Minnesota Car Accident Injury Lawyers
Every month, more than 3,140 people are injured in car accidents in Minnesota.
If it happens to you, dealing with issues such as insurance claims, medical care, compensation for lost wages, and property damage to your car can be a trying ordeal.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Minnesota?
The things you do after you get into a car accident in Minnesota matter. Keep these tips in mind to keep yourself safe and protect any legal claims that you may have for compensation.
Move away from the scene
Report the Accident
Seek medical attention
Refuse early offers
Talk to a Minnesota Personal Injury Lawyer
You don’t have to handle the stress of an auto accident alone. Our experienced legal team can help answer any questions you may have while offering you options for the next steps.
What Causes Car Accidents in Minnesota?
Every year, there are thousands of car accidents in Minnesota. Auto accidents happen for a lot of different reasons. There are certain factors that tend to contribute to crashes more often than others.
Common causes of car accidents in Minnesota include:
Distracted Drivers: Drivers who aren’t paying attention to the road are more likely than others to get into an accident. Texting and driving is one of the biggest causes in distracted driving car accidents, and these accidents are getting more scrutiny following Minnesota’s adoption of the “Hands-Free” laws.
Weather Conditions: In Minnesota, we have a variety of conditions that impact visibility and road conditions, making it more difficult to navigate a vehicle safely and see others on the road when it’s raining or snowing. Severe weather conditions can make roads unsafe.
Drunk Drivers: Alcohol is a factor in hundreds of injury-causing and fatal crashes in Minnesota. Serious injuries and even death can result from a driver that is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Additional penalties may be appropriate against a drunk driver that injures you.
Driver Fatigue: Fatigued driving can be just as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than drunk driving. In fact, fatigue can result when the driver does not get enough sleep. It can be similar to alcohol impairment.
Aggressive Drivers: Rushed or angry driving behaviors can make the roads unsafe. Speeding, failing to yield the right of way, tailgating, and making unsafe turns contribute to thousands of accidents every year.
Who Will Pay My Medical Bills?
This is one for the first questions we are typically asked. Minnesota’s no-fault insurance will pay up to $20,000 in medical bills, regardless of who caused the accident.
If you need surgery or hospitalization, that $20,000 will not last long. In Minnesota, you can sue the at-fault driver after your damages reach a certain threshold, such as accumulating at least $4,000 in medical bills, having a permanent injury or losing a certain number of days at work.
If the at-fault driver has no insurance or does not have enough insurance to cover your damages, you can collect from your own coverage for uninsured and underinsured motorists.
Car accidents often come with a devastating injury and even fatality. Some of the typical injuries we see after a serious car accident include:
- Whiplash and shoulder and neck complications that may be chronic and possibly permanent
- Amputations
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal and back injuries
- Physiological damage
In addition to possible lost wages, medical expenses, and rehabilitation costs, you could also be looking at additional expenses that are unexpected including hiring a nurse to help you with recovery, paying child care for your children, and attending therapy to deal with any issues of post-traumatic stress disorder. You should be compensated for all of your losses, not just your medical costs.
Minnesota’s No-Fault Insurance Rules
Everyone who owns a vehicle in the state of Minnesota must purchase auto insurance coverage. Insurance is the primary source of compensation after an accident. When you get into a car accident, you’ll have to seek money from your own insurance under the state’s no-fault insurance rules. This is true, even if someone else is responsible for the crash.
You can get the upper hand by hiring an experienced Minnesota personal injury lawyer. When you turn to Heimerl & Lammers for help, you can get the upper hand in negotiations. Insurance companies won’t be able to rely on their normal manipulative tricks and tactics. Instead, they’ll be forced to extend reasonable settlement offers or risk going up against our skilled injury lawyers in court.
Extremely prompt to answer questions and concerns. They are very knowledgeable and made me feel as though I was their only client. Highly recommended!
Angela Burckhard, September 2020
When I went to them I didn’t know what I was going up Against. But Ben and Marci helped me out with everything they kept me in the loop and never let me down they always had answers and they won my case. Thank you guys so much for everything!!!
Jessica Coyne, September 2020
I am really impressed with Heimerl & Lammers law firm and staff has been amazing. The commucation is wonderful, they get back to you in a timely manner.Truly cares about their Clients. I really couldn’t give them any higher recommendation of pure perfection.
Lucci Rosay, September 2019
Who Will Pay My Lost Wages?
Minnesota no-fault insurance will also pay up to $20,000 in wage loss benefits. However, it will only pay up to $250 a week. Our lawyers may be able to help you recover additional wage loss and other damages such as compensation for pain and suffering from the at-fault driver.
