Whose Insurance Pays in a Multi-Car Accident in Las Vegas?

Las Vegas sees its fair share of car accidents, including multi-vehicle crashes. These pileups can make for complicated insurance claims. If you’ve been involved in a multi-car accident in Las Vegas, you may be wondering whose insurance will pay for the damage and injuries. The answer depends on who was at fault and what kind of insurance coverage each driver carries.

Nevada Car Insurance Requirements

First, it’s important to understand Nevada’s car insurance requirements. Nevada law mandates that all drivers carry a minimum level of liability insurance to pay for bodily injuries and property damage they cause others. The current minimum limits are:

• $25,000 per person for bodily injury or death
• $50,000 per accident for bodily injury or death
• $20,000 per accident for property damage

While this is the legal minimum, it’s wise to purchase higher limits to better protect your assets in case of a serious crash. Nevada also requires insurance companies to offer uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage and medical payments (MedPay) coverage, but you can reject these in writing.

Determining Fault in a Multi-Car Accident

The key question in any car accident is: who was at fault? Nevada is a “fault” insurance state. That means the at-fault driver (and their insurance company) is responsible for paying the other parties’ damages.

Determining fault can be tricky in multi-vehicle accidents because there are often multiple impacts and conflicting stories. Some common causes and scenarios include:

• Rear-end chain reactions: Driver A hits Driver B, pushing them into Driver C. Driver A is usually at fault for not leaving enough following distance.
• Unsafe lane changes: Driver A tries to move into Driver B’s lane sideswiping them and causing additional crashes. Driver A is typically at fault.
• Sudden stops: Driver A makes an unexpected stop causing Driver B to hit them and other pileup collisions. Fault depends on if Driver A had a valid reason for stopping and if Driver B was following too closely.

Police and insurance companies will examine evidence like accident reports, photos, videos, driver/witness statements, and physical evidence to piece together what happened and assign fault. They may assign 100% fault to one driver or apportion fault between multiple drivers.

How Insurance Applies in Multi-Car Crashes

Once fault is determined, insurance coverage is triggered in a certain order based on Nevada law and policy terms. Here’s generally how it works:

1. The at-fault driver’s liability coverage pays everyone else’s injuries and damage up to the policy limits.
2. If the at-fault driver’s insurance isn’t enough, injured parties then turn to their own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. UM/UIM steps in when the at-fault party either has no insurance or their insurance is insufficient to fully compensate you.
3. Injured parties can also utilize their MedPay coverage regardless of fault to help pay for their medical bills. MedPay can provide immediate funds while you wait for liability or UM/UIM claims to resolve.
4. If multiple drivers share fault, their liability coverage will kick in proportionate to their degree of fault.
5. Drivers can sue at-fault parties directly for amounts insurance doesn’t cover, but they may have limited assets to collect.

It’s important to notify your insurance company promptly after a multi-vehicle accident, even if you don’t believe you were at fault. Provide them the facts of the accident and get a claim started in case other parties come after you. However, be cautious about giving recorded statements to any insurers without consulting an attorney first.

What If the At-Fault Driver Doesn’t Have Insurance?

Unfortunately, some Las Vegas drivers don’t carry insurance despite the law requiring it. If an uninsured driver causes a multi-car accident, it makes the claims process more difficult.

Without insurance, your options are to:

1. File a UM claim with your own insurance (if you purchased that coverage)
2. Use your MedPay or collision coverage if you have it
3. Sue the uninsured driver directly

Your own UM/UIM coverage is the best remedy against uninsured drivers. It acts as substitute liability coverage for drivers who fail to carry their own. That’s why it’s so crucial to purchase UM/UIM as part of your auto policy.

Again, suing the driver directly may not yield much if they have limited income and assets. That’s why Nevada law requires insurers offer UM/UIM – to better protect accident victims when the at-fault party has no or insufficient coverage.

Consult a Las Vegas Multi-Car Accident Lawyer

Multi-vehicle accidents make for complex insurance claims. Between multiple parties, competing stories, and insufficient coverage, getting full and fair compensation can be an uphill battle. If you’ve been in a multi-car accident in Las Vegas, consult with an experienced car accident attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights.

At the Benjamin Durham Law Firm, our legal team thoroughly investigates multi-vehicle crashes to determine fault and identify all available insurance coverage. We help clients coordinate benefits between MedPay, liability, and UM/UIM claims to maximize their financial recovery. And if insurers won’t make a fair settlement offer, we’re ready to fight for you in court.

Contact us today for a free consultation. We’ll review your case, explain your legal options, and fight for the compensation you need and deserve.