of whiplash injuries. Although people who are in high speed car accidents are at the highest risk for suffering whiplash injuries, even low speed collisions can result in painful whiplash and other disabling injuries such as neck injuries, brain injuries, spine injuries.

Prompt medical treatment is crucial to the recovery of whiplash. Patient prognosis is greatly improved when proper treatment is started right away. Although whiplash is a common auto accident injury, it often goes undetected since it may not have immediate and recognizable symptoms. Unfortunately, symptoms may not appear for hours, or even days after an accident. People who suffer from severe neck injuries like whiplash may experience long term symptoms like dizziness, headaches, pain and stiffness in the neck, shoulder and back, jaw pain, fatigue, ringing in the ears, weakness, and vision problems.

Neck Fracture
When there is a break in a cervical bone, it is often referred to as a neck fracture. Often caused by trauma, the angle and amount of force involved typically determines the severity of the break. Young people who participate in contact sports like football or wrestling, individuals on diving teams, and older folks who have osteoporosis are at highest risk for neck fractures. When a neck fracture is suspected, it is important to get medical help immediately. Failing to do so can result in damage to the spinal cord that can lead to paralysis or death.

Cervical Dislocation
When a neck bone moves out of its normal location, it can create spinal instability, soft tissue injuries, spinal cord injuries, and fractures. While minor dislocations are treatable without significant long term consequences, others cause permanent damage that result in pain and disability.

Burn Injuries

People who are severely burned often face excruciating pain, many surgeries and other types of ongoing medical treatment, disfigurement, disability, and PTSD. They are also more susceptible to infections, skin problems, and lung issues. In many cases, the medical complications that are associated with severe burns can cause death.

At Van Law Firm, we are dedicated to helping victims of severe burns recover money for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. While we understand that money cannot erase the traumatic experience of a severe burn accident, nor can it return your life to the way it was before you were hurt, financial compensation can relieve much of the stress that you and your family face so you can concentrate on getting better. Call us today to find out more about how we can help you move forward after a burn injury. Your no obligation consultation is free.

Understanding the Impact of Burn Injuries

The symptoms that accompany burn injuries and the impact these accidents have on your life is primarily determined by the type and severity of the burn. Burns are categorized into four groups by level of severity.

First Degree Burns
The least severe type of burn, a first degree burn causes damage to only the outer layer of a person’s skin. Mild sunburns are an example. Although first degree burns can be quite painful for victims, they usually heal in three to six days. Complications like dehydration, however, can require hospitalization.

Second Degree Burns
When the outer layer of skin and the layer underneath are damaged, the burn is classified as a second degree burn. Blistering often accompanies second degree burns and scarring is sometimes a result.

Third Degree Burns
The deepest layer of skin and tissues underneath are damaged when a person suffers a third degree burn. Skin grafts and ongoing medical treatment is common for these types of burns.

Fourth Degree Burns
Fourth degree burns are the most severe. When a person suffers a fourth degree burn, he or she will likely face extensive burn treatment because charring is present in muscle tissue and bone. People with fourth degree burns are most susceptible to infection, must undergo extensive surgeries, and are at a higher risk for death.

Aside from the severity level of burns, they are also categorized into types. There are five categories of burn injury types.

• Thermal Burns: Thermal burns are caused by direct contact with hot objects or flames.
  Chemical Burns: Also known as caustic burns, these are caused by contact with corrosive chemicals. Battery acid is an example.
• Electrical Burns: Caused by electrical wiring and charged metals, these burns can cause internal injuries and death.
• Inhalation Burns: These are burns caused from breathing in heat, smoke, or fumes. Inhalation burns damage the respiratory tract and lung tissue. These injuries indicate a medical emergency and can quickly result in death.
• Scalds: Caused by contact with hot fluids or steam, scalds can result in significant pain, permanent scarring, and emotional trauma.