Questions about Your Reno Injury Case?
Common Reno Personal Injury Law FAQs
Yes, you can still file an injury claim in Reno, NV, even if you were partially at fault. Nevada uses modified comparative negligence laws (NRS 41.141), which allow injury victims to recover compensation as long as they are less than 50% responsible for the accident.
When an accident happens in Washoe County, the court or insurance companies assign a percentage of fault to all parties involved. Your compensation gets reduced by your percentage of fault. So if you were turning left at the intersection of Virginia Street and McCarran Boulevard and another driver ran a red light, you might be found 20% at fault. If your total damages are $100,000, you would be eligible for up to $80,000. Note that if you are found 50% or more at fault, then you are barred from recovering any compensation at all.
This comparative fault rule is particularly important for incidents at busy Reno intersections like South Virginia Street or near the Meadows Mall, where accidents happen frequently. Insurance companies will try to shift more blame onto you to lower your payout.
This is why strong local representation matters. Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys knows how to investigate crashes in Washoe County. Our Reno injury lawyers can retrieve camera footage from the Reno Police Department or the Nevada Highway Patrol, review evidence from the scene, and track down witnesses who saw the accident. Our team will build a case that lowers your fault and maximizes your settlement.
Do not let an insurance company blame you for an accident you didn’t fully cause. Contact Lerner and Rowe for a free consultation today. We will review your case and fight to win you maximum compensation.
Waiting for medical bills to pile up while an insurance company drags its feet is incredibly stressful. You are focused on healing from a car crash in Reno or Sparks, but the bills from Renown Health or Saint Mary’s keep coming. The good news is you have options to manage these costs while your claim is pending.
Here are practical steps you can take right now:1. Use Your Personal Health Insurance. If you have health insurance, provide those details to your doctors. Your insurer should pay for your treatment now. Later, when your settlement comes through, your health insurer may need to be reimbursed for what they paid; this is called subrogation, but it solves the immediate problem.
2. Apply for Medical Payments Coverage (MedPay). Many Nevada auto insurance policies include MedPay. This coverage pays for medical expenses resulting from a car accident, regardless of who was at fault. Our Reno injury lawyers can help you file this no-fault claim to get fast relief for medical bills.
3. Discuss Payment Plans with Providers. Talk directly with your doctors or the billing department at facilities like Northern Nevada Medical Center. Explain that you have a pending injury claim. Many will agree to a payment plan or wait for payment until your case settles.
4. Rely on Liens. The Reno injury lawyers at Lerner and Rowe can work with medical providers to place a lien on your future settlement. This means they agree to treat you now and get paid directly from the settlement funds later. This is a common and effective solution for injury victims in Washoe County.
5. Contact a Local Attorney Immediately. Insurance companies delay claims hoping you will accept a lowball offer out of desperation. An experienced Reno personal injury lawyer knows the tactics insurers use and, more importantly, how to defeat them.
You should not have to choose between your health and financial ruin. Contact Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys today for a free consultation. We can review your situation, deal with the insurance company directly, and help you access the care you need while we fight for your full compensation.
If you’ve been in an car, motorcycle, or truck accident in Reno, NV, or another city in Washoe County, obtaining an official police report is a crucial step for your personal injury claim. The process depends on which law enforcement agency responded. The Reno Police Department (RPD) handles crashes within Reno city limits. The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) responds to wrecks in unincorporated parts of the county, like Sun Valley or Incline Village. If you were on I-80 or US-395, the Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP) likely took the accident report.
The easiest way to obtain RPD accident reports is online through Crashdocs.org. Conversely, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with the Carfax Police Crash Assistance Program, is now offering accident reports online. When you’re on the website, select the correct agency (Reno PD or Washoe County SO), then enter the crash date, your name, and the report number if you have it. You will be charged a small fee to download the report.
You can also request a Reno accident report in person. For RPD, visit the Records Division at 911 Kuenzli Street, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can use the kiosk at the front desk to get a copy of your report for free. For WCSO, the Records Section is at 911 Parr Blvd, but you must schedule an appointment online first.
Once you have the report, review it carefully. This document is important evidence for proving fault. If you have questions or need assistance, contact a Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys Reno injury lawyer for a free consultation. We can obtain the report on your behalf and start building your case.
For car accidents, including ones that occur in Reno’s infamous Spaghetti Bowl, Nevada follows a “modified comparative negligence” rule (NRS 41.141). This means fault is assigned as a percentage to everyone involved. You can still recover compensation as long as you are less than 50% responsible for the crash. However, your final settlement gets reduced by your percentage of fault.
