Experienced St. Paul Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyers
A motor vehicle accident occurs every day in St Paul, Minnesota. There are many traditional factors, such as Minnesota’s often unpredictable weather, that play a factor in how many accidents occur during a given time. During the winter, snow storms create hazardous driving conditions that can cause car accidents. Spring brings with it not only April showers but slick roads that can be bothersome for drivers. Summer and fall have their own effects on driver safety as well.
It’s true that over the years, safety improvements to both roads and vehicles have reduced the number of serious injuries compared with a few generations ago. However, new distractions such as texting and driving, the use of electronic devices while behind the wheel, and other negligent acts still cause serious, injury-producing motor vehicle accidents on a regular basis.
The car and truck accident lawyers at Sand Law are experienced in fighting against insurance adjusters and defense attorneys to secure the compensation you deserve.
What Are My Rights If I Have Been Involved In An Accident?
If you have been injured in a car accident, you have the right to seek compensation for your losses and injuries. In the law, we call these damages. Under Minnesota law, if you have been involved in a car accident and sustained damages, you can recover financial compensation for pain and suffering, emotional harm, disfigurement, and humiliation. You can also recover damages for medical expenses, lost income, and property damage.
The best way to go about enforcing these rights is to hire a car accident lawyer that is familiar with the local court system. There are many ins and outs of the legal system that requires the expertise of an experienced attorney. At Sand Law, our personal injury lawyers always advise our potential clients that whether they hire us or another law firm – it is imperative to employ the services of a car accident attorney.
Do I Have To Go To Court If I Was Injured In An Accident?
Many of our clients are worried that they will have to be dragged through a long, drawn-out trial. Others are nervous about testifying on the stand in court. The accident lawyers at Sand Law are here to help you every step of the way and ease your mind.
We are the ones that fight for you in court, and if you do have to testify, we prepare our clients for what to expect. You will not be surprised and will feel comfortable with how the process works.
At Sand Law, we pride ourselves on being a litigation law firm. Our approach to accident cases is to prepare as if the case is going to trial. However, the vast majority of car and truck accident matters settle out of court prior to trial, either at mediation or at settlement conferences.
How do I find a good St Paul, Minnesota lawyer for my motor vehicle accident case?
Picking an attorney to handle your car accident claim is not a process one should take lightly. This decision could be the difference between hiring a settlement mill and a firm that actually works to maximize your compensation and has your best interests in mind. Knowing the following things about your car accident attorney could help you to make this decision:
- Does the law firm have good reviews and ratings? What is their standing with the Minnesota Bar?
- Does the firm have the resources to investigate your claim, hire proper experts, and fight your claim all the way to litigation?
- Does the law firm you’re considering have a reputation for taking personal injury cases to court, or do they always settle even if it’s not the best thing for the client?
- What experience does your lawyer have in handling personal injury cases? Do they also handle family law, business law, criminal law, and anything they can get to make money? This is a sign of a jack of all trades and a master of none. Though attorneys can practice in multiple areas, reputable attorneys would have different attorneys and office locations for these non-injury cases.
- Does the attorney bother to meet with their clients, or do they just pass off these important meetings to other staff? If an attorney doesn’t meet face to face with a client, there is a good chance they’re a settlement mill.
At Sand Law, we have the necessary financial resources and trial experience to take on the biggest insurance carriers, corporate wrongdoers, and powerful insurance defense firms.
We Will Fight The Insurance Companies For You
At Sand Law, our car and truck accident attorneys are determined to achieve positive results for our clients. Fighting the power of the insurance industry requires a proactive approach. We have the experience and knowledge of how adjusters and claims representatives approach their work to anticipate challenges. Insurance companies rely on lawyers to minimize their risk. We level the playing field by providing our clients with zealous advocacy and tenacious representation.
