Nevada is a popular tourist destination for people seeking all kinds of thrills. People who have never visited Nevada think of it as the state where gambling has been legal for as long as anyone can remember, but financial risk-taking is not the only kind of dangerous fun to be had in Nevada.
If you live in Nevada, then you know that its mountains and desert terrain are ideal for all kinds of outdoor recreation. Of course, mountain biking, mountain climbing, and whitewater rafting, to name a few, can be dangerous sports. It is possible for people to sustain catastrophic injuries, that is, injuries that result in long-term disability, from accidents resulting from these activities.
It is not possible to sue Mother Nature, but if the owner of the recreational facility was negligent by not making the premises as safe as possible, you might have grounds for a premises liability lawsuit. Unfortunately, while Nevada is one of the easiest states in which to get injured at a recreational facility, it is one of the hardest states in which to win a premises liability lawsuit. You need an expert lawyer to help you present your case.
What is a Premises Liability Lawsuit?
In a premises liability lawsuit, the plaintiff (the injured party) claims that his or her injuries were the result of negligence on the part of the defendant (the owner of the piece of property where the accident happened), since the defendant did meet the standards in ensuring that his or her property was safe.
The following are examples of instances in which an injured person would have grounds for a premises liability lawsuit:
A theme park ride malfunctions and people on the ride get injured. The theme park owner has a duty to make sure that the ride was working well before allowing people to ride it.
A guest slips and falls on a designated walkway at a golf course and gets injured. The golf course owner has a duty to pave walkways with non-slippery material or to close them when weather conditions increase the risk of people falling.
An animal at a zoo bites a guest. The zoo owners have a duty to make sure that animals cannot get out of their enclosures when guests are present. If the zoo includes attractions where guests can get close to animals or touch them, the zoo has a duty to take appropriate measures to prevent bites. They should only allow animals that have been proven tame enough to interact safely with the public to be part of these attractions, or they should not let guests get close enough to be in danger.
Why are Premises Liability Lawsuits So Difficult for Plaintiffs in Nevada?
Recreation and tourism are important to Nevada’s economy. Businesses will not want to operate recreational facilities if the risk of being sued is too great. Therefore, Nevada has recreational use statutes that offer the owners of indoor and outdoor recreational facilities a lot of protection against premises liability lawsuits.
Contact Brock Ohlson About Premises Liability Lawsuits
While Nevada laws are favorable to defendants in premises liability lawsuits, it is still possible for plaintiffs to win if the property owners were truly negligent in maintaining safety standards for the property. Contact Brock Ohlson, Nevada’s Personal Injury Lawyer, to see if you have grounds for a premises liability lawsuit.
