Two men were hospitalized after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in North Las Vegas, according to police reports. Concepcion Castaneda, 22, was arrested and is facing felony DUI and hit-and-run charges after she allegedly hit two men when she veered onto the sidewalk then fled the scene. She did return after some time and police made the arrest at the scene. The Toyota Sequoia which she was driving was traveling north on Decatur Boulevard near Concord Village Drive when the car left the road for unknown reasons, striking the two pedestrians. Both were transported to a local trauma center. A man was being treated for serious injuries while a 17-year-old boy was being treated for minor injuries. The police continue their investigation into the cause of the accident.
PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS ARE COMMON IN LAS VEGAS
Unfortunately, pedestrian accidents are very common in Las Vegas, where so many people are walking the streets and sidewalks, especially in the downtown area. According to the Las Vegas Police Department, of the 38 people who died in 2012 in traffic crashes, 11 of them were pedestrians. Of the 37 people killed in 2013, 16 were pedestrians. Clearly, pedestrians make up a large percentage of fatal accident victims in Las Vegas. So far in 2014, 30 percent of all people killed in accidents have been pedestrians. Pedestrians are more likely to die in a crash than those in cars. This is because drivers and passengers in a vehicle have much more physical protection during a crash such as seat belts and air bags than pedestrians, who have no protection at all. Pedestrian injuries are often directly related to the speed at which the car is traveling: the faster the car is going, the more likely it is that the pedestrian will be seriously injured or killed.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGES IN A PEDESTRIAN CRASH?
When a driver is drinking and causes serious injury to a pedestrian by running up on the sidewalk, there is little doubt that the driver is responsible for the pedestrian's injuries. However, getting money from that driver may not be simple, particularly if the driver does not have insurance. The personal injury attorneys at High Stakes Injury Law are here to help you if you have been the victim of a pedestrian, drunk driving or hit-and-run accident. Contact us today to learn the best ways to collect damages in these situations.