At the Spaghetti Bowl, the most common causes of crashes include improper lane changes, failure to yield during merges, following too closely, and speeding. If you merge onto I-80 from the collector-distributor road and another driver fails to yield, they may bear the majority of fault. But if you were also speeding, you might share some blame. Insurance companies will comb through evidence to shift as much fault onto you as possible in order to pay you as little as possible.
Proving fault requires strong evidence. That includes Nevada Highway Patrol or Reno PD crash reports, witness statements, and traffic camera footage. With construction zones changing traffic patterns, photos of the scene and black box data from vehicles can also be critical.
If you were hurt in a Spaghetti Bowl automobile crash, do not let insurance companies place unfair blame on you. Contact Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys for a free consultation. We know this interchange, we know NDOT’s construction zones, and we know how to prove liability. Call us today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
If you were injured in an accident involving an RTC Washoe bus or an RPD vehicle, you face a much shorter deadline than a typical car wreck. While Nevada’s general statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years, claims against government entities require you to act much faster.
Under Nevada law, anyone with a personal injury claim against a political subdivision must file a formal notice with that entity’s governing body within 180 days after the accident. Here is what creates urgency. While the statute says “two years,” this administrative claim is a mandatory first step. Missing this deadline, even by one day, usually means your claim gets dismissed permanently. Courts enforce this timeline strictly, with very few exceptions. You cannot simply skip it and file a lawsuit later.
Do not confuse this notice with actually filing a lawsuit. Submitting this claim puts the government on notice and gives them a chance to review your case before you head to court.
Government entities will use any technical error to deny your claim. That is why you need an experienced Reno injury lawyer who understands these complex rules. Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys knows exactly how to handle claims against RTC Washoe, the City of Reno, and other local agencies. We can make sure your paperwork gets filed correctly and on time.
Time is running out. Contact us today for a free consultation. Let us review your case and make sure you get the financial compensation you deserve.
If you were in a bicycle accident on Virginia Street or Wells Avenue, you have strong legal rights under Nevada law. These are high-traffic corridors where accidents happen frequently in Reno. Knowing your rights can make all the difference in your settlement check.
First, Nevada’s “three-foot rule” (NRS 484B.270) requires motorists to give you at least three feet of clearance when passing. If there’s more than one lane, they must move into the left lane entirely. Drivers who fail to do so and hit you can be held legally responsible.
Second, under NRS 484B.280, drivers may be charged with reckless driving if they cause a collision with a cyclist. This means a Reno motorist who interferes with your safe passage on Virginia Street near the University or on Wells Avenue through the Midtown district isn’t just facing a ticket; they could lose their driver’s license.
Third, Nevada uses a modified comparative negligence system (NRS 41.141). You can still recover compensation even if you were partly at fault, as long as you’re less than 50% responsible for the bike crash. So if a driver swerved into the bike lane but you weren’t using lights at night, you may still recover, though your settlement gets reduced by your percentage of fault.
Insurance companies will try to shift blame onto you. That’s why you need an experienced Reno bicycle accident lawyer from Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys. Our team can pull footage from traffic cameras, track down witnesses, and build a case that proves the driver’s negligence while minimizing your assigned fault.
Do not let a driver walk away from responsibility. Contact us for a free consultation, and our Reno bike accident lawyer will fight for the compensation you deserve.
Yes, you absolutely need to file an SR-1 form within 10 days of a Reno car accident if there was an injury, a death, or property damage over $750. This is a Nevada state requirement, not just a suggestion from your insurance company. The SR-1, officially called the “Report of Traffic Accident,” must be submitted to the Nevada DMV. No matter where your automobile wreck took place, the 10-day clock starts ticking the moment the accident happens.
What many drivers do not realize is that you must file this form, even if the accident was not your fault. Note that the SR-1 does not assign blame; it is about documenting the incident for state records. If the police responded to the scene and filed a report, you are generally covered. If law enforcement did not come to the crash site, the responsibility falls on you to file the SR-1 with the Nevada DMV.
Failing to file an SR-1 can have serious consequences, including license suspension, monetary fines, and, in extreme cases, criminal charges. Furthemore, your insurance company may also use the lack of a report as a reason to delay or deny your claim.
In addition to the SR-1 form itself, you will need to include a copy of your insurance card that was active on the accident date. If there was vehicle damage over $750, you must attach a repair estimate or total loss statement from a qualified shop or adjuster. If anyone was injured, a doctor’s statement is required for each person.
