Minnesota has made great strides in reducing the number of workplace-related injuries that occur every year. In fact, 2016 saw the lowest number of non-fatal workplace injuries since recording initially began in the 1970s.
When you are injured at work, you only have so much time to report an injury to your employer. Delaying the report could put your benefits in jeopardy. You should keep in mind that your employer cannot fire you for reporting a work-related injury.
You have been seriously hurt, perhaps in a car collision or from a fall on someone else’s property. You already know that you are in store for some tough times, but you would rather not be surprised. So, you want to anticipate potential “bad news” now as well as your options for making a physical and financial recovery. Exactly what could you be in for? When should you try to settle?
A motor vehicle accident can be very frightening, but the moments following a crash are often critical parts of reporting a property loss or even a personal injury claim. With some simple steps, you can preserve evidence of what happened. These steps are especially critical if the accident results in a personal injury claim.
1. Call the Police
We all know that parent who would send their teenage drivers out on the road in an army tank or an armored car if they could. Vehicle safety is a topic of interest to all motorists, but parents of newly licensed drivers are particularly concerned with the safety of the vehicles their children are driving.
Most of the statistics released on automobile safety come from two different entities: the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The IIHS sets tougher safety standards than NHTSA, although the ratings from both are worth monitoring.
With so much attention on car crashes, you may understandably worry about the risk of a collision. Driving is such an integral part of daily life that the likelihood of a crash is very real, and people are wise to learn and implement safety measures.
However, the group that also has reason to worry is pedestrians. Statistics from the Governors Highway Safety Administration show that pedestrian fatalities have increased each year since 2014 and make up 15 percent of total deaths from motor vehicle accidents. The CDC also notes that pedestrians have a greater chance than car passengers to die in an accident. Cars and seat belts offer some protection, whereas pedestrians are fully exposed to harm from vehicles.
Minnesotans who have visited California are likely familiar with “lane splitting,” the maneuver that Golden State motorcyclists use to combat the congested freeways. At first, a motorcycle whizzing past you as you sit in five lanes of traffic and coming within inches of your vehicle is a shock. After a few days on California highways, however, many out-of-state drivers get used to it.
Lane splitting is only legal in California, but as major metropolitan areas in other states wrestle with increased highway congestion for longer periods of the day, there is talk about legalizing lane splitting elsewhere. Lane splitting is illegal in Minnesota, but advocates have reached out to lawmakers requesting a change in the law.
As a Rochester area motorist, you are probably well aware of how often car accidents happen. Though you have not been in one, you should have a thorough understanding of steps you can take after one. Many car accident victims feel disoriented and shaken up after motor vehicle collisions. It is important for you to remain calm so you can make the right decisions to prevent further injury and damage.
Motor vehicle accidents often cause some degree of injury and property damage. Regardless of how minor or major any accident you may be in is, keep the following information in mind to improve the outcome.
Our associate, Andrea Niesen, was awarded to the "Minnesota Lawyer - Attorneys of the Year" for 2017 on November 22nd. Andrea Niesen is being heralded for her amicus work influencing state appellate decisions relating to the care of mentally ill and disabled patients.
Some people love driving at night because there is less traffic, but others dislike it because it is harder to see at night. Driving after sundown presents unique dangers. According to the National Safety Council, you are three times more likely to be in a fatal accident at night than during the day.
Why is driving in the dark so dangerous? Here are some reasons why you are more likely to be in a collision when you drive at night.
This is an important question most victims of auto collisions want answered early in their case. Be careful about the answer you get early on. Inexperienced injury lawyers, or those who want to impress you, might say you can recover a high amount to encourage you to hire them. But this is often not an easy question to answer early on. You should retain an attorney who will be straight with you, not exaggerate so you hire them.
Experienced injury attorneys know better than to speculate about any particular amount of money recovery when assessing the settlement or verdict value of a new case. Beware of anyone who tells you what your case is “worth” who has not first done a careful review of some key points. Insurers do not pay settlements to be “nice” or “fair” or to just “get the claim resolved.” They do not settle cases higher just because the lawyer asks for a high amount. They first look closely at every detail and will not put a settlement value on a case without a careful review of the following factors.
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Klampe Law Firm 975 34th Ave NW, Suite 400 Rochester, MN 55901 | Phone: 507-288-2447 | Fax: 507-288-4412 | Rochester Law Office Map
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