Not Wearing Seat Belt In MN Car Accident Can’t Be Used Against You – MN Lawyers


PERSON INJURED IN MN AUTO ACCIDENT NOT WEARING SEAT BELT STILL HAS CASE

Seatbelts are mandatory in Minnesota.If you are caught driving without wearing a seatbelt you will get a ticket.

Our lawyers are often asked, ‘do I still have a case if I was injured in a MN car accident while not wearing a seatbelt?’ The short answer is yes, you still have a case.Evidence that you were not wearing a seat belt, or that a child restraint was not being used, cannot be used against you. Minnesota Statute 169.685(4) prohibits seatbelt evidence in any litigation involving personal injury or property damage,

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Car Accident Seatbelt Requirement

SERIOUS INJURY FROM NOT WEARING SEATBELT

Without question, seat belts save lives and reduce injuries. Our auto accident lawyers have represented many people who have greatly benefited from having a seat belt on at the time of a crash. However, we also have car accident cases where our client was not wearing a seat belt in. Unfortunately, not wearing a seatbelt can result in very serious injuries. In many of those cases, the other driver was clearly at fault.

Insurance companies would like to avoid paying compensation when the injury victim was not wearing a seat belt. So far, the MN legislature has determined that a distracted or negligent driver has to pay the damages for his or her bad driving, even if the damages would have been less had the victim been wearing a seat belt. However, the insurance industry has been lobbying for years to change this. They would like lack of seatbelt use to reduce the compensation they have to pay.

Our MN car accident attorneys only represent people injured in a car crash.In most cases, the accident is because of a distracted driver, drunk driver, or texting driver. We believe it would be wrong to reduce compensation awards for not wearing a seat belt.The negligent driver’s insurance should still pay medical bills and other necessary compensation.

If you are injured in a car accident in Minnesota, please call us and speak with a lawyer for a free consultation about your case.