ACCIDENT INJURED ON SNOWMOBILE – MN LAWYER
As it gets closer to Christmas break, our children are getting more anxious about the lack of snow. We have had a family tradition of snowmobiling during Christmas break since the children were very young. Now that they are teenagers and can drive the big snowmobile, they look forward to it even more.
But as much as we love snowmobiling, as accident injury lawyers we know that it can be a dangerous activity. Snowmobiles can go very fast and are low to the ground (i.e. hard for cars to see). Most importantly, a snowmobile offers almost no protection in case of a crash.
TYPES OF SNOWMOBILE ACCIDENTS IN MN
Of the eight Minnesota snowmobile accident deaths last year, there was alcohol or drugs involved in five of them. Only one of the eight death cases involved a snowmobile being struck by a car. The other seven were either because of a snowmobile falling through the ice or hitting a stationary object. The DNR does not break out causes of injured on snowmobile accident cases.
However, in our attorneys’ experience, reckless driving is the number one cause of a snowmobile accident. In some cases, the snowmobile tipped. In other cases, the snowmobile crashes into a stationary object. Our MN snowmobile accident lawyers also see too many injury cases where a snowmobile collides with another snowmobile or is hit by a car or truck.
YOUR RIGHTS AFTER A SNOWMOBILE ACCIDENT INJURY – MN LAWYER
Every year our attorneys get calls from potential clients asking what their rights are after they have been injured in a snowmobile accident in MN. Their snowmobile was hit by a car or another snowmobile. Many times, they were a passenger on a snowmobile and the driver caused the accident. If you were hit by a car or truck on your snowmobile, our injury lawyers will make sure you are compensated by the driver’s automobile insurance. You will also be entitled to No-Fault benefits for your medical bills and lost wages.
If you are hit by another snowmobile or are injured because you are a passenger and your driver caused the accident, you may be entitled to compensation. This can come from the driver’s snowmobile insurance or possibly their homeowner’s insurance. These cases usually require a thorough investigation, so you should call us and speak with a snowmobile accident lawyer soon after the accident.
If you are driving your snowmobile and you cause the accident, you generally will not be able to receive any compensation for your injury. (Although your health insurance will still apply.) However, if there is a car involved in your snowmobile crash, you may be able to get no-fault automobile benefits to pay for your medical bills and lost wages. This may be available even though you were on a snowmobile and even though you were the one at fault. Please call our top MN snowmobile accident injury lawyers for a free consultation if you are on a snowmobile in MN and are injured because of a car or truck.
SNOWMOBILE ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF SOMEONE’S PROPERTY
The DNR has mapped snowmobile trails throughout MN. However, they do not necessarily check all of the trails for safety. Some snowmobile accidents can be caused because of a defective or hidden condition on another person’s property. Again, these are complicated cases that require a thorough investigation. Therefore, you should call and speak with a snowmobile accident injury attorney in MN as soon as possible after your accident.
BEING HIT OR RUN OVER BY A SNOWMOBILE
There are also accidents where someone is run over or hit by a careless snowmobile driver or a drunk snowmobile driver. The insurance company will usually try to place at least part of the blame on the person who was run over or hit by the snowmobile. Again, our MN snowmobile accident attorneys have found that early investigation can be crucial to proving these cases. There can be substantial injuries from being hit by a snowmobile.
Pam Rochlin and David Rochlin are Minnesota personal injury attorneys with more than 25 years’ experience. We have successfully handled hundreds of accident cases, including being injured in a snowmobile accident in MN. Pam is a former partner at Meshbesher & Spence, and offers small firm attention to her clients.
If you have been injured in a snowmobile accident, our lawyers can meet you to discuss your case at our offices in Edina, Woodbury and Minneapolis. An attorney from our office can also meet at your home to discuss your snowmobile accident injury in St. Paul, Brainerd MN, Rogers, and Elk River MN. Also, St. Cloud MN, McGregor, Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park, Chanhassen, Chaska, Forest Lake and other cities throughout MN. We will always provide you with a free initial consultation. Further, we never charge anything unless we are successful in getting you compensation for your injuries.