Blaine, MN, Car Accident Lawyer

Different Types of Injuries in Car Accidents

Our car accident lawyer in Blaine, MN, can file legal claims for a variety of injuries.

Preliminary data from the National Safety Council (NSC) shows that as many as 42,060 people are estimated to have died in motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. in 2020. The estimated rate of death on the roads in 2020 spiked 24% over the previous 12-month period, despite miles driven in 2020 dropping 13%. This increase in the rate of traffic deaths is the highest estimated year-over-year jump in 96 years, according to the NSC.

An estimated 4.8 million additional roadway users were seriously injured in car and truck accidents nationwide in 2020, and the estimated cost to society was about $474 billion, according to the NSC. There are several types of injuries that commonly occur in traffic accidents. Some of these include:

• Concussions
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Neck and back injuries
• Broken bones
• Cuts, abrasions, and lacerations
• Internal bleeding
• Organ damage
• Burns
• Puncture wounds
• Paralysis
• Wrongful death.

Some common causes of vehicle crashes include:

• Speeding
• Drunk driving
• Distracted driving (texting, talking on the phone, adjusting the radio, etc.)
• Failure to follow rules of the road
• Illegal lane changes
• Running through traffic lights and stop signs
• Ice, snow, rain, and inclement weather
• Vehicles with manufacturing defects.

Types of Damages You May Be Entitled To

Damages refer to the money you get as an injured party in a personal injury case. There are three types of damages you can receive after a car accident. These are economic, non-economic, and punitive.

Economic damages refer to any tangible losses you have suffered because of an accident. These damages are more concrete since they can be documented and are easier to calculate. Medical expenses are some of the biggest economic damages awarded. Other types of economic damages include lost wages or property damage.

Non-economic damages are subjective and relate to harm you suffered that doesn’t come with a receipt. These damages include emotional distress, pain and suffering, disability, or disfigurement.

Punitive damages are given by the court if you can prove gross negligence. Punitive damages aren’t awarded in every case and are designed to prevent others from exhibiting similar negligence as the defendant.

Steps to Take after an Accident

When hurt after a car accident, you may not immediately think about protecting your rights. Following these steps can help you make sure that you are prepared to file a claim after a crash. Working with a Blaine, MN, car accident lawyer can make sure that you get compensation you need after an accident.

Get Help

If you or someone else is injured, you should call 911 to get immediate medical help. If there aren’t any injuries apparent, you should still call the police in order to get an accident report.

Seek Medical Treatment

Even if you don’t think you have suffered injuries, go to the emergency room after the accident or see a doctor. Some injuries won’t show up right away. You will want to have documentation from a medical professional to show a link between your injuries and the accident.

Document Evidence

You likely already know to get contact and insurance information, but it’s also important to document as much as you can from the accident scene. This should include contact information for witnesses, photos of injuries and vehicle damages, where and when the accident took place, and detailed notes about what you remember about this accident. The notes should include moments right before the accident and what happened afterward. Your memory can be a little hazy after an accident, so getting as much evidence as you can will be of help to your Blaine, MN, car accident attorneys.

Contact a Blaine, MN, Car Accident Lawyer

Even if you think the accident is minor, it’s a good idea to speak with an attorney before you talk with the insurance company or before you accept any settlement offers. Insurance companies typically will make a fast settlement, and this amount is usually lower than what you are entitled to. If you accept the first offer, then your claim will be over even if you later realize the amount doesn’t cover all of your damages.

Minnesota Shared-Fault Rules

Blaine car accident claims follow a “modified comparative negligence” rule.

Some states, including Minnesota, follow a rule known as modified comparative negligence. This means the law recognizes that in many situations, more than one person may be at fault for an accidental injury. The court will determine the amount of fault that belongs to each party based on the facts in a case. As long as your share of the fault is 50% or less, you will be entitled to collect some amount of damages for your injury.

An example can help explain this. You are in a hurry to make it to work on time so you are driving 50 mph, which is 10 miles over the posted 40 mph speed limit. You are otherwise following all the correct traffic rules and signs. You get to an intersection, where you don’t have a stop sign but cross traffic does. Your car is hit by a truck that crosses the intersection before stopping at their posted stop sign.

In this example, you are over the speed limit, but the other driver didn’t stop at the stop sign. During the claim, it’s determined you are 25% at fault but the truck driver is 75% at fault. If the total damages for the accident are calculated to be $80,000. You are entitled to 75% of this amount, so your total value of compensation would be $60,000.

If you have additional questions about the particular facts in your case and how fault might be determined, talk to a skilled and experienced Blaine car accident lawyer at Tyroler Leonard Injury Law.

How Do You Prove Negligence in a Car Accident Lawsuit?

In a Blaine car accident lawsuit, your attorney will need to prove that the other party acted negligently when they caused the accident in which you were injured. A defendant can be a person, a business, an insurance company, a government entity, or any combination of these.

To prove negligence, your attorney will have to prove four elements in your lawsuit. These include:

1. Duty
The defendant owed the plaintiff a legal “duty of care” to ensure that an environment or location was safe.

2. Breach
A plaintiff must show that the defendant breached this duty by doing, or failing to do, something that a reasonable person would have done in a similar situation.

3. Causation
A plaintiff must show that the defendant’s actions, or inaction, caused the injuries to another person.

4. Damages
Damages means that there’s a monetary way of compensating a plaintiff for their injuries and property damage.

Choosing the Best Blaine Car Accident Attorney

Skill, experience, and a track record of success make all the difference.

Choosing the right Blaine car accident lawyer is one of the most important decisions you will make. Some attorneys have more experience, skill, and determination than others. Attorney Isaac Tyroler and Attorney Rachel Sperling Leonard are among the best and the brightest. They are compassionate with clients and understand that many have been through traumatic experiences. At the same time, they are aggressive negotiators and fierce litigators. We take each case personally and are entirely focused on getting our clients the justice they deserve. We are not afraid to go toe-to-toe with insurance companies to negotiate a favorable settlement or litigate a case in front of a judge and jury when necessary. We will not stop until we have achieved the best possible outcome for every client. To learn more about what our satisfied clients have to say, you can read these client testimonials.

Contact Our Blaine Car Accident Lawyer Today

If you’ve been injured in a car accident and need help getting the compensation you deserve, Tyroler Leonard Injury Law can help. We have a track record of success in holding careless drivers accountable for the injuries and harm they cause. We represent all our clients aggressively and fight for their rights. To find out more about how we can help, call us for a free initial consultation at 651-259-1113.