With its abundance of premier sights and sounds, it’s unsurprising that visitors from other states or countries aboard tour buses and flock to Las Vegas every year. But while tourism brings revenue to the local economy, it can also result in tour buses inundating the roads and leading to tragic bus accidents.
Under Nevada traffic laws, a bus is any vehicle carrying more than 10 passengers. If you hop on casino tour buses, such as coaches, double-decker or open-roof, the odds may not always be in your favor. Your bus ride can go wrong in countless ways, such as another negligent car driver, a mechanical failure, or your incompetent or distracted driver.
So, when your trip becomes a tragedy, considerations are in place for your protection.
Are you an injured tourist in Las Vegas?
As exciting as it is to be a tourist in a foreign territory, it also puts you in a critical position that necessitates certain considerations:
- Common injuries: Depending on the severity of the collision, your physical damages may range from minor cuts and lacerations to life-threatening spinal, brain and internal organ injuries. Some impairments may not exhibit immediate symptoms, but you must still seek proper medical attention.
- Potentially liable parties: Although the most obvious person to blame is your bus driver as they have a duty to safely transport you to your destination, there may also be other responsible parties. It may be the bus company that failed to maintain the bus and hired an inexperienced driver. Additionally, it may also be the tour company that assigned the bus company for your tour package. Lastly, it could also be the maintenance company that didn’t repair a mechanical issue.
- Processing time: Unless there are specific circumstances in your case, the state’s law generally allows two years from the incident for you to file a lawsuit.
Since you’re most likely not the only passenger trying to pursue a claim, recovering compensation may be slower than usual. With the involvement of several drivers, and insurance, bus and tour companies, the process of settlement may also be trickier than a normal car accident.
Don’t gamble your life away
With multiple concerned parties, it will help to have a legal team. Having the appropriate representation working with you in this mess is a favorable way to secure your rights. A coordinated and detailed investigation may save you from financial burdens arising from steep medical bills, long-term rehabilitative care and lost wages.