If you’ve been reading this blog, you’ve seen how one thoughtless mistake can have an impact on other people. But this kind of lapse in judgment can hurt others even if you are alone.
A woman in a Las Vegas apartment complex illustrated this concept this past weekend. The elderly woman somehow forgot that she was hooked up to an oxygen tank while lying in her bed early Sunday morning. In many instances, this wouldn’t be an issue – except that she tried to light a cigarette.
As a result, the flame met the oxygen and “flashed” on her bed at the Las Vegas Manor Senior Apartments on Decatur Boulevard near Vegas Drive. The bed caught fire, and the woman in her 60s suffered burns on her face.
But the story doesn’t end with the woman’s injuries. Two other people in the apartment complex had to be treated for smoke inhalation. And the careless blaze gutted one unit and damaged another because of the smoke and heat. A total of ten people in the complex were displaced, and the damage to the complex was estimated at $200,000.
So even though the woman was alone when the mishap occurred, her actions led to the injuries of two other people. If they choose to, these two individuals could file a personal injury lawsuit against the woman who started the fire. Therefore, the elderly woman not only has to cover the costs of treating her own burns, but may potentially have to pay for medical expenses for the two injured people (not to mention property damages incurred by the apartment complex).
If you have been injured by the carelessness or negligence of another, you should contact a qualified personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
o About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in car accidents, drunk driver crashes, truck wrecks, slip and falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, product liability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley, or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.