Injured at Las Vegas Conventions

Las Vegas is one of the top rated convention and trade show places in the world.

This is due to many reasons, but let’s start with who doesn’t want a free trip to Vegas courtesy of your employer for a trade show or convention.

Las Vegas is a great place for trade shows and conventions due to endless convention space not only at the convention center, but many of the larger hotels have usable convention space as well.

People always say to have conventions and trade shows in places people want to go to so that people will show up, and apparently people want to come to Las Vegas.

Some of the bigger conventions are every year at the same time like CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is the biggest convention Las Vegas has every year.

Convention season runs from January to May and then some in September and October. No one wants to come to a convention in the middle of summer so the trade shows tend to slow down in the summer months.

CES may kick off convention season in Las Vegas but they cover every possible trade you can imagine including the Magic Show featuring the fashion and apparel show.

Also the Broadcasters convention which is everything news and television related including television tech.

There is also SEMA the biggest automobile specialty products and customization show.

All these conventions are in Las Vegas every year and draw crowds of not only people in their particular business but people interested in the products available. Some trade shows are open to the public while others are only for business associates, depending on what the purpose of the shoe is.

With the large number of people that attend these shows including business suppliers, booth operators, convention set-up from hotel staff and the general public, there are bound to be accidents and injuries when close to 150,000 people show up for CES every year.

That’s just CES alone, so the amount of people who come through Vegas each year for conventions and trade shows is about 6 million each year.

Injury Risks You May Not Be Aware Of

Consider convention space just like the county fair.

Conventions move from town to town and convention centers in Las Vegas are constantly building up and breaking down exhibits and booths for each convention.

Convention space is usually just a large empty space that gest built up with specific requirements for that particular convention.

For example, CES will need a lot of electrical power to showcase all the new electronic gadgets in their booths.

This will require a lot of electrical outlets and electrical cords around and on the ground at the convention center.

This could lead to people falling over the cords or even being electrocuted.

Some of the common risks of going to or exhibiting at a convention are:

1. Structural Issues- These injuries can be from falling objects where a person could get hit on the head or have an object fall on them causing head and neck injuries. This usually happens when a booth or temporary wall or rigging is not secured or set up properly. The injuries can also include crush injuries, concussions, broken bones and spinal damage.
2. Electrical Hazards- Since the booths and displays for every convention is temporary the electrical is also temporary, leaving lots of wiring exposed and on the floor. Wiring and electrical can also be overloaded since companies try to pack as much into their booth as possible. Electrical shocks and electrical burns are common injuries. Also tripping over electrical cords that are not secured to the floor is also a common electrical injury.
3. Trip and Fall Hazards- Trip and falls are one of the most common injuries at public places including casinos and conventions centers. In convention centers structures are put up and taken down regularly to accommodate for each new vendor. There are so many things that can lead to trip and fall accidents including wiring on the floor not secured, walls and lighting not properly installed, carpet and flooring that is not properly installed in a booth or display. All can lead to trip and falls and the injuries can include anything from a concussion to TBI ( traumatic brain injury) or broken  bones and sprains are some of the most common trip, slip and fall injuries at a convention.
4. Equipment Hazards- If you have ever been in a convection hall during setup there is a lot of activity and a lot of stuff being moved around by heavy equipment like forklifts and small cranes. The drivers of this equipment need to have a special license to operate the equipment and human error is usually the reason for injuries involving this equipment. These injuries can be deadly when people are hit by a forklift or a crane drops a piece of heavy manufactured booth set up on an unsuspecting conventioneer. These injuries can range from crushing injuries to TBI, or even death.

Depending on the convention or trade show, the convention space that a particular business uses can be overcrowded with people and that also can lead to injuries due to the overcrowding.

These injuries are not always caused by the person attending the convention but can be caused by other people.

Who is Responsible for My Injury?

This can be a tricky question.

Your attorney will investigate who is actually at fault for your injuries.

There are many people possibly at fault in a convention floor injury. If your lawyer confirms there is more than one party at fault all the parties involved could be named in your personal injury claim.

This also could fall under a workers compensation injury if you were at the convention for work.

When is it a Workers Comp Issue?

When you get injured at work or at a work related function like a convention your workers compensation insurance kicks in.

This insurance is required for all employers that have more than one employee and is insurance for when work related injuries happen.

Workers compensation insurance however is not your total earnings, just a percentage and only covers lost wages and medical expenses with caps.

Your personal injury attorney can investigate and establish if a third party played a role in your injury.

Even if you are getting workers compensation you can still file a personal injury claim against a negligent third party.

If you are able to prove negligence you may be able to recover full compensation for your claim including pain and suffering even when workers compensation is capped.

Do I Need a lawyer?

Since conventions are so complicated, it can be a complete mess of who you have to deal with if you are injured.

Do you contact the convention site since it happened on their property?

Or do you contact the company of the booth you were visiting when the injury happened?

Getting injured while at a convention in Las Vegas can have many layers and involve multiple parties but you want to make sure you’re headed in the right direction.

Make sure you’re contacting and dealing with the parties that are responsible for your injuries.

Hiring a lawyer like The Richard Harris Law Firm can ensure that you are filing a claim against the parties that are responsible.

Once we have met with you at your free consultation we will inform you if we can take on your case or not. If we take the case we will take it on a contingency basis, meaning we take no money up front and only take payment when we win your case.

Over the years we have recovered Billions for our clients with negotiations and our experienced trial lawyers.

If you have been injured at a convention or trade show in Nevada you will face an insurance company. Most likely they will try and either deny your claim altogether, or offer you a low amount early on in the case to get you to settle for as little as possible.

Before you make contact with any insurance adjuster always make sure you have spoken with a lawyer who can help you understand your rights and what to expect after a convention injury.

Call The Richard Harris Law Firm today to schedule your consultation appointment.

FAQ’s

Q: What are the most overlooked injuries at a trade show or convention in Las Vegas?

A: Believe it or not some of the most common injuries include things like dehydration headaches from not drinking enough water in the desert heat. Another common injury is plantar fasciitis,  and lower back issues from walking on concrete.

Q: How do I document an injury on the convention floor with all that’s going on?

A: The first thing you need to do is report the incident to convention management and make sure an official report is filed, also take video of the scene no matter how busy the convention floor is.

Q: Who is responsible if a temporary booth collapses?

A: A temporary booth is common at trade shows and conventions. If these booths collapse there could be many possible companies to deal with including the builder of the booth, the booth designer, and the convention center itself could hold some responsibility. Your attorney can investigate to determine if multiple parties are responsible.

Q:What if I’m injured at a Las Vegas convention and live in another state?

A: Most people coming to trade shows or conventions are from another state, so if you’re injured while visiting Las Vegas first get medical attention while still in Vegas. When you get home continue your treatment.