Las Vegas Pedestrian Accident Lawyer: Crosswalk Injuries and Nevada Laws

Walking is a healthy, cost-effective way to get around. Many Las Vegas residents walk to work, restaurants, and stores—or simply as a way to exercise, relax, and get some fresh air. While walking is enjoyable, it does come with certain dangers. A pedestrian doesn’t have a vehicle for protection, so pedestrian accidents can result in serious injuries or even death.

Nevada has one of the highest rates of pedestrian fatalities in the country, and the majority of these accidents occur right here in Clark County. If you or a loved one was injured in a pedestrian accident, contact Richard Harris Law Firm today. Our law firm has been serving the Las Vegas area for over 40 years.

Call us 24/7 at (702) 444-4444 or fill out the online evaluation form to schedule your free initial consultation with a pedestrian accident lawyer.

Why Pedestrian Accidents Remain a Serious Concern in Nevada

Nevada consistently ranks among the most dangerous states for pedestrians. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association’s 2024 preliminary data report, Nevada ranked fourth nationally for pedestrian fatality rates at 3.46 deaths per 100,000 people—well above the national average of 2.1.

The state recorded 111 pedestrian fatalities in 2025, a slight decrease from the record-setting 114 deaths in 2024. Clark County alone saw 83 pedestrians killed in 2025, down from 97 the prior year. While these numbers show modest improvement, they remain unacceptably high. According to Zero Fatalities Nevada, the majority of pedestrian fatalities occur between dusk and dawn, and pedestrian crashes account for roughly 21% of all traffic-related deaths statewide.

Common Causes of Las Vegas Pedestrian Accidents

Intersections and crosswalks should be safe places for pedestrians to cross the road. However, this isn’t always the case—there are many pedestrian deaths and injuries in the Las Vegas area every year. Boulder Highway is an especially dangerous area where many have been hit while crossing the street.

The following are common causes of Las Vegas pedestrian accidents:

• Pedestrian fails to obey traffic signals, use crosswalks, or yield to traffic that has the right-of-way
• Driver speeding through an intersection before the light changes
• Distracted drivers that are texting, eating, or talking instead of paying attention to the road
• Pedestrians failing to watch where they walk, perhaps looking down at their phones
• Drivers and pedestrians failing to pay attention in parking lots
• Driver making unsafe or illegal turns at intersections
• Drivers “rolling through” stop signs and traffic lights
• Impaired driving (DUI) creating diminished awareness and slower reaction times

Motorists have a legal obligation to look out for pedestrians and ensure their safety on Las Vegas roadways. The Las Vegas personal injury lawyers at our law firm have helped many clients recover maximum financial compensation after being involved in a pedestrian accident. We have the skills, experience, and resources needed to determine who is at fault for the accident and hold them liable for any damages you received as a result.

What Are Nevada’s Crosswalk Laws?

Understanding Nevada’s crosswalk and pedestrian laws is essential for protecting yourself and building a strong injury claim. Under Nevada law, drivers must yield to all pedestrians at marked crosswalks and unmarked crosswalks alike. This means drivers must treat crosswalks essentially like stop signs, coming to a near-complete stop when pedestrians are crossing.

What many people don’t realize is that Nevada law defines crosswalks more broadly than just painted lines. Under NRS 484A.065, an “implied crosswalk” exists at every intersection, even without painted markings. These implied crosswalks connect the lateral lines of sidewalks on opposite sides of the street. This distinction matters greatly in residential neighborhoods throughout Henderson, Green Valley, and Summerlin, where intersections often lack painted crosswalk markings but still require drivers to yield.

Drivers must also always yield to pedestrians who are blind or using a guide dog, regardless of where they enter the roadway. Violating these yield requirements is a misdemeanor under Nevada law and establishes strong evidence of negligence in a personal injury claim.

How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help Me After a Pedestrian Accident?

After being hit by a vehicle, the last thing you should have to worry about is filing a claim or a lawsuit. Your focus should be on what matters most—your health and recovery. When you hire a pedestrian accident attorney from Richard Harris Law Firm to represent you, you don’t have to worry about paperwork and negotiating with the insurance company on your own. With us on your side, you put yourself in the best position to secure maximum compensation.

Insurance companies want to pay out as little as possible when a claim is filed, and they will do anything they can to delay or deny claims. Our lawyers are familiar with the tactics used by greedy insurance companies, and we know how to accurately calculate the true value of your claim.

The personal injury attorneys at our law firm are skilled negotiators and won’t back down until a just settlement is reached for our clients. Typically, a settlement agreement is made out of court, but if an amount can’t be agreed upon, we are ready to take your case to trial if necessary.

Who May Be Liable for Las Vegas Pedestrian Accidents?

Your experienced pedestrian accident lawyer can offer you legal advice and help you pursue compensation from anyone whose negligence, carelessness, or wrongful actions caused you to get injured. Let’s examine some of the parties that could possibly be held liable in the event of a pedestrian-vehicle accident.

The Negligent Driver

Driver negligence is one of the most common causes of pedestrian accidents. Negligent driving behaviors can include speeding, failing to yield, distracted driving, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, aggressive driving, drifting into the pedestrian lane, and drowsy driving.

In some situations, the driver who hit the pedestrian may not be the one actually responsible for the accident. For example, consider if a motorist is stopped at a traffic light while a pedestrian is passing in a crosswalk when the stopped car gets rear-ended and thereby hits the pedestrian. In this situation, the other driver would likely be liable even though he wasn’t the one to directly hit the pedestrian.

