The most common premises liability injuries in Las Vegas range from minor sprains to severe, life-altering harm. Frequent injuries include broken bones, head and brain injuries, spinal and back injuries, soft tissue damage, and severe lacerations. These injuries often result from slip and falls, poor lighting, unsafe stairs, falling objects, or inadequate security, with compensation varying based on severity and long-term impact.
Premises liability injuries in Las Vegas often catch people off guard because they happen in places you assume are safe, like casinos, hotels, restaurants, and other busy public areas. When property owners fail to maintain safe conditions, visitors can suffer anything from painful sprains to life-changing trauma like spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injuries.
The real problem is that most victims don’t realize how quickly these incidents can impact their health, finances, and ability to work. Without understanding how Nevada’s premises liability laws operate, many people underestimate the value of their claim or accept blame that isn’t theirs.
By recognizing the most common types of premises-related injuries and how they occur, you can better protect yourself and avoid mistakes that could reduce your compensation.
In this article, we explore common premises liability injuries in Las Vegas, NV, as well as how an experienced premises liability lawyer can help you seek the compensation you need to recover.
What Is Premises Liability?
Premises liability is the legal rule that makes property owners responsible when someone gets hurt on their property because of dangerous conditions. This means if you slip on a wet casino floor, trip over broken pavement outside a hotel, or get injured by falling debris at a construction site, the property owner might have to pay for your injuries.
Property owners have what’s called a “duty of care”, a legal obligation to keep their property reasonably safe for visitors. When they know about a dangerous condition and fail to fix it or warn people about it, that’s called negligence.
In Las Vegas, premises liability applies to all kinds of properties. This includes casinos, hotels, restaurants, stores, apartment complexes, office buildings, and even private homes. Whether you’re a tourist visiting the Strip or a local resident, you have legal rights when property owners fail to maintain safe conditions.
How Liability Works in Nevada
Nevada law divides visitors into three categories, and each gets different levels of protection from property owners.
Invitees are people who come onto property for the owner’s business benefit. This includes customers in stores, hotel guests, casino patrons, and restaurant diners. Property owners owe invitees the highest duty of care, which means they must regularly inspect their property, fix dangerous conditions, and warn visitors about any hazards they can’t immediately repair.
Licensees are social guests who have permission to be on the property but aren’t there for business purposes. Think of friends invited to a house party or family members visiting someone’s home. Owners must warn licensees about known dangers but don’t have to actively search for problems.
Trespassers are people on the property without permission. Property owners owe them the lowest duty of care, basically just not to intentionally hurt them. However, if children are likely to trespass because of something attractive on the property (like a swimming pool), owners may have higher duties.
Nevada law also says that property owners can’t always escape responsibility just by claiming a hazard was “obvious.” Even if a danger seems clear, owners still have a duty to act reasonably to prevent foreseeable injuries.
What Accidents Cause These Injuries?
Las Vegas creates unique risks because of its 24/7 entertainment environment, constant construction, and heavy foot traffic. We see certain types of accidents happen repeatedly across hotels, casinos, and other commercial properties.
Slip and Trip Hazards
Wet floors are everywhere in Las Vegas, from spilled drinks in casinos to recently mopped lobby areas without warning signs. These conditions frequently lead to slip and fall accidents on marble floors that become dangerously slick when wet, or trips on torn carpeting that hasn’t been repaired.
Outdoor hazards include uneven sidewalks outside resorts, cracked pavement in parking lots, and poorly maintained curbs. Ice is rare in Las Vegas, but sudden rainstorms can create slippery conditions that property owners must address quickly.
Hotel and Casino Dangers
Hotels and casinos have their own set of risks. Broken furniture in guest rooms can collapse unexpectedly, causing serious hotel injuries. Malfunctioning automatic doors can slam shut on people or fail to open properly.
Poor lighting in hallways, stairwells, and parking garages makes it hard to see obstacles or hazards. Loose handrails on stairs can give way when someone grabs them for support.
