HIT BY CAR WHILE CROSSING THE STREET – MN INJURY LAWYERS
Our attorneys represent people who are injured while walking on the road or crossing the street. The most tragic cases happen when someone is crossing the street in the crosswalk and a distracted car driver doesn’t stop. When a pedestrian is hit by a car, the injuries are frequently severe. There may be major medical bills and future disability.
A car is a large heavy object. Any impact with a person, even at minimal speed, comes with enough force to cause serious injury. The impact will also push the person with enough force that they hit the ground hard. Most often, these accidents are caused by driver inattention or distraction. Sometimes the driver is on a cellphone or texting while driving, and sometimes the driver is just not paying attention.
However, in the StarTribune today, there was a prominent article discussing an increase in accidents caused by the person walking looking at a cellphone. For the first time this year, the National Safety Council added cellphone-distracted walking to its data of unintentional deaths and injuries. The council found that over a ten-year period more than 11,000 people were injured while walking and talking on their phones. Inattentive walkers take longer to cross the street. They are also more likely to ignore traffic lights or fail to look both ways. To see the whole article, click on this link.
DRIVERS HAVE TO WATCH FOR PEDESTRIANS USING PHONE
Of course, this doesn’t mean a driver can legally just run you over because you are looking at your cellphone while crossing the street. Drivers have a higher obligation to pay attention while driving and not hit people crossing an intersection. But we do want people to be aware of the danger of walking or running while using their phone, particularly if they are crossing a street.
If you are hit by a car while crossing the street in Minnesota, please call us. You will speak with an experienced lawyer for a free consultation. We handle injury cases throughout MN. Our attorneys will get the facts of your case and answer your questions. Most importantly, we make sure you are fairly compensated for your injuries.