News Brief
Bashor and Dodrill Achieve Summary Judgment for Client in Staged Accident Case
March 16, 2022
Karen L. Bashor (Partner-Las Vegas, NV) and Colt Dodrill (Of Counsel-Las Vegas, NV) obtained summary judgment in favor a petroleum transportation company in Clark County District Court. The plaintiffs alleged the client’s tractor-trailer negligently rear-ended their vehicle, causing significant bodily injuries and totaling the vehicle. Suspecting this was a staged accident, Karen and Colt propounded extensive discovery, including requests to admit the accident was staged. Their investigation revealed that a witness had been a defendant in a separate action filed by the same plaintiffs’ counsel regarding a similar accident that occurred just a half hour before. That witness’s deposition testimony confirmed the first accident was staged by the same individuals in the same vehicles involved in the client’s accident. Shortly thereafter, the plaintiffs’ counsel withdrew, and Karen and Colt moved for summary judgment based on the witness’s testimony, accident photographs, the client’s statement and the plaintiffs’ failure to respond to discovery. The plaintiffs elected not to oppose the motion, which the court granted, finding that by staging the accident, the plaintiffs consented to and assumed the risk of injury as a matter of law.