The Reno car accident lawyer at Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys knows these rules inside and out. When you call us for a free consultation, our team can help you understand your SR-1 requirements and make sure you don’t miss this critical deadline. Do not let a paperwork mistake cost you your license or your claim. Contact us today.
Nevada’s modified comparative fault law–often called the “51% Rule”–can mean the difference between a $500,000 settlement and walking away with nothing after a car crash near a Reno casino like The Eldorado. This law applies to every Washoe County personal injury claim.
After a Reno accident, insurance companies or the court assign a percentage of blame to all parties involved. Any compensation you are awarded is reduced by your percentage of fault. The crucial catch? If you are found 51% or more at fault, you lose your right to receive any compensation whatsoever.
As an example, let’s say a distracted tourist steps off the curb at Virginia Street and Commercial Row, just as a speeding motorist approaches, causing a collision. If a jury finds the tourist 50% at fault and the driver 50% at fault, the tourist still recovers their compensation (reduced by half). However, if the tourist’s blame ticks up to 51%, they receive nothing.
Insurance companies will aggressively try to shift the majority of the blame onto you to hit that 51% threshold so they won’t have to pay you a settlement. They might claim you were jaywalking, using your phone while walking, or darted into traffic–even if the driver blatantly ran a red light.
The Reno injury lawyer at Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys knows how to defeat deceptive insurance agents. Our legal team will secure local surveillance footage, gather statements from eyewitnesses, and build an airtight case to keep your assigned fault safely below the cutoff.
Don’t let an insurance adjuster cheat you out of money that’s rightfully yours. You can trust a Lerner and Rowe Reno personal injury lawyer today to fight for the settlement you deserve.
Yes, the type of medical treatment you receive after a Reno car crash can significantly impact your settlement check. Insurance adjusters evaluate claims based on evidence, and not all medical evidence carries the same weight.
Objective medical evidence is the most important. This includes things like MRIs, X-rays, CT scans, and diagnoses from orthopedic specialists or neurologists. These are verifiable and permanent records of your injury that an insurance adjuster cannot easily dismiss.
Subjective complaints–like telling your doctor “my neck hurts” or “I have headaches”–are important for your treatment, but they carry far less weight with insurance companies. Without objective evidence to back up your claim, insurance adjusters may argue that your injury and related ailments are exaggerated or not related to the accident.
Suppose you are rear-ended at the intersection of McCarran and South Virginia. You go to Renown Regional Medical Center’s ER. The ER doctor examines you, notes your complaints of back pain, and discharges you with instructions to follow up with your primary care physician. That ER visit created a record, but it is largely based on the subjective information you provided.
Now, let’s say you see an orthopedist at Reno Orthopedic Clinic a few days later. That doctor orders an MRI scan that reveals a herniated disc. Suddenly, you have objective proof of a specific injury caused by the crash. That MRI is powerful evidence that justifies a much higher settlement.
This is why consistent, documented follow-up care is so important. If you stop treatment too soon, the insurance company will argue your injuries were minor, since they were resolved quickly. If you have gaps in treatment, they will claim your current pain is from something other than the accident, such as playing contact sports or a weekend hike in the Sierras.
The Reno injury lawyers at Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys can refer you to top medical providers. While you are free to see the doctor of your choice, it’s important to understand what evidence matters most.
Getting hit by a distracted driver near the University of Nevada, Reno can be a life-altering experience. With thousands of students walking around campus every single day, texting behind the wheel in this busy area isn’t just careless–it is incredibly dangerous. But can you actually recover punitive damages if a driver hits you because they were glued to their smartphone?
The short answer is yes, but securing them requires a highly specific legal approach. In Nevada, standard compensation covers your medical bills, property damage, and lost wages. Punitive damages are entirely different; they exist solely to punish the at-fault driver. To win this extra compensation, your Reno injury attorney must prove the driver acted with “oppression, fraud, or malice.” Simply put, your lawyer has to show they operated their vehicle with a conscious disregard for the safety of others.
A quick glance at a radio dial might just be standard negligence. But let’s say a driver is texting while actively speeding through a marked crosswalk near UNR or downtown Reno. That completely elevates the situation. When an action crosses the line into gross negligence, Washoe County courts are far more likely to consider punitive payouts. Drivers who blatantly ignore the obvious risks in heavy pedestrian college zones need to face severe accountability.
At Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys, our team knows exactly how to investigate these specific crashes. We may pull cell phone records, secure local traffic camera footage, and interview witnesses to build a solid timeline of the reckless driver’s actions. If you were injured anywhere in Reno, NV, or the surrounding Washoe County area, you absolutely shouldn’t have to foot the bill for someone else’s horrible choices.