The Stages of a Personal Injury Claim
Personal Injury Lawyer Minneapolis MN
At Johnston | Martineau, PLLP, each Minneapolis, Minnesota personal injury lawyer handles a wide variety of cases, including automobile accidents, slip and fall accidents, dog attacks, wrongful death claims, and much more. When you retain the services of our firm, you can be assured that your personal injury lawyer has the experience necessary to get clients the maximum settlement for their injury and as fast as possible. The settlement will include compensation needed to help the recovery process including proper medical treatment and substitution for wages that cannot be earned in the interim. Contact our office to schedule a meeting with a Minneapolis MN personal injury lawyer to discuss your case.
In Minnesota, if a negligent third party harms you through their actions or inaction, you have the right to seek compensation from them for your damages. The state’s personal injury laws specify the circumstances under which you are eligible for restitution and we will leverage those laws in your favor. If your claim is not approved and a fair settlement is offered to you, your Minneapolis MN personal injury lawyer may advise that you consider filing a lawsuit. In that scenario, your case will take place in a civil courtroom.
Statute of Limitations
In Minnesota, injured victims of an accident caused by another party have only a limited period of time in which to file a claim. The clock starts from the day you realized you were injured or else were diagnosed with the injury. There is a grey area when a victim does not initially realize that their injury is more serious than originally thought, or their physician misdiagnosed the true nature of their injury. It’s best to contact a personal injury lawyer who can review the details of your case during the initial consultation which will be at no cost to you.
The Stages of a Personal Injury Claim
When you initially meet with your Minneapolis MN personal injury lawyer, they will ask you about your injury accident. The details will be very important. The objective perspective of an experienced legal professional can be invaluable in advance of filing an injury claim. What may on the surface seem like a straightforward case may be quite complex, especially when it comes to determining (and proving) who was responsible for harming you. Very often it will be “their” word against yours, and their insurance company will almost assuredly side with them in an effort to avoid paying a settlement.
In building your claim, your personal injury lawyer will need the contact information for any witnesses that were on scene at the time of the accident. In addition, they will need a copy of the police accident report and the medical diagnosis from the physician who treated you for your accident injury.
After submitting the completed claim to the at-fault party’s insurance company, your personal injury lawyer will respond according to the carrier’s actions. If they reject your claim, the reason given will be addressed and the claim will be resubmitted. If they offer a settlement amount that is too low, your personal injury lawyer will submit a counteroffer. The negotiation process will continue until the settlement offer is fair. If the carrier refuses to offer a fair settlement, we will be prepared to pursue litigation against them.
To learn more about how a Minneapolis MN personal injury lawyer from our firm can help you get the compensation you deserve, give us a call.
What Are Some Common Personal Injuries?
An experienced personal injury lawyer Minneapolis MN clients know and trust can tell you an extensive amount about the kinds of injuries that lead to claims. Personal injury claims result from accidents that can be attributed to someone else’s negligence, and quite a few fall into this category. Slip and fall accidents, medical malpractice, and motor vehicle accidents, for example, are all considered personal injuries.
Sometimes, a personal injury is more minor, and does not lead to permanent damage; other times, it is serious and possibly life-altering. It’s important that, after you’ve sustained any injuries in an accident, you first seek medical attention. Afterward, consider finding a personal injury lawyer Minneapolis MN knows and trusts.
Car Accident Injuries
As you may be aware, car and other motor vehicle accidents lead to the greatest number of personal injury cases in the United States. Typically, these accidents are the result of careless driving behavior — an instance of negligence for which the responsible driver can often be held liable, especially when financial and physical damages result. Finding a personal injury lawyer Minneapolis MN respects and seeks out after car accidents may help you receive compensation. This can aid in the recovery process, which can be substantial if you’ve ended up with any of the following common accident-related injuries:
- Head injury: Can range from mild to severe. If a head injury isn’t examined and treated by a doctor right away, it may lead to further complications. Treatments for head injuries depend on the severity. For example, if you suffered a mild concussion, proper rest might be all you need to make a full recovery. However, if you have a severe traumatic brain injury, surgery and rehabilitation may be required.
- Cuts and Scrapes: One of the more minor personal injuries, which rarely become serious, but should still be examined by a doctor and can still be part of your claim.
- Back Injury: Can lead to excruciating pain and make it difficult to move around. Severe back injuries can result in partial or full paralysis. It’s critical to see a doctor right away so that he or she can recommend the best treatment.
- Broken Bones: While unlikely to result in permanent disability, these injuries can make your life more challenging. For example, if you broke your leg and your job requires you to move around a lot, you might not be able to return to work for awhile.
Medical Malpractice
Your Minneapolis personal injury lawyer can explain that medical malpractice is any instance wherein a healthcare professional fails to provide a reasonably skilled and competent level of care to a patient, and that his or her negligence results in the patient’s injury.
Slip and Fall Injuries
When a property owner does not fulfill his or her legal duty to keep an area in reasonably safe order, and that failure to act makes it so you slip and fall, you may have a personal injury claim. Not all injuries that occur on another person’s property necessarily create a case of liability; it depends on the details of your case. A personal injury lawyer Minneapolis MN clients can trust will be able to explain the concept of premises liability to you, and determine whether you can hold someone else accountable for the pain you’ve had to experience.
Find the Right Personal Injury Lawyer in Minneapolis MN
Though certain kinds of injuries and accidents are common, those who were responsible through their negligence should still be held accountable. Consider getting in touch with us at Johnston | Martineau, PLLP to start working on your case. To learn more from an experienced personal injury lawyer Minneapolis MN clients recommend, call our office today.
