Careless drivers can alter the lives of pedestrians in pedestrian-vehicle accidents. At Hall Law P.A., we understand that recovery for a pedestrian can often be a long and difficult journey. If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident, our attorneys can help you with recovery, holding the responsible party accountable, and navigating the legal claims process. Contact us today for a free legal consultation near you.
Pedestrian-Vehicle Accident Statistics in Minnesota
Pedestrian accidents are common in Minnesota. Every year, the Department of Public Safety reports about 1,000 pedestrian accidents in the state. In 2019 alone, 50 pedestrians died and 984 suffered serious injuries in traffic accidents in Minnesota. The vast majority of these accidents (90 percent) occurred in urban areas, such as downtown St. Cloud. Almost one-third of these accidents (31 percent) occurred during rush hour on weekdays – in the mornings between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and the afternoons between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The majority of pedestrian accident deaths (60 percent) occurred while crossing the road in traffic.
Why Do Pedestrian Accidents Occur in St. Cloud & How Can a Lawyer Help?
Identifying the cause of your pedestrian-vehicle collision is one of the many tasks a lawyer can take care of for you. Your lawyer can return to the scene of your accident, reference the police report, obtain statements from eyewitnesses and work with pedestrian accident reconstructionists to piece together what happened. Determining the cause of your accident will be important if you plan to hold the at-fault party responsible for damages.
Common causes include:
- Drivers ignoring the right-of-way of pedestrians at crosswalks
- Drivers running red lights and rolling through stop signs
- Speeding or street racing
- Reckless driving, including driving while intoxicated
- Texting while driving or driving distracted
- Failing to pay attention to the road or see a pedestrian
- Backing up without looking
- Making an unsafe turn
- Making an illegal U-turn
- Swerving to avoid an obstacle or object
- Passing a school bus
Accidents in Minnesota that only cause minor injuries give the victim the right to file first-party insurance claims under the state’s no-fault law. If you have serious injuries, however, you can hold the at-fault driver or another party financially responsible for your losses. Although you will need to prove the other party’s fault for this type of claim to succeed, a third-party claim could result in greater compensation.
Who Is Liable for Your Pedestrian-Vehicle Accident?
If someone is held liable for an accident, it means he or she bears financial responsibility for it happening. In Minnesota, someone may be liable for an accident if he or she owed the pedestrian a duty to exercise reasonable care, breached (violated) this duty and caused the collision. If the pedestrian was injured as a result of the defendant’s breach of duty, the defendant may have to pay for losses.
Establishing liability for a pedestrian accident is necessary if you wish to hold someone else accountable. In most pedestrian accident cases, a driver is liable for damages due to carelessness or recklessness behind the wheel, such as breaking traffic laws. Other liable parties could include the city or state government for a roadway defect, a construction company for a dangerous construction site, or a property owner for a defective sidewalk. Keep in mind, however, that you will only be able to hold someone else liable for your accident if it caused serious injuries.
Contact Hall Law P.A. Today
If you or a loved one has been injured in a serious pedestrian-vehicle accident, contact the St. Cloud injury attorneys at Hall Law P.A. for a free consultation. We can help you with all of the legal elements of your claim while helping you find peace of mind during this difficult time. Call (800) 292-1979 or submit a query online today for your initial case evaluation.