Dehydration-Related Lawsuits
Las Vegas, Nevada

Dehydration and negligence

In Las Vegas, dehydration is particularly dangerous due to the region's hot and arid desert climate. Several factors - extreme heat, low humidity, limited shade, outdoor activity, and high alcohol and caffeine consumption on a Strip - contribute to the increased risk of dehydration.

If you got injured due to dehydration and think negligence was a reason behind your injury, call us at 702-432-1000.

We represent clients in Las Vegas and Nevada.

What is dehydration?

Most of the time, dehydration occurs when the body loses more fluid than it takes in.

When the body is dehydrated, it has a reduced capacity to dissipate heat, making it more susceptible to overheating and increasing the risk of heatstroke. The air-conditioned environment, as we live in Las Vegas, can reduce awareness of the need for hydration. The individuals may NOT feel thirsty indoors as when outside in the heat.

Dehydration and alcohol

Alcohol and dehydration are closely linked. Excessive alcohol consumption can be life-threatening, leading to severe dehydration and alcohol poisoning. Signs of dehydration after alcohol consumption include dry mouth, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. The most common places where it can happen in Las Vegas or Nevada are summer pool parties in a hotel or resort.

Dehydration and caffeine

Even though individual responses to caffeine may vary, excessive caffeine intake can contribute to dehydration, especially in scorching weather and during physical activities.

Who is liable for your injury?

Dehydration-related injuries may arise where negligence or carelessness by an individual, organization, or establishment results in severe harm to a person or death due to dehydration.

Here are some examples:

• Hotel or resort negligence: To prevent dehydration-related injuries in hotel or resort swimming pools and during summer pool parties, pool operators and party event organizers should take appropriate precautions - providing access to drinking water, offering shaded areas, posting signs about staying hydrated, and ensuring the availability of lifeguards or staff trained to recognize signs of dehydration and heat-related illnesses.

If a hotel or resort fails to do so, a guest may suffer severe dehydration injuries or even death. As a result, the guest's family may file a lawsuit for negligence.

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• Sports or fitness facilities: Dehydration injuries during sports activities can occur when athletes do not adequately hydrate before, during, and after their physical exertion. Engaging in sports and vigorous physical activities can lead to significant fluid loss through sweating, quickly leading to dehydration if trainers and coaches don't follow the proper hydration practices. Some common dehydration-related injuries in sports activities include heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

The athlete or their family may pursue legal action against the facility or responsible party for negligence.

• Schools or daycares: Young children may not recognize or communicate their hydration needs effectively.

Especially in summer, if a school or daycare center neglects to ensure that children have access to water throughout the day and become severely dehydrated, resulting in significant harm, the child's parents may bring a lawsuit against the educational institution for negligence.

• Sports events or races: In Las Vegas and Nevada, if organizers of a sports event or race fail to provide adequate water stations or neglect to inform participants about the importance of staying hydrated during the event, and a participant experiences severe dehydration or life-threatening complications, they or their family may sue the event organizers.

Proving negligence in dehydration-related lawsuits

It is important to note that for a successful lawsuit, the plaintiff must be able to prove that the defendant had a duty of care to prevent dehydration-related harm, breached that duty through negligence or wrongful actions, and that the breach directly caused dehydration-related injuries or death.

Dehydration illness: Who is responsible for medical bills?

In Nevada, the negligent party is financially liable for all damages. It includes medical bills (past, present, future) and other damages. In most cases, the venue (hotel, resort, swimming pool owner, schools or daycare centers, or sports facility) is liable for injury and death.

With questions, call us at 702-432-1000.

Are dehydration-related lawsuits real?

Yes, they are.

Here are just a few examples.

• In 2023, Kentucky University paid $14 million to the family of a wrestler who died of heat stroke after being denied water.

• In 2021, the University of Maryland paid $3.5 million to the family of a football player who died of heat stroke.

• In 2017, in Milwaukee, an inmate died from dehydration. The court awarded the estate $6.75 million.

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What evidence do you need?

In Nevada, to support your claim of negligence or wrongful actions that led to severe dehydration and subsequent harm, you need the following evidence:

• Medical records: Medical records documenting the victim's condition, diagnosis, and treatment for dehydration-related injuries are crucial evidence in a dehydration lawsuit. These records can help establish the extent of the harm caused and the medical care required.

• Witness statements: Statements from witnesses who observed the circumstances surrounding the dehydration incident can be valuable evidence. It may include statements from family members, friends, colleagues, or others present during the incident.

• Photos and CCTV footage: Photographs, videos, or security camera footage that capture the conditions in which the dehydration occurred or the effects of the dehydration-related injuries. They could be compelling evidence to support your case.

• Documentation of negligence: Any documentation that indicates negligence or carelessness on the part of the responsible party - records of safety violations, lack of appropriate hydration measures, or failure to follow protocols - can strengthen your claim.

• Incident reports: If any incident reports or documentation were filed by the venue or organization where the dehydration injury occurred, obtaining an incident report can provide insight into the incident's details and the business owner's response.

• Documentation of damages: Medical bills, lost wages, and other related expenses are crucial to quantify the compensation sought in the lawsuit.

Expert witnesses' testimonies

Expert witnesses can be extremely valuable in dehydration-related lawsuits. They can explain the link between dehydration and injuries and provide insight, analysis, and scientific data to help better understand the relationship between heat exposure, dehydration, and specific medical conditions.

We can help

Call us at 702-432-1000 if you get injured, or your family member dies from dehydration in Las Vegas or Nevada. We will investigate the accident, examine safety policies and procedures for preventing dehydration, and file liability claims against all parties responsible.

We work on a contingency basis, which means - if we cannot get your settlement money, we don't get paid, and you don't owe us anything.

We represent clients in Las Vegas and Nevada.

Last updated on January 31, 2024.

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