Injuries from automotive accidents can result in life long pain, suffering, physical and mental trauma and more. The Saint Paul car accident attorneys at TSR Injury Law have represented numerous car accident victims, helping them recover fair compensation for their damages. Some of our recoveries include $475,000 for a client who was rear-ended by an SUV and $350,000 for an accident victim who was paralyzed.
TSR Injury Law co-founder and managing partner Steven Terry is a member of The National Trial Lawyers Association – Top 100 and has been included in Super Lawyers each year since 2014.
We offer Minnesota car accident victims a free consultation where they can talk about the accident and learn if they may be able to seek compensation. The consultation is confidential, and you are under no obligation to hire our firm. There are no legal fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
Set up a free consultation by calling (612) TSR-TIME. We can be reached anytime, day or night.
How Do I Know if I Have a Valid Saint Paul Car Accident Case?
If your accident was caused by another driver’s negligence, you may be eligible to pursue compensation for your damages. However, proving negligence can be complicated. There are four elements:
- Duty of care was owed – The other driver must have owed you a legal duty to act as a reasonable person would in a similar situation. For example, reasonable drivers avoid tailgating other vehicles because it can increase the risk of a rear-end accident.
- Breach of duty of care occurred – Your St. Paul car accident lawyer must show evidence of a duty of care being breached by the other driver. There are many examples of negligent behavior, from drunk driving and speeding to texting and driving and driving while drowsy.
- Causation – This refers to the connection between the breach of the duty of care and the victim’s injuries. Our attorneys must directly link these two things. This may involve disproving claims from the other side about why the accident happened.
- Existence of damages – The accident must have caused some sort of physical or financial harm to the victim. For example, accident victims are often unable to work while they are recovering, resulting in lost wages. They also have medical expenses for their treatment.
Our qualified lawyers have many years of experience building negligence cases against other drivers. If you have questions about whether you may have a case, contact our team of legal professionals today.
How Much Time Do I Have to File an Auto Accident Lawsuit in Saint Paul, MN?
Car accident cases are usually resolved through an insurance company settlement. Insurance companies have deadlines for filing claims and if victims miss the deadline, they may lose the chance to pursue insurance compensation. That is why it is important to contact an attorney as soon as possible, so he or she can get started on your claim.
There is a separate deadline for filing a car accident lawsuit – generally two years from the date of the accident. There are exceptions to this deadline in certain situations. For example, Minnesota’s discovery rule says victims have two years from the date they discover an injury to file a claim.
However, Minnesota has strict requirements on when car accident victims can file a lawsuit. Unless you have a minimum of $4,000 in medical bills or had a disability, permanent injury or permanent disfigurement for at least 60 days, you cannot file a lawsuit over damages from a car accident.
The deadline for taking legal action is a complex issue that should be discussed with a licensed attorney.
Schedule a free consultation with a Saint Paul auto accident attorney. (612) TSR-TIME
What is a Saint Paul Car Accident Claim Worth?
The value of a claim depends on the specific damages suffered and how long they may affect the victim. Damages from a car accident can generally be divided into two types: economic and non-economic damages.
Out-of-pocket costs can be referred to as economic damages. Some of the out-of-pocket costs after an injury can include medical expenses, lost wages from missing work, loss of earning capacity, future lost wages and property damage.
Medical expenses refer to the current and future costs of treating your accident injuries. For example, the cost of surgical procedures, medical tests, rehabilitation, stays at the hospital, and prescription medications.
Non-economic damages are the physical and emotional aspects of an injury. For example, victims may suffer mental distress, lost companionship, lost enjoyment of life and physical pain.
Our experienced attorneys are here to answer your post-accident legal questions.
Can I Be Liable if I Was Partially to Blame for the Accident?
You may still be able to recover compensation for an accident where you were partially at fault. However, it will depend on your percentage of fault.
Minnesota’s comparative fault law says accident victims who are at least 51 percent at fault for an accident cannot recover compensation. Anyone with less than 51 percent fault will see their compensation award reduced by their percentage of fault. This means an award of $20,000 would be reduced to $18,000 if the victim was 10 percent at fault.
If you think you were partially at fault, but another driver bears most of the blame, call TSR Injury Law for a free consultation.
Does Car Insurance Cover Accident Damages in Minnesota?
Minnesota is one of a handful of states that uses a no-fault system to assign financial liability for a car accident. If you are injured in an accident, the first place you should turn for compensation is your own insurance policy.
