WHAT TO DO IF YOU’VE BEEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT

Being in a car accident can be a scary situation. Your adrenaline will probably kick in and your emotions may be high. Here are some tips to help you after a car accident.

1.     Safety First.

·  Make sure you and everyone in your car is okay. Do not move anyone who is unconscious or in critical condition…wait for medical personnel to do this.

·      Turn on your hazard lights.

·      Before getting out of your car, make sure it is safe to do so.

2.     Call the Police. Even if no one is hurt, you can still call the police non-emergency number 311. If someone is in critical condition, call 911.

3.     Collect Information.

·      You will want to write down the license plate number, make and model of the other vehicles involved in the accident in case they drive off.

·      Write down the driver’s address and driver’s license number.

·      Get the insurance information for the other car. You will want to write the name, address, and phone number of the insurance company. Write down the other driver’s insurance policy number.

4.    Take Pictures. Take pictures of all cars and vehicles that were in the accident. Photograph the scene of the accident to show where the cars were before the accident. If your cell phone does not have a camera, keep a disposable camera in your car.

5.   Talk to Witnesses. If anyone saw the accident, get the person’s name, address, and phone number. Ask the witness to write down what he or she saw.

6.    Don’t Admit To Anything. Even if you believe the accident is your fault, do not admit to this. You do not have all of the information to know if the other driver was breaking the law causing the accident. When talking to the police, stick to the facts. If you are given a ticket for the accident, sign the ticket and do not argue with the police officer.

7.    Leave the Scene. If the police arrive at the scene of the accident, ask the police officer before you leave. If the police do not come to the scene of the accident, leave after you have calmed down and gotten all the information necessary to document the accident.

8.     Seek Medical Attention. Even if you do not think you have been injured, it is a good idea to talk to a doctor to make sure you do not have any injuries. Sometimes it will take a day or two before you feel the pain caused in the accident.

9.     Tell Your Insurance Company. Let your insurance company know that you have been involved in a car accident, but do not give them a recorded statement or sign anything before contacting Alessi Law.

Contact Alessi Law. Melissa Alessi will make sure that all of your rights are protected and help you through the insurance claim process. Alessi Law can also help you if you have been cited for the accident. Immediately after your accident, call Alessi Law for your FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION. 

RAINY DAYS MEANS MORE TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

Las Vegas had about a half an inch of rain on Sunday. Anyone who has lived here for more than six months knows that is a LOT of rain for the Valley—in fact, it was a new record. All of the rain caused an increase in car accidents. The Nevada Highway Patrol reported that they responded to 143 motor vehicle accidents, which is more than triple the regular amount of accidents in a given day. Of those, NHP says 43 involved injuries.

If you were involved in one of those reported 143 accidents, make sure your legal rights are protected and call Melissa Alessi at Alessi Law. Many times, you do not realize that you were injured until the day after the accident. At Alessi Law, we can help you find a qualified doctor to examine you. Even if you did not report your injuries at the scene of the accident, you need to make sure that you are physically okay.

As the skies clear, please remember to drive safely, especially when it is raining. On the rare days when Las Vegas does manage to get some rain, make sure you are slowing down when you are driving. It takes longer to stop your vehicle in the rain. Also, increase the distance between you and the car, motorcycle, or truck in front of you.

Stay safe out there, but if you were involved in an accident, give Alessi Law a call for your free initial consultation.

Nevada Finally Gets A Court Of Appeals!

Nevada is ringing in the New Year with a Court of Appeals. The November election ballot brought new and exciting changes to the judiciary system. Nevada voters finally voted to approve an amendment to the Nevada Constitution to create an Intermediate Appellate Court or Court of Appeals.

On January 5, 2015, the three appointed Court of Appeals Judges – Jerome T. Tao, Michael P. Gibbons, and Abbi Silver, took the oath of office in a ceremony held in the Nevada Supreme Court in Carson City.  Among those present at the ceremony were Chief Justice James W. Hardesty and the Justices of the Supreme Court.

