In Las Vegas, walls are built along and near roadways for many different reasons. They could be put up as a security measure to keep out intruders. They are often erected in neighborhoods or subdivisions to reduce the traffic noise from surrounding roads. And they are frequently constructed to separate back yards from vehicular traffic.

Unfortunately, these walls can be deadly if a careless driver happens to crash into one.

That’s what happened yesterday morning in a residential neighborhood in Las Vegas. Just before 9am, a 1994 Toyota Corolla was traveling north in the bus turnout lane on McLeod Drive near the Winchester Cultural Center less than a quarter mile north of Desert Inn Road. Just south of Paloma Drive, the car veered off the street, jumped a curb, and slammed into a concrete wall. A 16-year old girl who was a passenger in the car died of her injuries later at Sunrise Hospital. The 19-year old male driver suffered minor injuries.

It’s unclear exactly what caused the car to smash into the wall, but it appears that the 19-year old man will be held responsible for the auto accident and the death of his passenger. Because the victim was a minor, her parents would have to file a wrongful death lawsuit on her behalf if they chose to pursue legal action against the man. This suit could allow the family to collect reimbursement for hospital and burial expenses, monetary damages for mental anguish and loss of companionship or care, and compensation for the estimated future wages that the girl would have earned as an adult.