Las Vegas, NV (February 21st, 2025) – The family of a Las Vegas teenager fatally injured in 2023 in the Las Vegas Wash has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.
The fatal accident occurred when the teen struck a wire that was allegedly stretched across the area while riding a minibike. He suffered injuries to his neck. Used for stormwater drainage and recreational purposes, the Las Vegas Wash is a waterway that runs through the city, and has been associated with several safety hazards.
Property Safety Obligations for Government Agencies
Government entities responsible for maintaining public spaces, such as the Las Vegas Wash, have specific obligations to ensure safety. These responsibilities include:
- Conducting regular inspections to identify and address hazards
- Installing proper signage or barriers to warn individuals of potential dangers
- Ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal safety regulations
- Responding to known risks in a timely manner to prevent foreseeable accidents
Failure to meet these, and other required, standards may expose government agencies to liability if their negligence contributes to an injury or fatality. The recent wrongful death lawsuit filed by the deceased Law Vegas teen’s family names Clark County and the Southern Nevada Water Authority. In their claim, the teen’s family argues that the named entities failed in their duty to prevent hazards that posed a foreseeable risk to the public and resulting in the fatal bicycle accident injuries suffered by the teen. Further, they allege the entities were negligent in not ensuring adequate lighting in the wash and by failing to put warning signs around the wire.
Filing a Wrongful Death Claim in Nevada
Wrongful death claims in Nevada are governed by state statutes that allow certain family members, such as spouses, children, or parents of the deceased, to seek compensation when a death results from negligence or misconduct. To be successful in such claims, plaintiffs must prove that the responsible party had a duty of care, breached that duty, and directly caused the death through their negligence.
Claims Against Government Entities
When filing a wrongful death lawsuit against a government entity in Nevada, certain legal hurdles must be addressed. In some cases, state agencies may have sovereign immunity, while in others, they may waive this protection under the Nevada Tort Claims Act.
An experienced Nevada premises liability lawyer may guide families through the strict procedures, which include meeting shorting filing deadlines, filing a notice of claim with the appropriate agency before initiating legal action, and proving that government agencies acted negligently within the scope of their duties.
Possible Legal Outcomes and Impact
In Nevada, wrongful death lawsuits can lead to financial recoveries for surviving families members. If the court finds another party liable for the death, the family may be entitled to both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages include medical expenses incurred before the death, funeral and burial costs, and lost financial support if the decedent contributed to the household.
Non-economic damages often make up the largest portion of wrongful death awards in Nevada. Such damages include compensation for grief, sorrow, loss of companionship, and emotional distress suffered by surviving family members.
Limits on Compensation
Nevada law imposes caps on damages in wrongful death lawsuits against government entities, which can significantly impact the compensation available to plaintiffs. Under state law, damages against a government agency are capped at $200,000 per claim. As such, regardless of the severity of the loss, families cannot recover more than this amount. The damage cap does not, however, apply to claims involving intentional misconduct or situations where federal law allows higher recovery amounts.
For families seeking justice in wrongful death cases involving government negligence, these damage caps can limit financial recovery, even when substantial evidence of wrongdoing exists. A dedicated Las Vegas wrongful death attorney may help them understand whether any such limits may impact their pursuit of compensation for funeral expenses, loss of companionship, emotional suffering, and other such damages.
Seeking Legal Guidance
Wrongful death lawsuits serve not only to compensate grieving families, but also to hold responsible parties accountable. In cases involving government entities, successful claims may prompt policy changes that enhance public safety, and may help prevent future tragedies. At George Bochanis Injury Law Offices, we understand the financial and emotional toll the loss of a loved one in an accident can have on families. Having more than 30 years of legal experience, our attorney, George Bochanis, is dedicated to helping families like yours recover compensation for these losses, so that you can focus on moving forward. To discuss your options, contact our law offices today for a free consultation. 702-388-2005.