Pool and Spa Incidents
Resort pools create multiple dangers when not properly maintained. Pool decks become extremely slippery when wet, especially around hot tubs where people drip more water, creating conditions for serious swimming pool accidents. Broken tiles can cause deep cuts to bare feet.
Chemical burns happen when pool or spa water isn’t properly balanced. Inadequate fencing around pools fails to keep children safe, leading to drowning accidents.
Escalators, Elevators and Stairs
Escalators can suddenly stop or jolt, throwing people off balance. Gaps between moving parts can catch clothing, shoelaces, or even fingers and toes. Worn treads on stairs create tripping hazards, especially when combined with poor lighting.
Elevator malfunctions can cause people to fall when doors open unexpectedly or the car moves between floors. Missing or loose handrails leave people without support when they need it most.
Falling Objects and Construction
The Las Vegas Strip is constantly under construction, creating risks from falling tools, building materials, and debris. Even completed buildings can have problems with loose ceiling tiles, unstable decorative displays, or poorly secured fixtures.
High winds common in the desert can knock over signs, umbrellas, or other objects that aren’t properly anchored.
Negligent Security and Assaults
Property owners must provide reasonable security to protect guests from foreseeable crimes. Attacks resulting from negligent security often happen in dimly lit parking garages, hotel hallways with broken security cameras, or nightclubs without enough security staff.
When owners know about crime problems in their area but fail to take proper precautions, they can be held responsible for resulting injuries.
Foodborne Illness and Toxic Exposure
Restaurant and hotel buffets can cause serious food poisoning when food isn’t kept at proper temperatures or sits out too long. Cleaning chemicals in poorly ventilated areas can cause breathing problems or skin reactions.
Mold in hotel rooms, carbon monoxide from faulty heating systems, and other toxic exposures can cause both immediate and long-term health problems.
The Most Common Injuries We See in Las Vegas
Premises liability accidents cause a wide range of injuries, from minor cuts and bruises to life-changing conditions. Getting proper medical attention and documenting your injuries is crucial for both your health and any legal claim.
Traumatic Brain Injuries and Concussions
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) happens when your brain is damaged by a blow or jolt to your head. This commonly occurs in slip and fall accidents when people hit their head on the ground or nearby objects.
Concussion symptoms like headaches, confusion, memory problems, and dizziness may not appear immediately. Some people feel fine right after the accident but develop serious symptoms hours or days later.
Spinal Cord and Back Injuries
Falls can cause herniated discs, where the cushions between your vertebrae rupture or bulge out. Compression fractures happen when vertebrae collapse under pressure. The most serious spinal cord injuries can cause partial or complete paralysis.
Even “minor” back injuries can result in chronic pain that affects your ability to work, exercise, or enjoy daily activities. Back problems often get worse over time if not properly treated.
Fractures and Dislocations
When you fall, your natural instinct is to put your hands out to catch yourself, often resulting in broken wrists, arms, or shoulders. Hip fractures are especially common and dangerous in older adults.
Facial fractures can occur when people fall forward, and these often require surgery to repair properly. Dislocated joints cause immediate severe pain and can lead to long-term instability.
Shoulder, Knee and Ankle Injuries
The twisting and impact from slips and falls commonly tear ligaments and tendons in major joints. Rotator cuff tears in the shoulder can make it impossible to lift your arm properly.
ACL tears in the knee often require surgery and months of physical therapy. Severe ankle sprains can be just as debilitating as fractures and take just as long to heal.
Lacerations, Scarring and Facial Injuries
Broken glass, sharp metal edges, or jagged concrete can cause deep cuts that require stitches or surgery. These wounds can leave permanent scars, especially on visible areas like the face and hands.
Falls can break teeth, damage the jaw, or cause serious eye injuries that affect vision. Facial injuries from casino injuries often require plastic surgery to repair properly.
Burns and Scalds
Dangerously hot water in hotel showers can cause severe burns in seconds. Pool chemicals can burn skin and eyes if they’re not properly diluted or stored.