You are required to have personal injury protection (PIP) coverage to pay for out-of-pocket expenses from a car accident, no matter who was at fault. PIP provides compensation for:
- Medical expenses for your medical treatment
- Cost to hiring a housekeeper to perform household chores you cannot do because of your injury
- Lost wages from missing work
- Funeral bills if the policyholder was killed in the crash (these policies provide a maximum of $2,000)
Drivers in Minnesota must buy a minimum of $40,000 in PIP coverage for each person injured in an accident. Half of this coverage is for medical bills and the other half is for lost wages and replacement services.
Our Saint Paul car accident lawyers may also be able to pursue compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance policy. At minimum, the other driver is required to have $30,000 per person in liability coverage, $60,000 per accident and $10,000 to cover property damage.
If you have a case and hire our attorneys, we are prepared to pursue the full value of your damages. We have many years of combined experience reviewing insurance policies to determine coverage that may apply to an accident victim’s damages.
TSR Injury Law offers a free consultation. Call today to discuss your accident. (612) TSR-TIME
What About Claims Against Uninsured Saint Paul Drivers?
The driver who hit you might not have insurance coverage or he or she might not have enough to cover the full value of your damages.
That is one of the reasons why it can be so important to have trusted legal representation after an accident. Our St. Paul auto accident lawyers may be able to pursue compensation from your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. These claims can be complex, but our attorneys know how to determine when this option may be available.
If the other driver in your accident does not have insurance, call us to discuss the situation.
What Are The Benefits of Hiring an Experienced Saint Paul, MN Attorney?
The damages from a car accident could last a long time, even the rest of your life. Recovering compensation is an important step in the recovery process. Without fair compensation it can be very difficult to obtain the medical treatment you need and pay your bills while you are out of work.
TSR Injury Law is an experienced law firm that has recovered $300 million in compensation. If you have a case and hire us to represent you, we are prepared to take the necessary steps to build a robust case. This may include:
- Talking to crash witnesses
- Visiting the scene to take pictures and gather evidence
- Contacting the local police to obtain your crash report
- Reviewing medical records and consulting a medical expert if necessary
- Using technology to reconstruct the scene
- Negotiating with the insurance company
- Preparing your case for trial if necessary
We are here to answer your questions about the legal process and explain how we may be able to assist you throughout the legal process. We are ready to handle the legal process on your behalf so you can focus on medical treatment.
You can complete a Free Case Evaluation form or call us at (612) TSR-TIME.
How Should I Handle Insurance Company Calls After a Car Accident?
Generally, insurance companies like to quickly become involved in the proceedings after a car accident. They are looking for any way to quickly resolve claims so they can avoid paying out fair compensation. They are looking out for their bottom line, not the best interests of accident victims.
If an insurance company calls you, be careful what you say. If you provide too much information, you could inadvertently hurt the value of your claim. It is generally best to avoid specifics and stick to main information about the crash, such as when and where it happened.
The insurance company representative you talk to will probably ask you about your injuries, but you are under no obligation to provide an answer. You can simply say you have sought medical treatment. The insurance company can review the doctor’s report about your injuries to find the information it needs to process your accident claim.
Insurance companies ask about injuries in hopes the victim will minimize their severity or say something like, “I will be OK.” This is the kind of information insurance companies need to attempt to deny or devalue a claim.
You do not have to provide a recorded statement, no matter what they may tell you. The insurance company is not on your side, so if they say they just want to resolve things quickly, it is only for their benefit and not yours.
Our St. Paul auto accident attorneys know how to guard a claim from insurance companies. If you hire us, we are ready to handle the insurance company on your behalf to protect your claim.
Common Causes of Saint Paul Car Wrecks
No matter the cause of your accident, if driver negligence was involved, you may be able to pursue compensation. Some examples of negligent behaviors that could lead to car accidents include:
- Following too closely
- Disobeying the right of way, particularly when making left turns
These and other negligent driving practices can result in many serious accidents, such as head-on collisions, rear-end accidents, rollovers and side-impact crashes.
Contact a Saint Paul Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Car accidents can cause long-term damages for victims, financially, physically and emotionally. Our experienced legal team has helped many accident victims, so we understand what victims go through.
For more than 20 years, our firm has been recovering fair compensation for car accident victims in Minnesota. We are prepared to negotiate with insurance companies who are committed to paying out no compensation or the smallest amount possible.
Your consultation with a licensed attorney is free of charge. If you hire us, we do not charge legal fees unless you receive compensation. No recovery, no fee.
We are ready to take your call today: (612) TSR-TIME. We are here to help during this difficult time.