Minneapolis Personal Injury Lawyer

 
We hope these answers to commonly asked questions are helpful.  If you have additional questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 651-259-1113.  The initial consultation is free.

Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims in Minnesota

In most cases, the statute of limitations for a personal injury claim is six years in Minnesota.

The 6-year statute of limitations for Minnesota personal injury lawsuits can be found at Minnesota Statutes section 541.05.  There are a few scenarios in which the “clock” on the statute of limitations might be delayed.  These include:

• If the injured person under is the age of 18, then the statute does not run until the later of 6 years or the person turns 19 years old.
• If the injured person is legally insane, then the clock won’t start running until the period of legal disability is over (mental competence is restored).  However, this filing deadline won’t be extended beyond five (5) years; and once sanity is restored, the suit must be filed within one (1) year. (Minnesota Statutes section 541.15.)

Additional Tyroler Leonard Injury Law Case Victories

Let’s take a look at additional personal injury cases that our attorneys have successfully handled.  We always put our clients first, and we make sure they are protected and listened to throughout the process.

• $900,000 Settlement For A Man Who Was Badly Injured In A Minnesota Car Crash And Suffered Numerous Injuries.
• $862,500 Settlement For A Man Who Suffered Significant Hip Injuries In A Wisconsin Car Crash.
• $608,000 Verdict For A Woman Who Had Low-Back Surgery After A Minnesota Car Accident. The Insurer Offered $26,000 Before Trial.
• $325,000 Settlement For The Family Of A Man Who Was Killed On A Motorcycle When A Semi-Truck Made An Illegal U-Turn. The Insurer For The Truck Denied The Claim For Two Years Until After Numerous Depositions, Only Settling Well Into Litigation.
• $275,000 Settlement For A Man Who Fell In A Poorly Maintained Parking Lot Covered In Ice, Requiring Multiple Shoulder Surgeries.
• $220,000 Settlement For A German National Who Broke His Wrist After Slipping On Ice And The Property Owner Stopped De-Icing Services.
• $180,000 Minnesota Dog Bite Settlement For A Girl Who Was Attacked And Had Facial Scarring.

What the above numbers and case descriptions show is that Tyroler Leonard Injury Law knows how to win financial compensation for personal injury clients who have been wronged and suffered because of someone else’s negligence, and in a variety of situations.

Minnesota Shared-Fault Rules

Minneapolis personal injury claims follow a “modified comparative negligence” rule.

Some states, including Minnesota, follow a rule known as modified comparative negligence.  This means the law recognizes that in many situations, more than one person may be at fault for an accidental injury.  The court or jury will determine the amount of fault that belongs to each party based on the facts in a case.  As long as your share of the fault is 50% or less, you will be entitled to collect some amount of damages for your injury.

Let’s take a look at an example that illustrates this rule.  Suppose you’re walking in a store parking lot while texting on your phone, and you slip and fall after stumbling over a large crack in the asphalt that you didn’t see.    Eventually, it’s determined that you are 10% at fault for the accident, and the store is 90% at fault.  Let’s say the total damages for the accident are calculated to be $300,000. Under Minnesota’s comparative fault rule, 10% (the percentage of fault assigned to you) will be subtracted from that $300,000.  This means you may collect 90% of the total, or $270,000.

If you have additional questions about the particular facts in your case and how fault might be determined, talk to a skilled and experienced Minneapolis personal injury lawyer at Tyroler Leonard Injury Law.

How Do You Prove Negligence in a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

In a personal injury lawsuit, your attorney will need to prove that the other party acted negligently when they caused the accident in which you were injured.  Whether it’s a car accident, motorcycle crash, slip and fall, or another harmful event, our legal team will represent you aggressively.  A defendant can be a person, a business, an insurance company, a government entity, or any combination of these.  To prove negligence, your attorney will have to prove four elements in your lawsuit.  These include:

• Duty
  The defendant owed the plaintiff a legal “duty of care” to ensure that an environment or location was safe.
• Breach
  A plaintiff must show that the defendant breached this duty by doing, or failing to do, something that a reasonable person would have done in a similar situation.
• Causation
  A plaintiff must show that the defendant’s actions, or inaction, caused the injuries to another person.
• Damages
  Damages means that there’s a monetary way of compensating a plaintiff for their injuries and property damage.

