A Utah woman will face sentencing for her role in crashing into eight pedestrians outside a store front in North Las Vegas and the fleeing the scene. Nyakueth Tear, 18, could face up to 15 years in prison for hitting eight pedestrians outside a store-front church, hurting one 54-year-old man critically and injuring a pregnant woman. According to officials, Tear admitted stopping at first then driving away from the scene. She eventually crashed the car and attempted to run toward Interstate 15 when she was caught by police. Tear will face sentencing after pleading guilty to several traffic charges. However, whatever sentence she receives, the criminal justice system will not reimburse the victims of this accident for their medical expenses or their pain and suffering. In order to collect that type of compensation, the victims will have to rely on civil law. High Stakes Injury Law in Las Vegas represents those who have suffered injury in a traffic or other accident and must collect monetary compensation from the person who caused their injuries.
LAS VEGAS: "HOTSPOT" FOR PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS
Las Vegas has a relatively high number of pedestrian accidents when compared to other cities its size throughout the country. So far in 2014, eight pedestrians have been killed in traffic accidents in Las Vegas. In 2013, 16 people died and in 2012, 11 people were killed in pedestrian crashes, according to the Las Vegas Metro Police.
CIVIL VS. CRIMINAL ACTIONS
Many people are confused about the problem of collecting compensation from someone who has caused them injury. After all, if the driver has been arrested and charged, should that not take care of the medical expenses and provide compensation for pain and suffering? Unfortunately, the answer is "no." Criminal actions are designed to punish someone for an action that is against the laws of society. However, a criminal court is not authorized to assess the value of damages caused by a person's illegal or negligent activity. Therefore, victims must pursue damages in another court system altogether: the civil courts. High Stakes Injury Law in Las Vegas are attorneys who handle civil lawsuits. They represent the victims of accidents to ensure that they recover as much money as possible for their injuries. If you have been involved in any type of injury accident, contact High Stakes Injury Law to discuss your case and determine the best way to pursue monetary damages.