South Dakota Motor Vehicle Accident Attorneys
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a South Dakota traffic accident, you must act quickly to protect your legal rights. You may be entitled to substantial compensation for your economic and noneconomic damages. Serious and catastrophic injuries can have life-time costs in the millions of dollars, and you only get one chance to recover the compensation that must sustain you and your family in the years to come. The South Dakota auto accident lawyers in this directory are here to help.
2014 South Dakota Traffic Accident Facts
According to the South Dakota Department of Public Safety (SDDPS), in 2014:
- 17,346 traffic accidents were reported
- 5090 people were injured
- 136 were killed, 30 of those were wearing a safety restraint
- 22.2% of fatal accidents involved drivers who had been drinking
- Alcohol-related crashes injured 583 people and killed 47
Driver Negligence South Dakota Motor Vehicle Accidents
Driver negligence is a contributing factor in the majority of traffic accidents. Common forms of driver negligence include:
- Distracted driving, including texting and talking on the phone
- Failure to yield
- Driving too fast for the conditions
- Speeding
- Following too closely
- Fatigue
- Intoxication
- Overcorrecting or over-steering
- Failure to stay in the proper lane
- Failure to use turn signals
- Driving on the wrong side of the road
- Running red lights and stop signs
Other Causes of South Dakota Motor Vehicle Accidents
Some accidents are not the fault of a driver. Defective vehicles and roadway defects can and do cause serious accidents. Both can cause injuries to be worse in the event of an accident with another cause. It is not always obvious that a defective roadway or vehicle was the cause of an accident or injuries.
Your South Dakota motor vehicle accident lawyer will thoroughly investigate your accident to determine if a defective vehicle or a roadway defect was involved and pursue all avenues of compensation for you.
Time Limits
The statute of limitations for personal injury in South Dakota is three years. That means you have three years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit. If you must sue a government entity, you must give notice of intent to sue within 180 days of your accident.
If you have been injured in a South Dakota motor vehicle accident or lost a loved one in a fatal crash, please browse our directory to speak to one of the experienced South Dakota car accident lawyers profiled on this website.