Most people in Minnesota aren’t well educated about personal injury claims simply because they’ve never filed one before. Personal injury cases are often misunderstood, which highlights the need for clients to promptly hire a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer in Minnesota after their injury.
If you have been injured as a result of another party’s negligence, here are some common misconceptions you may have heard about personal injury lawsuits. They are all false, so don’t let them stop you from reaching out and speaking with a personal injury attorney at Sieben Edmunds Miller as soon as possible.
Myth: My injury isn’t severe enough to file a claim.
You should never just “put up with” medical bills that wouldn’t have come about if another party hadn’t been negligent. You may assume you’re already on the mend and won’t need to see more doctors, but there’s no guarantee your neck injury or broken leg won’t flare up down the road. Your medical expenses could pile up over time, but if you don’t consult a personal injury attorney right away you may have missed your chance to file a claim and be reimbursed for those expenses. Don’t be stuck with costly copays or deductibles when you don’t need to be. There are usually several different avenues that we can pursue to make sure you’re covered and get the compensation you deserve, even if you’re not sure it is worth making a claim. Let us help you make that decision. Remember, our initial consultation is always free!
Myth: I can’t file a personal injury claim; I was partially at fault.
We hear this one all the time from car crash victims. Because they were speeding a little or didn’t come to a complete stop before pulling out into the road, they think they’re precluded from filing a personal injury suit. But what about the other driver, who was distracted and ran a red light before striking your vehicle with theirs? This is ultimately the catalyst for your accident, so you being a couple miles over the speed limit at the time hardly seems to be the reason for the injuries you sustained.
When you’re in a vehicle accident in Minnesota, you will be assigned a percentage of blame in your accident. It could be 0%, 100%, or anywhere in between. An injured person will not be barred from recovery unless your fault is greater than the fault of the other person involved in the car accident. When the other party is found to have been negligent, they will pay a percentage of your damages proportional to the percentage they were determined to be at fault.
Myth: Personal injury cases are expensive and complicated.
You may think it’s not “worth it” to file a claim because it will cost lots of money and time. It’s true that the court process can be lengthy and a jury trial can be expensive, but it’s very improbable you’ll actually make it to court in the first place. As many as 97% of personal injury claims in Minnesota are settled before anyone even steps foot in a courtroom.
Insurance companies are familiar with the high stakes of a personal injury case, and they’ll do everything in their power to settle with you instead of risking a costly, resource-draining trial.
In addition, hiring a Minnesota personal injury law firm to handle your case doesn’t need to be costly when you have an experienced lawyer on your side ensuring that you are compensated for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering from the accident and that your case is properly handled front he beginning.
Myth: I’ll ruin the other party’s finances with my personal injury lawsuit.
Some of our clients are initially hesitant to file a personal injury claim because they’re worried the case will be expensive and detrimental to the other party (talk about putting others first)! They’ll say, “I know I’m dealing with all this pain and these hospital bills, and I deserve to be compensated. I just don’t want the other party to be in financial ruin because of this case.” But it’s important to remember that the money you receive from a personal injury lawsuit is not coming out of someone’s pocket. It is coming from a multi-billion dollar for-profit company who collects monthly premiums for this very purpose. They are more than capable of providing their services to their client (the other party in your case) and paying you what you deserve.
Myth: I can wait and see if it’s “worth it” to file a claim.
Time is of the essence in personal injury cases. In fact, there is a statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim in Minnesota. It can be as short as two years! Don’t wait to see what happens with your health and medical bills before contacting a Minnesota personal injury attorney; it’s not worth the risk. In addition, making sure your claims are set up correctly with the insurance company right away will help ensure a smoother process as you go forward. Don’t try to do this yourself, especially when you are not familiar with Minnesota’s specialized procedures.
When you contact the Minnesota personal injury lawyers at Sieben Edmunds Miller, we’ll be able to provide you with some quick answers to the questions you have about personal injury cases. If we determine you’ve got a solid personal injury case, we’ll get started right away to ensure the statute of limitations doesn’t expire.
Contact us to discover whether a personal injury case is right for you.