Our St Paul, MN law firm has the resources and skills to fight for your best interests in your motor vehicle accident case, including:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian and crosswalk accidents
- Bicycle accidents, including those involving children
- Wrecks involving Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare services
Your Risk of Being Involved in a Minnesota Car Accident
According to the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety, in 2017, Minnesota experienced the following:
- 78,465 traffic crashes
- 145,168 motor vehicles and 175,115 people were involved in these crashes
- 358 people died
- 29,412 people were injured
- On an average day in 2017:
- 215 crashes
- 1 death
- 81 injuries
- In 2017, alcohol caused:
- 4,418 crashes
- 113 deaths
- 2,389 injuries
Motor Vehicle Accident Statistics in St Paul MN
According to the same Office of Traffic Safety Report, in 2017, the city of St Paul on it’s own, not including suburbs or surrounding cities, experienced:
- 5,513 vehicle crashes
- 4,282 injuries resulting from crashes
- 12 fatalities from the car accidents
Common Causes of Motor Vehicle Accidents in Minnesota
Motor vehicle accidents are caused by something called negligence. Negligence refers to an act committed when someone fails to take proper care in a certain task. In this case, driving. With car accidents, motorcycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents, the driver of a passenger vehicle is almost always the at-fault party. Their negligence could look like:
- Texting while driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Failing to maintain their vehicle properly
- Not driving safely in a storm
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Not looking before merging or changing lanes
- Road rage or aggressive driving
- Speeding
In the case of truck accidents, there may be a third-party liable for your damages. Potential third parties include the trucking company, the truck rental company, the manufacturers, the loading team, and more. These parties can still act negligently and cause an accident. However, their negligence looks a little different. For example:
- If a trucking company overschedules a driver, resulting in them driving while exhausted
- If a trucking company fails to maintain its vehicles properly
- If the loading team doesn’t properly secure the weight or load the truck evenly
- If the manufacturer doesn’t properly test a part before distributing it
Common Injuries in Cases We Handle
Motor vehicle accidents can result in a wide range of different types of injuries, from minor to severe. Even those with minor injuries, such as soft tissue damage or broken bones, should consider hiring an attorney. Without an experienced motor vehicle accident attorney, you likely won’t receive the compensation to cover all of your damages.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
One of the most serious and common injuries that can result from a car accident is a traumatic brain injury. Car accidents have a way of causing people to hit their heads or have their heads jerk violently which are the principal causes of most traumatic brain injuries. These actions result in eponymous trauma that inflicts damage to the brain.
This damage to the brain can have serious consequences, such as cognitive impairment and susceptibility to complications that cause further damage. Traumatic brain injuries are known to cause permanent damage as well, which means that cases involving these injuries tend to be very high in value. As a result, insurance companies will fight these cases twice as hard since they have much more to lose. Common traumatic brain injuries include concussions, coup-contrecoup injuries, and diffuse axonal injuries.
Spinal Injuries
Blows to the back are commonplace in car accidents, and we see our fair share of cases involving these injuries. Trauma sustained by the back in car accidents has a chance to cause damage to the spine itself. The vertebrae that make up the spine can be knocked out of alignment or cracked, leading to a number of issues. Possibly the worst thing to happen is suffering damage to the spinal cord, which is encased by the vertebrae.
The spinal cord is a bundle of very sensitive nerves that run up and down the spine, transmitting sensory information to and from the brain. When the spinal cord is damaged either because of pressure caused by a herniated disc, or fractured/unaligned vertebrae, a person can suffer from a number of debilitating symptoms. These can include paralysis, incontinence, and other sensory issues.
Whiplash
People can be involved in an accident and feel fine that day only to develop symptoms later. One of the top injuries that are the cause of this phenomenon of delayed symptoms is whiplash. One of the most common kinds of car accidents is a rear-ending accident. They can cause a person’s head to jerk violently and cause damage o their neck leading to whiplash. Whiplash consists of damage to the nerves, muscles, and vertebrae in the neck that can take time to display symptoms because of the adrenaline rush caused by accident trauma.
Maximizing Recovery From Car & Truck Accidents
Insurance companies frequently delay settling injury claims. They know that as you recover, your memories about your current struggles and pain will fade. We work with clients to help them understand the nuances of battling the insurance industry to maximize compensation. We will guide you every step of the way as we prepare for the trial. A strong position at every stage of litigation is strong medicine in solving legal disputes over the harm you have suffered.
Types of Damages You Can Recover
After a motor vehicle accident, you’ll likely be saddled with all kinds of different bills. These are called “damages.” These damages can be economic (associated with a monetary value) or non-economic. Economic damages include medical bills, lost wages, and lost earning capacity. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement and scarring, and more.
While economic damages are calculated based on accumulating your bills and missed wages, non-economic damages are a bit more abstract. We’ll calculate these damages by looking at how much your daily life has changed since you were injured. The larger the change, the more compensation we’ll request for these damages.
Contact Experienced St. Paul Accident Lawyers
The personal injury lawyers at Sand Law have office locations in Saint Paul and White Bear Lake. We are conveniently located to meet your car accident and personal injury needs. To arrange a no-pressure consultation with a top-rated car accident attorney, please send us a message online or call 651-291-SAND. There is no fee unless we obtain compensation on your behalf.