If you or a loved one was injured in a Minnesota pedestrian accident, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Pedestrian accidents are much different than car accidents. While car accidents are sometimes deadly, pedestrian accidents are more often so, as they aren’t protected by a car’s exterior. Depending on how the pedestrian is hit, it can result in severe injuries or even death.
If you’ve suffered an injury as a pedestrian, you may be entitled to compensation. Collecting this compensation can be a difficult task. You’ll have to file a lawsuit against the potentially negligent drivers and even negotiate with insurance companies to make sure you get the amount you deserve. All of this can be much easier with an experienced attorney by your side.
How common are pedestrian accidents?
According to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), there were 5,977 pedestrians killed in traffic crashes in 2017. In total, there were 37,133 pedestrian accidents in 2017, meaning about 16% of the accidents resulted in fatality.
In Minnesota alone, there were about 1,000 pedestrian accidents in 2017. Of those 1,000 accidents, there were about 40 fatalities. That doesn’t seem like a lot, but on average, that amounts to about 3 pedestrian accidents every day, and over 3 deaths a month.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
There are so many variables when it comes to accidents. Time of day, time of year, potential impairment of the driver, broken stop lights or pedestrian lights, and many more factors. The NHTSA stated that 75% of pedestrian accidents were caused in the dark. This could mean that there weren’t proper street lights in the area, or that the driver was tired or not paying attention.
Additionally, 80% of these accidents occurred in urban areas while 20% took place in more rural areas. That makes sense since places with more streets, intersections, and overall activity had more accidents than places that are more spread out and have less major roads or highways.
Surprisingly, most pedestrian accidents didn’t occur at intersections. 73% of accidents didn’t occur at intersections, while 18% did. This means that these accidents that didn’t occur at intersections could be at crosswalks. The other 9% occurred in places like parking lots, bike paths, driveways, and other non-traffic areas.
Causes also include speeding, distracted driving, failing to yield, not stopping at traffic signals, and driving under the influence. All of these things are also common causes of car accidents, so you can see how they could be even more dangerous when a pedestrian is involved.
Common Pedestrian Accident Injuries
In pedestrian accidents, it’s common for the pedestrian to suffer injuries to their head, abdomen, chest, or head. Many of these injuries can come with complications or large medical bills.
Head trauma, or any injury involving the brain, can be cause for major concern. Head trauma can range from minor to severe, but these cases must be treated with care. Internal injuries, including bleeding, fractures of the rib, and bleeding of the brain are all common. Other injuries include pelvic injuries, spinal cord injuries, bone fractures, lacerations, or death.
The type of injury will depend on how the car hit the pedestrian and how fast the car was going at the time of impact. When a motor vehicle is operating at 15 miles per hour or less, the pedestrian is less likely to sustain any major injuries. However, if the car goes any faster, the injuries could become life threatening.
What damages can be recovered from a Pedestrian Accident?
In car accidents, you can receive damages for the repair of your car, but if you’re a pedestrian, there isn’t a car to repair. So, what exactly would you receive compensation for? As a pedestrian, you may recover damages for your past and future medical bills, past and future wage losses, and past and future pain and suffering.
This means that you could receive compensation for any past medical bills that you’ve already incurred, as well as any medical bills you may continue to have because of the injuries you sustained. This is also true for wage loss and pain and suffering. If your job required movement that you can no longer perform, you may be eligible for future wage loss compensation.
What should I do after a Pedestrian Accident?
There are a number of things you should do after being involved in a pedestrian accident. You’ll want to make sure that you record as much information as you can about the accident. Write down all of your losses, including wage and medical bill loss, and make any notes about any conversations you’ve had with involved parties. The next thing you’ll want to do is pursue an attorney familiar with pedestrian accident cases.
Contact Experienced Minnesota Pedestrian Accident Attorneys
Clearly, there are many factors in these accidents, which can make them complex to deal with in court. There will be a lot of negotiations involving insurance companies and the at-fault party. Thankfully, the lawyers at Sand Law in Minnesota are happy to take on your case and help you get the money that you deserve from your accident. For more information, contact us online or by calling 651-291-7263 to schedule a free consultation.