In previous blogs we have written about how distracted or impaired driving is a leading cause of collision. But is also a leading cause of pedestrian and bicycle injuries and deaths. These accidents happen with a frequency that is alarming. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) calculates that in any given year, approximately 587 pedestrian and bicycle operators are killed in the United States because of distracted drivers.
At our offices, we are familiar with these statistics and have represented numerous individuals and families who have had family members injured or killed while walking or riding a bike. Often these collisions happen while a pedestrian or bicyclist is walking or riding next to the roadway in an area designated for their use or crossing the street in a designated crosswalk. When struck by a vehicle while bicycling or walking, you have very little personal protection, and most collisions result in a catastrophic or fatal injury.
Insurance issues are also confusing in this area of the law. For example, if the person struck is a Minnesota resident who owns and insures a motor vehicle, that motor vehicle coverage may provide the first level of medical and funeral benefits to the injured person. In North Dakota, however, those medical and funeral benefits are most often paid for by the striking vehicle. At the Vogel Law Firm, we have decades of experience helping our clients maximize their insurance recoveries.
Schedule A Free Consultation Today
If you have been injured or a family member has been killed while riding a bicycle or while walking, our Personal Injury Attorneys are here to help you every step of the way. Call our office at 701-237-6983 or contact us online at www.vogellaw.com to schedule a consultation.
H. Patrick Weir Jr. and Briana L. Rummel, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Attorneys