Home

Top 3 Common Winter Auto Accidents and How to Avoid Them

It’s that time of year again. The temperatures have dropped, snow is falling, and road conditions are getting dicey. Winters in Minnesota and Wisconsin bring challenging road conditions. The Schroeder & Mandel team has some winter driving tips to help you stay safe on the road and avoid some common accidents.

Rear-end collisions

Rear-end collisions happen year-round but are much more common in winter months. Drivers often go too fast and don’t break correctly on slick, icy roads. During winter, we all need to drive slower on snowy or icy roads. We also need to leave more distance between the car in front of you and take care to accelerate and decelerate more gradually than you would during the rest of the year. Stay alert when driving, and stay constantly aware of the cars around you. Also, make sure your headlights are on as required by law and common sense.

Intersection collisions

5 Reasons to Work With a Personal Injury Attorney After an Accident

When you’re dealing with the physical and emotional aftermath of an injury, the last thing you want to worry about is navigating complex insurance and legal systems. 

That’s where an experienced attorney comes in. You should consider hiring a personal injury attorney if: 

• You’ve sustained a serious injury that wasn’t your fault 
• It’s unclear who is responsible for the accident, or the other driver denies responsibility 
• The accident may result in a permanent or long-term injury
• Your insurance provider is not covering all of your medical costs
• The insurance companies are pressuring you to settle within 6 months

While you focus on healing, your personal injury attorney will work toward getting you the compensation you deserve. 

5 benefits of hiring an experienced personal injury attorney

From auto and motorcycle crashes to wrecks involving semi trucks/trailers and workers’ compensation cases (and everything in between), hiring an experienced personal injury attorney to navigate your legal case has several benefits. 

Legal expertise isn’t the only thing to look for in an attorney. You’ll also want to be sure you’re working with an attorney who is caring, compassionate, and advocates for your best interests—someone who has “insider” experience from being an insurance claims adjuster and insurance company attorney. 

That’s where Schroeder & Mandel comes in, providing you with: 

1. Familiarity with the legal system

Every legal matter is different—personal injury cases are no exception. Plus, keep in mind that the person or entity who caused your injuries will have their own legal representation. 

Working with an attorney who knows the ins and outs of the insurance and legal system (and has prior “insider” experience as an insurance claims adjustor and insurance company attorney) increases the likelihood of receiving more compensation than with an attorney who doesn’t have this prior “insider” experience.

“As a lawyer myself, I knew it was important to get the right lawyer to help me through the maze of insurance forms, medical reports, and second opinions. Obtaining the compensation needed for my future medical expenses and wage loss required a committed tenacious advocate.” –C.B.

2. Negotiation with insurance companies on your behalf

Communicating with insurance companies can be complicated enough as it is. Add a personal injury claim into the mix, and you realize insurance claims adjusters are trying to get you to take a quick, cheap settlement.

An experienced personal injury attorney with “insider” experience with the insurance industry knows how to present your case to insurance companies in the best possible light. As a prior claims adjustor and insurance company attorney, we have “insider” knowledge that we can provide to you and your case to get the best possible outcome.

“S&M got me twice their initial offer, meaning that even after I paid for their services… I still received thousands of dollars more than I would have if I worked with the insurance company on my own.” –J.

3. A thorough investigation of your case

Sometimes, it’s clear who is at fault in an accident—a drunk driver, for example. Other times, who is at fault may be an issue. Or the insurance claims adjuster may try to put a percentage of fault on you and try to tell you that is the law.

For example, an employer may be held responsible for a lack of proper training or supervision, the owner of a vehicle may be responsible for a reckless driver’s actions while driving, or a business may be responsible for negligent maintenance and unsafe conditions.

There are countless scenarios like these, so working with an experienced attorney who has the tools and knowledge to investigate your case thoroughly early on is critical. Waiting will only cause more problems and may be detrimental to your case. 

“They fought for the absolute best outcome for me to cover all the car accident bills. They were very kind and extremely thorough. I highly recommend S&M” C.B.

4. Maximum compensation 

An experienced personal injury attorney with “insider” insurance company experience will be able to obtain compensation for you that you may not have even considered, including: 

• Lost wages due to missing time from work
• Getting your health insurance to cover your medical bills
• Compensation when you aren’t able to perform your daily household chores
• Possible punitive damages against a drunk driver
• Future medical bills as a result of your injury

“Thanks again for you and your team’s work on this. I added it up, and your office has helped me obtain $30,000 between medical and damages. That’s a lot more than I would have gotten had I just given up and not fought the system. So, thank you!” –B.B.

5. Peace of mind

When you experience an injury after an accident, your primary focus should be on healing—both physically and emotionally. Managing medical treatments and dealing with the emotional aftermath can take enough of a toll on their own; when you hire an experienced and compassionate personal injury attorney with “insider” experience, you can rest assured that your personal injury case is being handled with your best interest in mind.