Our Lawyers Will Help Demand Money for All of Your Car Accident Injuries
No case is too small or too big for us to handle. We know that any injury can disrupt your life and it can be overwhelming. Our lawyers will help you fight to get compensation for your injuries, including: Amputation, Back injury, Broken bones, Burns, Chest injury, Concussion, Crushing injury, Degloving injury, Eye injury, Head injury, Neck injury, Paralysis, Spinal cord damage, Traumatic brain injury, Whiplash, Wrongful death, and more.
Contact our skilled Minnesota car accident lawyers to schedule a free consultation. If you can’t come to our office our legal team can come to you or we can set up a virtual appointment. We can meet you at home, at work, or even at the hospital while you recover.
Damages Are Available After a Minnesota Car Accident
Whether you’re pursuing compensation from a negligent third party or an insurance company, you can seek damages for the following:
Medical bills
Property damage
Pain and suffering
Lost wages and income
Disability
Reduced earning capacity
Loss of enjoyment of life, and more.
Our attorneys can help you understand what your case is worth, so you don’t settle for less compensation than you deserve.
How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Minnesota?
You won’t have an unlimited amount of time to pursue compensation after an accident in Minnesota. Typically, the Statute of Limitations for a personal injury claim is six years. If you have not settled your claim by the six-year anniversary of your accident you will need to bring your claim in district court to protect your rights.
Insurance Claim
If you want to collect insurance benefits, you’ll need to contact your insurance company relatively soon. If you do not have your bills submitted to your No-Fault insurance carrier within six months of receiving the bill they can refuse to pay the bill. The larger risk is that by not contacting your insurance company right away after the accident they may say you have violated your responsibilities under the contract and refuse to provide you benefits at all.
Personal Injury Lawsuit
In order to bring a claim against the at-fault driver, you need to satisfy some criteria to even be eligible to bring your claim. Most often this is proving that you have incurred $4,000.00 or more in medical bills, not including x-rays, have a permanent injury or scar, or have been disabled for at least sixty days. If you decide to file a lawsuit, you’ll have to do so within the applicable statute of limitations, as noted above. Minnesota allows you to serve a lawsuit on the at-fault driver without filing the paperwork with the court for a year, but if you miss the deadline to file the lawsuit with the court you will be barred from bringing your claim.
Government Claim
The most common claims against the government are when a state or city employee hits you while they are working. Most local jurisdictions require you to file a notice of the claim within 180 days of the incident to preserve your claim. It is in your best interest to submit your notice to the governing body as soon as possible.
Claims against the Federal government have even more restrictions under the Federal Torts Claim Act. Claims against the Federal government only have a two-year statute of limitations. These injuries most often occur near military bases in the state when military equipment is being moved. You need to be prepared to prove your entire claim at the outset by submitting everything you have to prove your claim and injuries at once to the Federal agency that caused your injury.
If you’re not sure how long you have to file a claim or to demand compensation for your injuries, our attorneys can help. Contact us to discuss your case as soon as you can.
Call Our Minnesota Car Accident Lawyers For Help
You’ve got enough going on after your accident without the added stress of an injury claim. Hiring an attorney can give you time to get better, while also putting you in the best position to get the money you deserve. Contact Heimerl & Lammers accident attorneys in Minnesota for immediate assistance after you get hurt in a crash.
Car accident claims can be complicated so don’t hesitate to call us for help! Your first consultation is free. When you call, our attorneys will review your case, explain your rights, and answer any questions that you might have.
When Should I Hire an Attorney?
We always suggest hiring a lawyer right away. Unless you have a dispute with the insurance company and need our help to receive compensation, our attorneys are not going to collect any fees. We will simply keep information in your file, answer your questions and monitor your case to ensure that all goes well.
We represent car accident victims throughout the Twin Cities and in western Wisconsin. We handle all instances of car related accidents including those caused by:
- Mechanical or servicing errors
- Errors in manufacturing
- Drunk driving
- Hit and run accidents
- Collisions
- Uninsured motorist claims
If you retain us to handle your personal injury claim, our lawyers will handle your auto damage claim for free.
Meet our Award Winning Car Accident Lawyers
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You are not alone
We Can Help.
The attorneys and staff at our firm take the time to actually listen to our clients. We will carefully explain the process you are facing and guide you through it while looking out for your best interests. We know that each client’s individual situation is unique and important to them. Therefore, we won’t treat your representation with the “cookie-cutter” approach other law firms seem to take.
If you need to speak with an attorney, contact us today. We can assist with a wide array of issues, including divorce, child custody, family law, personal injury, wrongful death, construction injuries, truck accident injuries, and workers’ compensation.
Get in touch with an attorney today.
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