Friction burns from escalator accidents can be just as serious as burns from heat, often requiring skin grafts to heal properly.
Internal Injuries and Organ Damage
The force from a serious fall can cause internal bleeding or damage organs like your spleen, liver, or kidneys. These injuries are life-threatening but may not be obvious without medical imaging like CT scans or MRIs.
Internal injuries can worsen rapidly, which is why you should always seek medical attention after any significant accident, even if you feel okay initially.
Psychological Trauma After Assaults
Surviving an attack due to inadequate security can cause lasting mental health problems. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression are real injuries that deserve compensation just like physical wounds.
Many assault victims develop fears about going to certain places or being alone, which can significantly impact their quality of life and ability to work.
What to Do After an Injury on Someone Else’s Property
Your actions immediately after an accident can make the difference between a successful claim and no recovery at all. These steps protect both your health and your legal rights.
Get Medical Care and Document Symptoms
Seek emergency care for serious injuries like head trauma, broken bones, or severe bleeding. For injuries that seem minor, visit an urgent care center or your doctor as soon as possible.
Some injuries don’t show symptoms right away but can become serious if left untreated. Keep all medical records, prescriptions, and follow-up appointment notes, these documents are crucial evidence for your claim.
Report the Incident and Request an Incident Report
Tell the property manager, security, or other staff about your accident immediately. Ask them to create an official incident report and request a copy for your records.
Don’t sign anything except to acknowledge that you received a copy of the report. Never sign documents that admit fault or release the property owner from liability.
Capture Photos, Video and Witnesses
Use your phone to photograph the exact hazard that caused your injury, the wet floor, broken step, or whatever created the dangerous condition. Take pictures of your injuries, torn clothing, and the surrounding area.
If anyone saw what happened, get their name and contact information before they leave. Witnesses often disappear quickly in busy Las Vegas locations, so act fast.
Preserve Surveillance and Maintenance Records
Politely ask the property manager to preserve any security camera footage of your accident. Most properties delete footage within 30-90 days, so this request needs to happen immediately.
Ask if there have been previous complaints or incidents in the same area. Maintenance records showing the property knew about the hazard can strengthen your case significantly.
Avoid Recorded Statements to Insurers
The property’s insurance company may contact you asking for a recorded statement about the accident. Politely decline until you’ve spoken with an attorney.
Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions that can hurt your claim. They may try to get you to admit fault or downplay your injuries when you’re still in pain and confused about what happened.
Call a Las Vegas Premises Liability Lawyer Early
Evidence disappears quickly, especially in a city that never sleeps. Security footage gets deleted, witnesses leave town, and physical evidence gets cleaned up or repaired.
An experienced attorney can immediately begin preserving evidence, interviewing witnesses, and building your case while the details are still fresh.
Learn More: How to File a Premises Liability Claim in Las Vegas
How Fault and Comparative Negligence Affect Your Case
Nevada uses a legal rule called modified comparative negligence to determine how much compensation you can receive if you were partially at fault for your accident.
Under this rule, your compensation gets reduced by your percentage of fault. If a jury decides you were 20% responsible for your accident and awards you $100,000, you would actually receive $80,000 (reduced by 20%).
However, if you’re found to be 51% or more at fault, Nevada’s 51% rule bars you from recovering any compensation at all. This makes fault determination crucial in every case.
Common fault scenarios include:
- 0% fault: You slipped on an unmarked wet floor in a casino, full compensation possible
- Partial fault: You were texting while walking and didn’t see a clearly marked hazard, reduced compensation
- Majority fault: You ignored warning signs and climbed over safety barriers, likely no compensation
Insurance companies routinely try to shift as much blame as possible onto injured people to reduce their payouts. Having an experienced attorney helps counter these tactics.
What Compensation Can You Recover
Nevada law allows you to seek compensation for both economic and non-economic damages when you’re injured due to someone else’s negligence.
