Downtown Las Vegas: Common Injuries At Downtown Casinos

How Injuries At Downtown Casinos Occur

If you have ever been to downtown Las Vegas, you know how frantic the area can become. While accidents are sometimes unavoidable, negligence is often to blame. Some of the ways injuries happen at downtown casinos include:

Criminal Violence

As with any city, Las Vegas is no stranger to criminal violence. Alcohol, money, and crowds of people typically lead to some level of episodic violence. But casinos owe a duty of care to their patrons, both hotel guests and casino visitors. 

Reasonable security measures should be employed to prevent unsuspecting visitors from being harmed. Hotel guests returning to their rooms after a night of gambling should be safe as they walk the premises. When criminal violence occurs, the casino’s security measures will typically be one of the first factors scrutinized. 

Slot Machine Accidents

Slot machines can malfunction and cause injury, but this is rare. Seat failures are more common. Slot machine chairs and seats go through a lot of wear and tear and need regular maintenance and repair. With hundreds of chairs in some casinos, it’s no wonder that casino management sometimes overlooks a chair or two.

However, there is no excuse for providing customers with chairs in such states of disrepair that they are dangerous. Dangerous chairs collapse and lead to all manner of injuries, from blunt force to piercing trauma. 

Slip-And-Fall Accidents

Visitors to Las Vegas may walk miles of casino properties during their stay. Each step they take should be reasonably safe. Casinos are responsible for ensuring that there are no slipping or tripping hazards wherever guests go. 

Casinos, however, do not always live up to their duties. Various unacceptable hazards are routinely found to be the cause of casino accidents, such as:

• Poorly lit staircases
• Slick floors and walkways
• Cluttered exits and entrances
• Cluttered walkways

Electrical cords and uneven carpeting and floors are also causes of these types of accidents. 

Parking Lot Accidents

Casinos often have massive parking lots to accommodate their visitors. Accidents are not uncommon due to the sheer number of vehicles and people moving about. Negligent behavior is often why these accidents occur, such as:

• Texting while parking
• Driving while drunk
• Walking while drunk

A parking lot’s condition or design may also contribute to accidents.

For example, accidents can be caused by:

• Poorly lit parking areas
• Poor line marking and signage
• Structural disrepair

Negligent security may also lead to parking lot incidents. Inadequate security measures in casino lots and garages give criminals the opportunity to strike.

Swimming Pool Accidents

Vegas wouldn’t be complete without the swimming pools. They’re one of the biggest draws for hotel-casino operations. But they also represent one of the biggest liabilities. 

Swimming pool accidents are a constant risk at these establishments. Common dangers include:

• Drowning
• Falls
• Pool chemical imbalances
• Pool vacuum and drain mishaps

A pool may also cause or contribute to the spread of a serious health condition. For example, a hotel/casino’s failure to properly clean and maintain a pool can lead to the development of infections. 

Food Poisoning

Food is part and parcel of the downtown Las Vegas experience. Casinos manage a significant amount of food products to serve millions of visitors and must take care to do so safely at every stage, including:

• Storage
• Preparation
• Cooking
• Serving
• Disposal

Failure in any one of these areas can lead to food poisoning that sickens many at once. In particularly serious cases, this poisoning can be fatal.

Common Injuries At Downtown Las Vegas Casinos

Hospitals and urgent care centers in and around downtown treat all manner of injuries from downtown Las Vegas casinos. Common injuries include:

• Lacerations and abrasions
• Head wounds
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Broken and fractured bones
• Back and neck injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Gunshot wounds

These treatment facilities also care for victims with health conditions stemming from poor care of casino or hotel facilities. 

Who Is To Blame For Injuries At Downtown Casinos?

Casinos are typically responsible for injuries on their premises when the cause of a casino injury is negligence. Even if negligence is isolated to a single employee, the casino that employs said employee can be liable vicariously.

However, each accident situation is different and requires a close look at the facts to determine who is at fault. In some cases, the casino may not be the party at fault. In the case of a parking lot accident, the negligent party might be a drunk driver.

When more than one party is at fault for a downtown casino accident, the victim can seek compensation from both liable parties. For example, if a casino serves alcohol to a person under 21 and that person crashes in the parking lot, the casino can be partially liable for the victim’s damages. Keep in mind that no liability would result if the drinker were 21 years or older. 

What Should I Do If I Am Injured At A Downtown Casino?

Seeking medical treatment as soon as possible after an injury is essential. For one, doing so can help ensure a speedy and full recovery. However, the record of the injuries can also serve as evidence later in your compensation claim. Without it, there is no formal medical evidence of your injury.

If you are still on scene and able to do so, you may want to consider:

• Taking photos and video footage
• Getting witness statements
• Getting the contact information of anyone on the scene

You may also need to alert the police if a crime is involved. The casino might file a police report as well. 

Additionally, you might need to call the police or report the accident if a vehicle is involved. Nevada law requires car accidents with injuries or fatalities to be reported to authorities within ten days of occurrence. Failure to do so could result in criminal charges. 

Soon after receiving treatment, you should contact a personal injury or premises liability lawyer for a free consultation. Before arriving, gathering any relevant information or evidence you have will be helpful, such as anything you gathered at the accident scene and the police and accident reports. 

Keep in mind that you only have two years to file an injury lawsuit in Nevada. Once an attorney takes your case, the burden of pursuing compensation is lifted from your shoulders, giving you the time to heal. Meanwhile, your lawyer will work diligently to hold the liable parties accountable. 

Turn To A Skilled Casino Injury Lawyer Today

If your trip downtown has turned into pain and suffering, don’t hesitate to seek the justice you deserve. A Las Vegas personal injury lawyer can file a lawsuit against a casino on your behalf and fight for the compensation you need to recover and move forward.