Frequently-Asked Questions Surrounding Personal Injury
Q) I am hurt in a car accident in Minnesota; what are some of the first things I should do?
A) You should contact your own insurance company, ask to fill out a no-fault application form. The minimum amount of medical expense and wage loss coverage is $20,000 for each type of coverage. You should also talk to a lawyer about your options. Don’t talk to the other parties’ insurance company.
Q) I am not able to work right now, what can I do?
A) If you’re not able to work you need to get a slip from your doctor saying what your restrictions are. Be sure you provide your insurance company with all disability slips. Your no-fault benefits will pay up to $500 per week in wage loss. The minimum amount of wage loss coverage is $20,000.
Q) I need help around the house with activities such as cleaning and laundry, as well as yard work. Can I get reimbursed for paying for help?
A) Yes you can. If you need help with things around the house, this assistance is called replacement services, and it is part of your wage-loss coverage. Your insurance company will probably ask for a doctor to say that you cannot do the type of activities, you once did.
Q) The driver of the vehicle that hit me did not have insurance, what do I do?
A) If the driver who hit you did not have insurance it doesn’t affect your no-fault claim. You can still make a claim for no-fault benefits. Every insured driver in the state of Minnesota has to carry uninsured motorist benefits. You pay a premium so you can take advantage of making a UM claim. It is a claim that you make against your own insurance company, instead of a claim against the other driver.
Q) The insurance company for the person that caused the accident wants to ask me some questions and tape that conversation. What should I do?
A) If the insurance company of the party that caused the accident wants to tape conversation, say no.
Q) A family member was tragically killed in a car accident. What can we do?
A) The first thing you need to do is contact your own insurance company to notify them of the accident. Then you should also call a lawyer because there are statutory requirements you need to follow. A trustee needs to be appointed in order to bring a wrongful death claim.
Q) I have to take time off from work to go to the doctor’s office. Can I be reimbursed for that?
A) Yes you can. It comes out of the wage-loss benefits.
Q) I did not have car insurance. I was a passenger injured in a car accident; who will pay my medical bills? Who will pay my lost wages?
A) If you were injured in a car accident and you do not have your own insurance, as long as you were a passenger and you do not own your own vehicle, you can still recover from the insurance on the vehicle that you were a passenger in. That would include wage-loss and medical benefits.
Q) My child was injured in a car accident while away at college; can he be covered under my car insurance?
A) As long as the primary residence is still yours, yes the child can be covered under your own policy.
Q) I was injured by a car while crossing the street as a pedestrian. Who pays for my medical bills and wage loss?
A) Pedestrians who are injured in car accidents typically will go to their own car insurance to cover their own medical bills and wage loss. If the pedestrian did not have any car insurance then the car that struck that pedestrian has the requirement to cover the person.
Q) I was severely injured in an accident out of state. The at-fault driver’s insurance paid what they said was the statutory limit of $10,000. Can I collect other benefits?
A) When you are injured in an accident out of state it’s very important to know what the statutory minimum is in that state for liability limits. In this case $10,000 is under the Minnesota liability limit of $30,000. Minnesota would consider that an uninsured vehicle because it does not meet the $30,000 requirement. So you could, in addition to the $10,000 liability claim, make a claim against your own company for uninsured motorist benefits.
Q) I was injured in an accident; when can I bring a claim against the at-fault driver?
A) When you are injured in an accident before you can bring a claim in Minnesota you have to meet certain requirements, you should seek legal counsel. If you have questions, please feel free to call us at Quinlivan & Hughes, P.A.
Q) I’ve heard it costs me nothing to hire an attorney for my Minnesota personal injury claim unless a recovery is made. How does that work?
A) In personal injury claims typically we charge one-third recovery fee plus expenses. We get reimbursed from the expenses at the end of the case.
Q) How much is my Minnesota personal injury case worth?
A) How much your case is worth is a difficult question because cases vary dramatically depending upon the nature and extent of the injury, physical restrictions and any other type of problems your doctor details. You need to call an attorney, doing it alone is never a good idea.
Q) I am self-employed and am too hurt to work. I had to hire someone to do my job. Can I be reimbursed for that?
A) Self-employed people who are hurt in an accident and need to hire temporary help can make a claim to be reimbursed.
Q) I was injured at work when a piece of machinery malfunctioned. What are my rights?
A) The first thing you need to do is notify your employer when you are injured on the job site of the accident. If there’s an incident where there’s an equipment malfunction you could have a claim and you should contact a lawyer.
Do You Have Other Questions? Call Us
To speak with an attorney, call us at 320-200-4928. We have offices in St. Cloud and Monticello. You can also reach us by sending an online message.