The legal community is looking forward to having this new Court of Appeals. Nevada was one of only ten states in the country without an Appellate Court. The Supreme Court was congested with thousands of cases and therefore, the Nevada Supreme Court Justices’ caseloads were one of the highest in the country. It is the hope of the legal community that this new Court will streamline cases through the litigation process more quickly and efficiently. There is optimism that it will create more time for the Supreme Court Justices to spend on the more difficult cases and have time to publish more written opinions giving Nevadans more legal guidance.

All appeals are still filed with the Nevada Supreme Court. Then, the Supreme Court Clerk decides whether to assign the cases to the Court of Appeals or stay in the Supreme Court. The Court of Appeals is currently using an already existing space in the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas and is already hearing cases!

2015 is off to a great start with this historic addition to Nevada’s legal system. 

Resolve To Get A Will or Trust in 2015

As we are ringing in the New Year, make sure one of your resolutions is to get your will and trust done or have your old estate plan reviewed.

Why should you make getting a will and/or trust done in 2015?

1.   Everyone should have an estate plan. Estate plans are not only for rich people. Estate planning provides you with the tools to make sure your wishes are met when you are not able to speak for yourself. Estate plans give you the ability to make medical and health care decisions if you are not able to do so. If you have young children, an estate plan can outline who will be the guardians if something happens to you. Wills and trusts is the best way to let your wishes be followed. 

2.  This is a resolution that will be easy for you to keep. The first step is calling Alessi Law to schedule your free initial consultation. After that, Melissa Alessi will talk with you to make sure you desires are protected. Ms. Alessi will take care of preparing all of the necessary documents for you. Make the call to 702-998-4000 and get started with your New Year’s Resolution!

Do not be one of the estimated 120 million people who do not have an adequate estate plan. Start 2015 out right by crossing off one of your resolutions. 2015 is the year of estate planning with Alessi Law!

Are You Insured If You Get In A Car Accident?

If you have been involved in a car accident, the last thing you should have to worry about is whether or not there is enough insurance available to cover your injuries. Unfortunately, this is a concern for many Las Vegas and Nevada residents. As the saying goes, “you don’t need insurance until something bad happens.”

In Nevada, all motor vehicles are required to have insurance to cover accidents, crashes, bodily injury damages, and death as follows:

            $15,000 for one person in an accident

            $30,000 for two or more people in an accident

            $10,00 for injury or destruction of property in any one accident

NRS 485.185. This minimum coverage is often referred to as 15/30/10 coverage. Nevada law defines a motor vehicle as “every self-propelled vehicle which is designed for use upon a highway.” NRS 485.050. So you need insurance coverage on your car, truck, motorcycle, moped, and even trailers, farm tractors, and tractor cranes! If you drive a car without insurance in Nevada, your driver’s license and vehicle registration can be suspended.

When you are involved in an accident, the person who is at fault for the accident typically has to pay for your damages. The payments first come from the insurance policy attached to the vehicle. Usually, insurance companies will fight both liability (who is at fault for the accident) and the amount of damages that the hurt person should get. Alessi Law can help you navigate these fights and disputes with the insurance companies.

You can also have your own insurance coverage in case the person who has hurt you does not have enough insurance to cover all of your damages. A few examples of ways to have your own insurance cover you include underinsured motorist coverage and uninsured motorist coverage; often abbreviated UIM and UM coverage. There is also medical payments coverage, also known as MedPay coverage, that you can use to cover damages if you have been in a car accident.

Make sure you are protecting yourself and others by being properly insured. Before you get in an accident, feel free to contact us and we can explain how insurance affects you when you have been in a car accident and we can put you in contact with the right person to get you the insurance coverage that is best for you. 

Accidents happen everyday and you do not know when it will happen. Melissa Alessi will work with the insurance companies so that you can focus on getting healthy. Alessi Law is here to help you if you have been in a car accident to make sure that you are getting the most insurance coverage available to you.