Different Types of Injuries We See

Personal injury lawyers in Minneapolis, MN file legal claims for a variety of injuries.

Several types of injuries fall under the definition of a “personal injury” claim.  Personal injury is a practice area in which victims seek financial damages for the harm they’ve suffered because of someone else’s negligence or recklessness.  Some of these accidents and injuries include:

• Wrongful Death
  A wrongful death lawsuit is a type of personal injury in which the victim died due to someone else’s negligence.
• Brain Injuries
  Traumatic brain injuries, severe concussions, and other types of head injuries can have severe, life-altering consequences.  Injuries can include damage to brain cells, memory loss, cognitive impairment, loss of speech or hearing, reduced motor skills, and a wide variety of other damage.
• Dog Bites
  Injuries from dog attacks also fall under the personal injury umbrella.  Dog owners who fail to properly train or supervise their dogs can be held liable when their canines attack a person, causing injuries or death.
• Car Accident, Truck Accident, or Motorcycle Accident
  Car accidents, truck accidents, and other vehicle crashes are some of the most frequent personal injury claims we see.  That’s because crash victims frequently suffer significant injuries.
• Work Injury
  Getting injured at work is another common type of personal injury claim.  Whether falling from scaffolding, getting crushed by machinery, or suffering chemical burns, these on-the-job injuries can have devastating consequences.
• Product Liability
  Defective products can result in burns, lacerations, choking, and other harm to consumers.  Product manufacturers can be held legally liable for injuries due to defects in the products they make.
• Slip and Fall Injuries
  Slip and fall injuries typically happen when a victim slips on a wet floor, uneven pavement, or cluttered aisle in a store, hotel, parking lot, amusement park, concert venue, or other public location.  Falls often result in fractures, concussions, TBI, bleeding, and other injuries.

Whether your injuries are moderate or life-threatening, they have clearly interrupted your daily living, caused unanticipated expenses and setbacks, impaired your ability to earn an income, and reduced your quality of life.  The legal system has ways of compensating you for all that you have lost.

Common Factors in Personal Injury Accidents

Several factors can lead to a vehicle crash or personal injury accident  – sometimes it’s human error, product malfunction, an unsafe environment, or a combination of all of these.  Some common causes of Minneapolis personal injury accidents include:

1. Defective Products

Manufacturers who make or sell products with dangerous defects or broken parts can cause harm to adults and children.

2. Dogs That Are Not on Leashes

Dangerous or poorly trained dogs can cause devastating attacks and severe dog bites.

3. Alcohol and Drug Use

A driver who is drinking alcohol or using drugs significantly increases the likelihood of crashes on the road.

4. Inexperience and Inattention

Sometimes drivers in car and truck accident cases are inexperienced or don’t even have a valid driver’s license.  Amusement-park operators, restaurant staff, and store clerks can also be poorly trained.

5. Weather

Sometimes slip and fall accidents or car crashes can be compounded by inclement weather, including snow, rain, sleet, wind, or fog.

6. Roadway Conditions

Construction zones and poorly maintained roads with potholes, gravel shoulders, and other problems can spell danger for motorists.

7. Clutter in Store Aisles

One of the most common causes of slip and fall accidents in retail establishments are display, clutter, or wet floors in store aisles.

These are just a few examples of situations that can contribute to personal injury lawsuits.  There are many others.

Contact a Minneapolis, MN Personal Injury Lawyer Today

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation.  This is especially true if you were injured due to someone else’s recklessness or negligence.  A skilled and experienced Minneapolis personal injury lawyer at Tyroler Leonard Injury Law can help.  We have assisted countless clients in getting the justice they deserve.  You don’t have to endure this alone.  To find out more about how we can help, call us for a free initial consultation at 651-259-1113.