If your car is struck from behind by another vehicle while traveling in Minnesota, the driver who hit you is likely responsible for causing the wreck. However, there may be circumstances in which you may be held liable for such an accident.
All motorists owe a duty of care to others
The person operating a vehicle following yours must do so in a manner consistent with state law. They must drive at a speed that is reasonable for existing road conditions. Furthermore, they must maintain the following distance that makes it possible to take evasive action if you must come to a sudden stop.
At the same time, you need to refrain from actions designed to confuse other motorists or bait them into causing a collision. For instance, you can’t hit the brakes if there is no reason to do so. Furthermore, you can’t put your vehicle in reverse if you know another car or truck is behind yours.
Both drivers may be negligent in allowing a rear collision to occur
Let’s say that you were forced to slow down to avoid a vehicle that made a sudden lane change. However, because your vehicle’s brake lights weren’t functioning properly, the person operating the car behind yours didn’t realize that your vehicle had almost come to a complete stop.
The driver who struck you from behind would likely be most responsible for the resulting motor vehicle accident in such a scenario. At the same time, you would likely be partially liable because you couldn’t indicate to that person that you were changing speeds.
If you are hurt in a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation. This may be true even if you are partially liable for allowing it to happen. A financial award may help cover medical bills and enable you to replace items damaged in the wreck or recoup other losses.