“It does not feel like an exaggeration to say that Rick and his firm saved my life. While I knew I was entitled to more than what the insurance agencies were offering me, I had no idea of the extent of it. Rick and his team fought tirelessly for me for years. All the while, they kept me informed and gave me the best advice. I couldn’t be happier with the outcome, and I owe that all to them!” – K.S.

Work with Minnesota’s experienced, compassionate personal injury and auto accident attorneys.

A Driver’s Guide to Motorcycle Hand Signals

Riding a motorcycle is one of life’s purest joys. It’s just you and the open road. Plus, all the other drivers who are generally unfamiliar with how to share the road with motorcyclists. We’ve all seen the “Start Seeing Motorcycles” bumper stickers, but seeing is not enough. Knowing how riders communicate can help drivers anticipate what a single rider or group of riders will do next – and that knowledge may just avoid a catastrophic accident.

Motorcycle riders use these 16 common motorcycle hand signals to communicate with one another. They can also clue drivers into riders’ intentions so that everyone can share the road safely. Note: all signals will be performed with the left arm, as the right hand must stay on the throttle to keep the engine running.

Left Turn – When a rider stretches their left arm out with their palm facing down, it indicates they’ll be turning left ahead. Watch for them to slow down and allow them time and space to complete the turn safely.

Right Turn – A left arm bent upwards at 90º with a clenched fist indicates the rider will be turning right ahead. Again, watch for the rider to slow down and allow them time and space to complete the turn safely.

Stop – Motorcycle brake lights are bright red, but since they’re smaller than a car’s, they can be easier to miss. When a rider extends their left arm bent down at 90º with an open palm, they’re communicating that they’re coming to a stop. Please slow down and come to a complete stop with plenty of space between your vehicle and the bike.

Speed Up – If a rider wants fellow riders in their group to speed up, they’ll raise their left arm upward with their palm facing up. Note: they’re not telling you or other cars to speed up, just the riders in their group. If you see this motion, know the group will start accelerating.

Slow Down – This is another signal riders use to tell their group to adjust speed. In this case, a left arm moving downward with an open palm means the group will be slowing down. When a motorcyclist eases off the throttle, their bike will decelerate without engaging the brake light. If you see this hand signal, know the rider or group will slow down. If you’re following a rider or group, pay attention and match their speed to avoid a rear-end collision.

Follow Me – When people ride together, they maintain order by appointing and following a leader. From time to time, leaders will switch to allow for breaks. If you see a rider raising their left arm with the palm facing forward, a new leader will move to the front of the group. The other riders will allow the leader to take the lead position and may shift to allow for passing.

You Lead/Come – If a rider points directly to a fellow rider’s bike and then points forward, they’re assigning that rider to take the lead. Watch for the new leader to accelerate toward the front of the group. If you want to pass the group, please wait and allow time for this leadership transition to take place before you take action.

Road Hazard – Debris or damage on the road can be extremely dangerous to motorcycles, and riders may have to make quick maneuvers to avoid potholes, rocks, trash or any other road hazards. Riders will point with their left arm to indicate a road hazard to their left or their right foot to indicate a road hazard to their right (because their right hand must remain on the throttle). 

Single File – A left arm raised with the index finger pointed upward tells a group of riders to move to a single file line. If you see this gesture, riders will merge into a single line. Follow from a safe distance and allow this transition to take place before taking any action to pass by the group. 

 Double File – Similar to the single file signal, but with two fingers pointed upwards, this signal tells riders to move to ride two-by-two. They’ll separate into two lines and take up more space on the road. Follow from a safe distance and allow this transition to take place before taking any action to pass by the group.

 Comfort Stop – Riding a motorcycle is incredibly fun and exhilarating, but long rides can get uncomfortable. If someone in a group of riders needs a stretch break, they’ll extend their left arm and move their fist up and down. The group will stop on the shoulder or pull off the road when it’s safe to do so. If you see this signal, know the riders will be slowing down soon.

 Refreshment Stop – Riding is thirsty work, and it’s not easy or safe to drink while riding, though hydration packs with long drinking tubes certainly help! If a rider wants to stop for a drink or snack break, they’ll make a “thumbs up” gesture and point toward their mouth or helmet. If you see this signal, know the riders will be slowing down soon.

Turn Signal On – Fun fact about motorcycles: turn signals don’t turn off automatically the way they do in cars. Riders must turn the signal off manually after completing a turn, but it’s easy to forget. If a rider notices someone has left their turn signal on, they’ll extend their left arm and spread their fingers out repeatedly until the other rider understands.

Pull Off – Waving an upraised left arm with the index finger pointing indicates that a rider will be pulling off the road for something other than a refreshment or comfort stop. The group will take the next exit or pull to the shoulder as soon as it is safe to do so. Allow the group time to slow down and pull off safely.

While all drivers don’t have to be fluent in motorcycle hand signals, knowing the basics and understanding that riders are communicating with each other and fellow drivers helps keep the road safe for everyone. 

When in doubt, give riders space. There’s room on the road for us all.