Economic damages are financial losses you can prove with bills and receipts:
- Medical expenses: Hospital stays, surgeries, physical therapy, medications, and future medical care
- Lost wages: Income you’ve missed while recovering from your injuries
- Reduced earning capacity: If your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous job or working full-time
- Travel costs: Expenses for medical appointments, especially important for out-of-state visitors
Non-economic damages compensate for how the injury has affected your life:
- Pain and suffering: Physical discomfort and emotional distress from your injuries
- Loss of enjoyment: Activities you can no longer participate in due to your injuries
- Scarring and disfigurement: Permanent changes to your appearance
- Emotional distress: Anxiety, depression, and other mental health impacts
In cases involving particularly reckless behavior, you might also recover punitive damages. These are designed to punish the defendant and discourage similar conduct in the future.
Related: Average Premises Liability Settlements in Las Vegas, NV
How Long You Have to File in Nevada
Nevada’s statute of limitations gives you exactly two years from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit.
The two-year clock starts ticking on the date you were injured, not when you discover the full extent of your injuries or when you finish medical treatment. There are very few exceptions to this rule.
This deadline — two years from the date — applies to everyone injured in Nevada, including tourists and visitors from other states. Even if your home state has a different statute of limitations for slip and fall claims, Nevada’s two-year rule controls for accidents that happen here.
Don’t wait until the deadline approaches to take action. Evidence preservation, witness availability, and case preparation all favor acting quickly after your accident.
Hurt On Someone Else’s Property in Vegas? We’re Here to Help
If you’re dealing with injuries from an accident on someone else’s property, you don’t have to face this challenge alone.
At Ladah Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Las Vegas, we understand how overwhelming it feels to manage medical treatment, insurance calls, and financial stress all at once.
Our award-winning attorneys bring unique advantages to every premises liability case. As former insurance defense lawyers, we know exactly how insurance companies evaluate and defend these claims. This insider knowledge helps us build stronger cases and negotiate better settlements for our clients.
We have helped injured clients throughout Las Vegas and Nevada recover compensation. Our team is available 24/7 to answer your questions and provide the support you need during this difficult time.
You pay nothing unless we win your case. We offer free consultations to evaluate your claim and explain your legal options with no obligation or upfront costs.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation at our offices in Las Vegas, Spring Valley, and North Las Vegas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Premises Liability Cases Hard to Win in Nevada?
These cases require proving the property owner knew about the dangerous condition and failed to fix it, which makes having an experienced lawyer crucial for gathering evidence like surveillance footage and maintenance records.
What If I Did Not File an Incident Report?
You can still pursue a claim, but it becomes harder to prove when and where the accident happened, so gather any other evidence like photos or witness statements.
Can I Bring a Claim If I Was Partly at Fault?
Yes, Nevada allows recovery if you’re less than 51% at fault, though your compensation reduces by your percentage of fault.
I Live Out of State. Can You Handle My Las Vegas Claim?
Yes, we regularly represent visitors injured in Las Vegas and can handle most matters remotely while you recover at home.
How Soon Should I See a Doctor If Symptoms Appear Later?
See a doctor immediately when symptoms appear, as delays can worsen injuries and give insurance companies reason to deny your claim.
Who Pays Medical Bills While My Case Is Pending?
Your health insurance typically covers initial treatment, and we can often arrange care on a lien basis where providers wait for case settlement.
How Long Do Hotels Keep Security Footage?
Because surveillance footage is often retained only for a limited time, contacting a lawyer promptly can help preserve this crucial evidence.
Do I Have a Case If I Was Intoxicated?
Being intoxicated doesn’t eliminate your claim, but it may reduce compensation if intoxication contributed to your accident.
What Injuries Are Hardest to Prove?
Soft tissue injuries and psychological trauma often lack visible evidence, making medical documentation and expert testimony essential.
How Long Do Premises Liability Cases Take?
Most cases settle within 6-18 months, though complex cases involving severe injuries or multiple defendants may take longer.