Las Vegas Bus Lane Left-Turn Crash Leaves 75-Year-Old Driver Injured

Heavy traffic is part of daily life in Las Vegas, especially during rush hour near busy intersections. Left turns in these conditions are already risky, and they become even more dangerous when impatient drivers use bus lanes as shortcuts to cut through traffic. In this case, a 75-year-old driver who followed traffic and did everything right was T-boned by a speeding driver using the bus lane and is still living with the consequences.

How the Collision Happened

Our client was traveling eastbound in bumper-to-bumper traffic in Las Vegas. Vehicles in his lane and the surrounding lanes were moving slowly, and many drivers were attempting to make left turns. Other motorists had yielded and created a gap so left-turning vehicles, including our client, could safely clear the intersection.

Our client proceeded to turn left behind another vehicle that had been given the right of way by stopped traffic. As he followed that vehicle through the turn, a third-party driver suddenly came speeding through the designated bus lane, trying to bypass the standstill by cutting through traffic instead of waiting in line. Using the bus lane as a “fast lane,” the other driver failed to yield to vehicles lawfully turning and slammed into our client’s car in a T-bone impact on the passenger side.

The force of the crash caused substantial damage to the passenger side of our client’s vehicle and left him shaken and in pain. Side-impact crashes like this are particularly dangerous for older drivers because there is less structure between the occupant and the impact, increasing the risk of serious injury.

What Our Client Did After the Crash

Despite the shock of the collision, our client stayed calm and took all the right steps to protect himself and document what happened.

He:

• Checked on everyone involved and moved to a safe position if possible.
• Used his phone to take photos of the scene, including vehicle positions, the damage pattern on the passenger side, the surrounding traffic, and the bus lane the at-fault driver used to cut through.
• Called the police to report the collision and ask for assistance.

When officers advised the drivers to exchange information rather than dispatching a unit, the parties did exactly that. Our client obtained the other driver’s name, contact information, and insurance details, and he kept his photos and notes from the scene as evidence. These images and records are critical in any Las Vegas left-turn case because liability often turns on lane use, traffic flow, and who had the right of way.

Nevada Law and Left-Turn / Bus Lane Crashes

Nevada law requires drivers making a left turn to yield the right of way to oncoming traffic that is close enough to pose an immediate hazard. In many cases, that creates a presumption that the left-turning driver is at fault if a collision occurs. However, that presumption is not automatic or absolute, especially when the other driver is speeding, ignoring traffic controls, or misusing a lane such as a bus lane.

Key points under Nevada law include:

• A left-turning driver must yield to vehicles approaching from the opposite direction that are within the intersection or so close as to be an “immediate hazard.”
• Once that driver has properly yielded and signaled, oncoming drivers must then yield to the vehicle completing the left turn.
• Nevada uses modified comparative negligence, which means an injured driver can still recover damages as long as they are less than 50% at fault; their compensation is reduced by their percentage of fault.

In a situation like this, where an oncoming driver is speeding through a bus lane to cut the line, a strong argument can be made that the bus-lane driver created the hazard and should bear most or all the fault. Misusing a dedicated lane, failing to maintain a safe speed, and failing to yield to a vehicle already lawfully turning are all factors that can shift liability under Nevada’s comparative negligence rules.

Insurance Issues and Dropped Representation

After the crash, our client reported the collision to his insurer, State Farm, and later retained another local law firm to help with his claim. With counsel, he was able to get into treatment and begin addressing his injuries. However, during the claims process, State Farm accepted fault for the collision on behalf of our client.

Once his own insurer decided to place responsibility on him, his prior attorney unexpectedly dropped the case. For a 75-year-old man still in pain, this was a devastating blow—he was left without representation and faced an insurance decision that did not match what truly happened in the intersection. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for injury victims in left-turn cases to encounter pushback from insurers who rely on generic left-turn fault presumptions without fully considering speeding, improper lane use, or bus-lane violations.

The important thing is that our client has preserved all his supporting evidence, including photographs, medical records, and correspondence, which can be critical to challenging an unfair fault determination and presenting the full story of how the crash occurred.

When an Insurer Gets Fault Wrong, Your Lawyer Should Push Back

Insurance companies do not always get fault right the first time, especially in complex left-turn and lane-misuse crashes in Las Vegas. Their adjusters may lean on assumptions instead of digging into photos, damage patterns, and traffic-flow evidence, which can unfairly shift blame onto the wrong driver. That is why one of the most important roles of a personal injury lawyer is to challenge an inaccurate fault determination and make sure the insurer fully considers all of the evidence.

A diligent attorney can submit a written dispute of liability, highlight key photographs, witness statements, and medical records, and request that a supervisor or higher-level adjuster re-evaluate the claim. If the carrier continues to ignore the evidence, counsel can escalate further by exploring mediation, arbitration, filing a complaint with the Nevada Division of Insurance, or ultimately preparing the case for litigation. In a case like our client’s—where photos show vehicle positions, bus-lane misuse, and passenger-side impact—there was strong material available to push back against a decision that placed fault on a 75-year-old driver who was simply completing a left turn.

Unfortunately, instead of pressing the insurance company to reconsider its decision in light of this evidence, our client’s prior attorney chose to withdraw from the case after the insurer accepted fault against him. That choice left our client without an advocate at a time when he most needed someone to challenge the insurer’s narrative and fight for a fair allocation of fault under Nevada’s comparative negligence laws.

Ongoing Injuries and Why This Case Matters

At 75 years old, our client’s body does not bounce back from a T-bone crash the way a younger person’s might. He continues to experience lingering pain, though he is slowly improving with time and treatment. Side-impact collisions can cause soft-tissue injuries, fractures, and other trauma that may not be immediately obvious but can significantly affect mobility, sleep, and day-to-day activities.

His medical records, combined with his age, the nature of the impact, and his scene photos, help explain the seriousness of his injuries and why he needs fair compensation. Nevada law allows injured drivers to pursue damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost quality of life, and property damage when another driver’s negligence causes a crash.

For seniors—especially those living independently—a crash like this can mean more than just car repairs. It can represent a loss of confidence behind the wheel, increased dependence on others, and a real fear of being blamed for something they did not cause. This case underscores why evidence, careful investigation, and a clear understanding of Nevada’s left-turn and lane-use laws are essential in Las Vegas bus-lane collisions.

Call Today if an Insurer Unfairly Blamed You

If you were hurt in a Las Vegas left-turn crash and an insurance company is trying to pin the blame on you—especially when another driver was speeding through a bus lane—you do not have to accept that decision. Nevada’s comparative negligence laws and lane-use rules are complex, and a careful review of photos, traffic patterns, and medical records can make a major difference in how fault is assigned and what your case is worth.

An experienced Las Vegas personal injury lawyer can step in to investigate the crash, challenge an unfair fault determination, and negotiate with the insurance companies while you focus on healing. Most reputable firms offer free consultations and work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no attorney’s fees unless they recover compensation for you.

If this story sounds like what happened to you or a loved one, contact our office today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We will review your evidence, explain your options under Nevada law, and fight to make sure one bad decision by an insurance company does not define your future.