The Motor Vehicle or Parts Manufacturer

If the accident was due to the design or components of a vehicle, then the manufacturer may be held liable for damages. As an example, a motorist could be driving across a parking lot and try to stop to avoid hitting a pedestrian, but their brakes failed. In this case, a lawsuit could potentially be filed against the vehicle manufacturer.

It can be difficult to prove that a design defect was the cause of a pedestrian being hit by a car. Some Las Vegas law firms don’t have the skills needed to handle these types of cases. However, the aggressive pedestrian accident lawyers at Richard Harris Law Firm have the knowledge and resources needed to investigate these types of cases and recover damages for our clients.

The Driver’s Employer

If you were hit by someone who was operating an employee motor vehicle, then the employer may be held liable for the accident under respondeat superior principles. Employers are typically legally responsible for the actions of their employees when they’re on duty.

Our legal team at Richard Harris Law Firm understands that the thought of negotiating with a large company can be overwhelming. However, you don’t need to be intimidated by large businesses or corporations when you have a skilled and compassionate Las Vegas pedestrian accident lawyer from our law office on your side. We will aggressively represent you and ensure that you receive the justice and compensation you deserve.

A Government Agency

In some situations, pedestrian accidents may be caused by a road design defect or traffic signals that are not properly timed. Government agencies could also be held liable for missing signs, visual obstructions, inadequate space for pedestrians to safely cross, malfunctioning traffic signals, or poorly lit crossings. Claims against government entities have strict deadlines and procedural requirements.

The Las Vegas pedestrian accident attorneys at our law firm are knowledgeable in both federal traffic laws and Nevada state law. If a government agency or a contractor is responsible for the accident, we can gather the evidence needed to hold that party liable.

Pedestrians

In some situations, Las Vegas pedestrians can be liable—or at least partially liable—for the collision. For example, pedestrians who ignore a “do not cross” signal and carelessly walk in front of oncoming traffic may be found to be at fault in the event of a collision. A personal injury attorney will be able to examine the details of your case and determine liability.

How Nevada’s Comparative Negligence Law Affects Your Claim

Nevada follows a modified comparative negligence system under NRS 41.141. This means even if you bear some responsibility for the accident, you may still recover compensation—as long as you are less than 50% at fault.

Here’s how it works in practice: if you’re found 20% responsible for an accident—perhaps you entered the crosswalk when the signal showed “Don’t Walk”—your total compensation is reduced by that percentage. If your damages total $100,000, you would recover $80,000. However, if you’re found 50% or more at fault, you cannot recover anything from the other party. This threshold makes thorough evidence collection and experienced legal representation essential. Insurance companies routinely try to shift blame onto pedestrians specifically to reduce or eliminate their payout obligations.

Pedestrians Are Vulnerable to Catastrophic Injuries

Passengers of motor vehicles are protected by steel frames, seat belts, airbags, and other safety features. Since pedestrians don’t have safety equipment to minimize potential harm, they often suffer from life-threatening medical injuries when involved in a Las Vegas traffic accident.

Our experienced Las Vegas pedestrian accident attorneys have helped victims who have suffered many different types of injuries, including:

• Fractures and broken bones
• Soft tissue damage
• Burns
• Hip dislocation
• Lacerations and cuts
• Back and neck injuries
• Degloving
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Lost limbs
• Spinal cord damage
• Paralysis
• Wrongful death

Compensation After Your Las Vegas Pedestrian Accident

The high cost of medical care and other expenses after pedestrian accidents can be overwhelming. If you are suffering from injuries due to another person’s actions, you shouldn’t have to pay the financial price for his or her negligence.

Depending on the extent of the injuries that you have suffered, your Las Vegas pedestrian accident attorney can help you recover compensation for:

• Medical bills (emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, medications, rehabilitation)
• Lost wages during recovery
• Loss of future earning potential
• Emotional distress
• Pain and suffering
• Disfigurement
• Future medical costs and long-term care
• Wrongful death damages for surviving family members

Steps to Take After a Pedestrian Accident

The actions you take immediately after an accident significantly impact your ability to recover fair compensation. Your health comes first—seek medical attention even if injuries don’t seem severe, as some conditions like internal bleeding and head trauma may not show symptoms right away. Always call police to report the accident so there’s an official record documenting what happened.

If you’re physically able, document the scene by photographing the accident location, vehicle damage, your injuries, traffic signals, and any road conditions that may have contributed. Get contact information from anyone who witnessed the accident. Before giving any statements to the at-fault driver’s insurance company, speak with an attorney—adjusters are trained to use your own words against you.

Contact an attorney as soon as possible. Evidence disappears quickly: witness memories fade, surveillance footage gets deleted, and physical conditions at the scene change. The sooner you involve experienced legal counsel, the stronger your case will be. Personal injury lawsuits in Nevada must be filed within two years of the injury date.

Get Help From an Experienced Las Vegas Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident in Las Vegas, NV, contact the legal team at Richard Harris Law Firm today. Our compassionate and skilled lawyers will fight to hold all negligent parties liable for your injuries. We will advocate for your legal rights and work hard to get you every dollar that you deserve.

Don’t trust just any law firm with your pedestrian accident case. Choose the law firm that puts their clients’ best interests first and has won million-dollar settlements. Our law firm has been recognized by the Elite Lawyers of America, Super Lawyers, Best Attorneys of America, and the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers.

We have proudly been representing clients in the State of Nevada for the past 40 years. Don’t delay to schedule your free case consultation with a member of our legal team. Call us 24/7 at (702) 444-4444, or fill out the form below to schedule an appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions