Car Accidents
St. Paul Car Accident Lawyer
In 2019, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, there were 80636 traffic crashes reported to the Department. 27,260 individuals were injured in these crashes, and there were 364 fatalities. The causes of automobile crashes are numerous including driver distraction and inattention, texting while driving, medical emergencies, weather, excessive speed, failure to maintain a proper lookout, and failure to properly maintain a vehicle, to name a few. Alcohol use was involved in over 4,100 of these crashes, resulting in 114 deaths and 2,176 injuries. On rare occasion, these crashes may arise from circumstances beyond one’s control. However, more often than not these collisions are due to the negligent, careless and illegal actions of bad drivers.
The O’Dea Law Firm/Richard O’Dea has represented hundreds of clients, drivers and passengers, who have been injured in a variety of automobile accidents including rear-end collisions, intersectional accidents, head-on collisions, and vehicle rollovers. Mr. O’Dea has recovered millions of dollars by way of settlement, arbitration and jury trials, on behalf of his clients who have been injured by negligent drivers.
If you have been in a collision involving a negligent driver, it is important that you act quickly to secure attorney representation. The other driver’s insurance company will act quickly to secure evidence on behalf of its insured, and oftentimes insurance companies, including your own, will attempt to get you to settle your claims quickly without the full extent of your injuries and damages being know.
TALK TO A ST. PAUL AUTO INJURY LAWYER BEFORE SPEAKING TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY
Do not sign anything presented to you by an insurance company, which purports to be a release of your claims, without consulting with an attorney. Even if you think your injuries are likely to resolve relatively quickly you are best advised to seek legal counsel so that your rights are protected. Also, do not forget to take photographs of your vehicle damage and any injuries you may have sustained, and make sure you get full identifying information regarding the other parties involved in the collision. These things should be given to your attorney at the time of your initial meeting if available.
In Minnesota your first source for payment of collision-related medical bills, wage loss, and certain other expenses will be from your own no-fault automobile insurer. If you do not have a policy of automobile insurance available to you, you may qualify for no-fault benefits through the Minnesota Automobile Assigned Claims Bureau. The Assigned Claims Bureau is a creation of the state legislature. The law requires insurers writing policies of insurance providing no-fault benefits coverage in Minnesota to share the responsibility of providing no-fault benefits to those who qualify for benefits under the requirements of the Assigned Claims Bureau.
Assuming no-fault benefits are available to you, either through a personal automobile insurance policy or the Assigned Claims Bureau, at a minimum you will have $20,000.00 coverage for reasonable and necessary medical expenses, and $20,000.00 coverage for wage loss and replacements services.
NEGLIGENT DRIVERS & CAR ACCIDENTS
If your automobile accident involved a negligent driver you will have a negligence/liability claim you can bring against that person, with coverage provided by the at-fault party’s insurer, if you satisfy one of the statutory thresholds for bringing such a claim under Minnesota law. Damages that can be pursued against the at-fault party include compensation for your past and future pain, suffering, and emotional distress, unpaid medical bills, future anticipated medical bills, past and future wage loss, any diminution of your earning capacity, and any loss of consortium that may be experienced by a spouse stemming from the accident. Other insurance coverages such as uninsured motorist (UM), underinsurance (UIM), umbrella coverage, and private health insurance may be available to you.
CONTACT THE O’DEA LAW FIRM TODAY TO SPEAK TO A PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY
If you have been injured in an automobile accident, call the O’Dea Law Firm for a free, no obligation consultation. Mr. O’Dea will assist you in navigating the complexities of the insurance system and obtaining fair compensation for your injuries and damages. His representation is on a “contingency fee basis” meaning you do not owe any fees unless and until a monetary recovery is made on your behalf.