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Your Richfield Personal Injury Attorney
Nobody plans for the call that follows an accident. Whether you were hurt in a crash, a fall or something else in Richfield, the weeks afterward bring decisions that feel bigger than they should. Here is what Minnesota law says, in plain terms, so you can ask better questions.
A quick note on what this page is: general information about Minnesota injury law, written from the statutes, from a matching service that does not practice law. It is meant to help you ask good questions, not to decide your case.
Before You Hire: Questions For A Richfield Attorney
Whoever you speak to, a few answers tell you a lot:
- The deadline. Ask for the specific last day to file. Minnesota allows six years for some injury claims and two years for others, so do not assume (Minn. Stat. 541.05, Minn. Stat. 541.07).
- Your share of fault. Ask how a finding that you were partly at fault would change the numbers. In Minnesota your fault does not bar a claim if it was not greater than the fault of the person you sue (Minn. Stat. 604.01).
- Pain and suffering after a crash. Ask whether your injuries meet the no fault threshold for noneconomic damages, which depends on medical expenses or on a lasting injury (Minn. Stat. 65B.51).
- The money terms. Ask how fees are calculated and which costs come out of a recovery.
- The people. Ask who will be in touch with you and how quickly they return calls.
Kinds of Injury Claims
Vehicle crashes
Vehicle injuries start with the same few steps: medical care first, then photographs of the scene, names and numbers of anyone who saw it, the other driver’s insurance information and any estimates for repairs.
Pedestrian and bicycle injuries
A collision on foot or on a bicycle is easy to dispute afterward. Record where it happened, what the road and signals were like, and who saw it, and keep any damaged clothing, helmet or equipment.
Falls and unsafe property
Falls on someone else’s property usually depend on what the owner knew or should have known about the hazard. Photograph the spot before it changes, report the fall in writing, and keep the shoes you were wearing.
Wrongful death
If a loved one died because of another person’s wrongful act or omission, a different set of rules applies. Minnesota law has a trustee bring the death action, and the jury awards what it finds fair and just for the damages the person suffered before death and for the pecuniary loss from the death, for the benefit of the surviving spouse and next of kin (Minn. Stat. 573.02). It is a heavy time to make decisions, and an attorney can explain the process at your pace.
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If You Were Partly At Fault
If an insurer says the accident was partly your fault, that does not end the matter. Minn. Stat. 604.01 allows recovery when the injured person’s fault was not greater than the fault of the person sued, with the damages reduced in proportion to the injured person’s share. The statute defines fault broadly, and it includes an unreasonable failure to avoid an injury or to mitigate damages.
Who pays how much also turns on the percentages. Under Minn. Stat. 604.02, contributions to an award are in proportion to each person’s percentage of fault, except that a person whose fault is greater than 50 percent, people who act in a common scheme or plan, and a person who commits an intentional tort are jointly and severally liable for the whole award.
Limits That Can Apply To A Claim
Two rules decide a lot after a Minnesota crash. First, the no fault threshold: under Minn. Stat. 65B.51, no one recovers damages for noneconomic detriment unless medical expense benefits exceed $4,000 by the statute’s count or the injury results in permanent disfigurement, permanent injury, death or disability of 60 days or more. Disability means the inability to engage in substantially all of the injured person’s usual and customary daily activities.
Second, benefits already paid or payable come off the top. The court deducts basic economic loss benefits from any recovery, and that deduction is made before the award is reduced for your share of fault (Minn. Stat. 65B.51). Punitive damages are a separate matter and are allowed only on clear and convincing evidence of deliberate disregard for the rights or safety of others (Minn. Stat. 549.20).
Time Limits To Know
Do not count on the longer deadline. Minnesota allows six years for injury claims that do not arise on a contract and are not listed elsewhere (Minn. Stat. 541.05), but two years for assault, battery, false imprisonment or other tort resulting in personal injury (Minn. Stat. 541.07). The facts of your claim decide how a court will treat it, and an attorney should confirm the date early.
A death action under Minn. Stat. 573.02 may generally be commenced within three years after the death, provided that it is commenced within six years after the act or omission.
What Auto Policies Must Cover
Minnesota auto policies must carry residual liability limits of not less than $30,000 for bodily injury to one person in an accident, $60,000 for two or more people, and $10,000 for injury to or destruction of the property of others (Minn. Stat. 65B.49). Those are minimums, and a serious injury can cost far more.
Your own policy matters too. Each policy must provide separate uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, with minimum limits of $25,000 for one person and $50,000 for two or more people in an accident, and every owner must maintain that coverage (Minn. Stat. 65B.49).
Courts and Hospitals in Richfield
For Census purposes Richfield is part of Hennepin County. Hennepin County belongs to the Fourth Judicial District under Minnesota Statutes section 2.722, which lists the counties of each district. The Minnesota Department of Health Trauma System Hospitals list shows Hennepin Healthcare Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, as a Level I trauma hospital. The same list names North Memorial Health Hospital in Robbinsdale, in Hennepin County, as a Level I trauma hospital.
Ask every provider for your full records and an itemized bill, and keep a running list of appointments. A transfer between hospitals leaves two sets of records, so request both.
How To Begin Your Richfield Claim
Start with the form at the top. It asks a few questions about the injury. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Minnesota. Using it is free, and it does not create an attorney client relationship.
Until someone calls, make a simple record: what happened, the date and time, names of anyone who saw it, the treatment you have had, and the days you missed from work. Keep every bill and letter in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Minnesota bar me from recovering if I share the blame?
Not unless your fault was greater than that of the person you sue. Below that point you can recover, with damages diminished in proportion to your fault (Minn. Stat. 604.01).
Can I recover pain and suffering after a car crash in Minnesota?
Possibly. Under Minn. Stat. 65B.51, a person recovers noneconomic damages only if medical expenses exceed $4,000 as the statute counts them, or the injury results in permanent disfigurement, permanent injury, death or 60 days of disability.
How much liability coverage must a Minnesota driver carry?
The minimums are $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident and $10,000 for property damage (Minn. Stat. 65B.49).
What should I save for my claim?
Save treatment records and bills, photographs, the report number if there is one, pay stubs that show lost work, estimates for repairs, and every letter or email from an insurance company.
Do I have to give the other insurer a recorded statement?
Not right away. You may decline a recorded statement until you have talked to someone about your options, and saying so is fine.
Are there special notice rules for claims against the government?
There are. Municipal claims need a notice within 180 days (Minn. Stat. 466.05), and a claim against the State needs a notice to the attorney general within 180 days (Minn. Stat. 3.736).
Do I need an attorney who works near Richfield?
It helps. An attorney who handles cases near Richfield knows the local courts and providers, and the form on this page matches you with one.
How long do I have to file an injury lawsuit in Minnesota?
Not always the same. The statutes set six years for some injury claims (Minn. Stat. 541.05) and two years for others (Minn. Stat. 541.07). A death action generally may be commenced within three years after the death (Minn. Stat. 573.02). Confirm the date with an attorney early.
Help Elsewhere in Minnesota
The same matching service covers more of Minnesota. Pick the community closest to where it happened.
