Minnesota Pedestrian Accident Attorneys
When you consider the many ways that a Minnesota pedestrian could be injured by a negligent driver, they are the most devastating. A person who is walking on the road or the sidewalk has no physical protection against a moving vehicle, even a slow-moving lightweight motorcycle. One of the most common ways that a pedestrian gets struck down is via a direct frontal collision with the vehicle.
Common Frontal Impact Injuries:
1. The first frontal impact between the pedestrian and the vehicle is between his or her lower leg and the bumper.
2. The second frontal impact involves contact between the pedestrian’s thigh area and the upper edge of the vehicle’s hood.
The first and second impacts cause the victim’s body to rotate, which means that the head and shoulders hit the hood or the windshield.
3. If the vehicle is moving slowly, the victim will remain on the hood. If the vehicle is moving faster, the victim’s legs may leave the ground, rotate upward, and then fall back on the hood. At higher speeds, a pedestrian can somersault onto the windshield or roof or completely slide over the top of the vehicle and sustain a final impact on the ground.
Risk factors for pedestrian injuries are a person’s age (either children or the elderly) and socio-economic status. Furthermore, people are most likely to be hurt between the hours of 6:00 pm and midnight when drivers have lower visibility after dark.
I’m Hurt and Confused. What Should I Do Next?
Road conditions tend to be more dangerous in the wintertime when the streets and sidewalks are frozen or littered with different versions of melting snow and slush. Life must continue in Minnesota even as road cleanup crews try to keep up.
Responsible drivers could hit a pedestrian due to black ice or unsalted roadways, which will be ultimately devastating for the victim. One driver’s error, even for a few seconds, can permanently injure or kill a victim and destroy their family’s way of life.
At this difficult time, you need the experienced legal team of Swor & Gatto on your side. We’re sensitive to the urgency of your questions and want to help you sort out what to do next, especially since the accident wasn’t your fault.
What Types of Accident Claims Typically Deserve Compensation?
You don’t have to be confined to a wheelchair or permanently disfigured to be eligible for compensation from a car crash. Our team of attorneys specializing in personal injury law are dedicated to reviewing each potential case, considering the circumstances of the accident and who was at fault, and verifying the insurance coverages that were in effect on the date of loss. Having tried many successful cases before, we know that each claim must meet the standards of the insurance company. This calls for sworn medical testimony, and, in some cases, extensive evidence from accident reconstructionists. We have the financial resources and the legal experience needed to take your case to trial, if needed.
How Much Time Do I Have to Pursue a Claim?
The attorneys at Swor & Gatto will gladly sit down with you and discuss the specific merits of your case. In the state of Minnesota, you only get two years from the accident date to pursue your claim. The time you have could be shorter if you’re trying to collect damages from a public entity (i.e. a state or local government, a public utility, a school, or a mass transit provider).
What are Common Injuries from Car Accidents?
- Head, neck, spinal cord injuries, broken bones. When you’re hit by a moving vehicle and thrown to the ground, the sudden impact can cause serious damage to your spinal cord. Many car crash victims find the most severe problems stem from a rear impact. Victims can sustain a broken or herniated disc, complete destruction of one or more sections of the spinal cord, and partial to total paralysis.
- Scarring and disfigurement. One of the most tragic aspects of a collision that may cause temporary pain and suffering and a lifetime of viewing oneself differently in the mirror is this type of injury. If a person’s face or body is badly burned or scarred, there may be numerous corrective surgeries, but these procedures may never restore their face and skin to its condition before the crash.
- Soft-tissue injuries. One could argue that people with soft-tissue injuries, or those involving the muscles and tissues connecting to the head, neck, and spine, are the hardest cases to litigate. An accident victim has the burden of proof, having to convince the defendant’s insurance company or a jury their injuries were serious. With a soft-tissue claim, the victim’s attorney may not be able to pinpoint an x-ray or an MRI to show a relevant broken bone or scar. However, the victim experiences chronic pain and discomfort for the rest of his or her life due to the other driver’s negligence. There are endless doctor’s visits and therapies but no relief from the pain.
- Mental anguish, pain, and suffering. Some side-effects of a crash are the initial grief and the acceptance of the disruptions of daily routines, but some victims face anxiety, depression, sadness, nightmares, and mental disorders caused by head or brain injury. It’s tragic when some victims must relive the accident over and over again in their heads, being unable through counseling and other treatments to erase the trauma that occurred in seconds and destroyed their health and well-being.
What are Common Causes of Car Accidents?
The legal team of Swor & Gatto has helped Minnesota residents seek recoveries from accidents for more than 3 decades. We’ve worked many types of accident cases and achieved great results for clients with settlements and verdicts totaling more than $100 million. Typically, crashes occurring in Minnesota result from the driver failing to operate a vehicle safely, including these scenarios:
- Drunk driving or driving under the influence of prescription or recreational drugs.
- Failure to obey a traffic device.
- Driving at a high rate of speed.
- Driving a vehicle with faulty conditions.
- Driving on the wrong side of the road.
- Driving a commercial vehicle without enough sleep.
- Texting or talking on the phone while driving.
- Driving while distracted.
- Ignoring signs to slow down in construction zones.
Minnesota Pedestrian Accidents Are Serious Business
There are different kinds of traffic conditions that can occur in any Minnesota community where people operate motor vehicles. If you were injured in a crash, you deserve to get answers ASAP. Finding justice does not happen swiftly or automatically. Hire a competent and respectful attorney who will take your claim seriously. We can come to your home or hospital room to discuss your case and we don’t charge you fees unless we win. We aggressively represents pedestrians who desire compensation from defendant drivers. Let us begin to investigate your case before important evidence is lost. Please do not hesitate to contact us today to discuss the details of your pedestrian accident today.