Minnesota No-Fault state Claims for Car Accidents

 No-Fault Claims for Minnesota Car Accident Injuries

Minnesota is a no-fault state for Car Accident Injuries. Injury victims must seek no-fault (Personal Injury Protection) benefits first from their own insurance company before making a claim against the “At Fault” driver.

The Minnesota Car Accident Lawyers at the Schmidt Salita Law Team have collectively 100 years’ experience in over 10,000 cases of bringing justice to the victims of personal injury and wrongful death from car accidents and other motor vehicle collisions. That includes car-to-car crashes, car-to-truck collisions, motorcycle crashes, car-to-pedestrian collisions, and car-to-bicycle collisions.

The Minnesota Car Accident Lawyers have extensive experience in handling both “Minnesota No-Fault” claims and “Minnesota At Fault” claims against the negligent drivers who caused the injuries.

Schmidt Salita Senior Trial Lawyer Doug Schmidt is the author of the following publication which provides detailed information about the “ins and outs” of Minnesota’s No-Fault and At-Fault personal injury claims.  It can be downloaded from the Schmidt Salita Law Team’s website at www.schmidtlaw.org.

Minnesota No-Fault Insurance Claims for Car Accident Injuries

Minnesota is a No-Fault Insurance state. That means that persons injured in a car accident have two possible sources of recovery, both a No-Fault claim and an at-fault claim. Visit our article on At Fault claims to learn more about that topic.

1. Minnesota is a No-Fault state. What does that mean?

In 1974 the Minnesota Legislature passed the Minnesota No-Fault Automobile Insurance Act, which went into effect on January 1, 1975. This means every personal injury claim in the state of Minnesota has two parts:

(1) No-Fault part which provides Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits; and

(2) At-Fault part which allows for a claim against the “At Fault” driver.

NOTE: If you are injured while driving or riding in a motor vehicle while you are on the job (i.e. in the course and scope of any employment), your claim also involves Workers Compensation benefits!!! You have rights under the Minnesota Workers Compensation law in addition to your rights under the No-Fault law and your rights to make a claim against the “At Fault” driver. The No-Fault part of a Minnesota personal injury claim involves collecting benefits provided under your No-Fault insurance policy.

2. Do you have No-Fault insurance?

Under Minnesota law, No-Fault insurance coverage is mandatory and must be, by law, included in every automobile insurance policy.

Generally, a person injured in a motor vehicle collision, whether as a driver, passenger, or pedestrian, has the right to No-Fault benefits. However, the law is somewhat complicated as to which insurance policy is required to provide the No-Fault insurance coverage. The advice of an attorney may be necessary to resolve that issue.

A. Rights Under Your Own Car Insurance Policy: In the large majority of cases, the injured person will have the right to collect No-fault benefits from their own car insurance policy. Accordingly, if you have car insurance (or live in the household of a relative who has car insurance), then you have No-Fault insurance coverage.

B. Rights Under the Car Insurance Policy on the Car in Which You Were Riding: Even if you don’t have your own car insurance but are injured while riding in a car that does have insurance, you can collect No-Fault benefits from the insurance policy on the car in which you were riding.

C. Rights When Riding in a Bus/Taxi Cab: If you were injured while riding in a vehicle “used in the business of transporting persons or property” (i.e. a bus or taxi cab), you must seek No-Fault benefits from the insurance covering that vehicle.

D. Right When Injured as a Pedestrian: Persons injured as pedestrians or bicycle riders have the right to collect no-fault benefits from the insurance policy on the car that was involved in the accident and, if none, then from their own policy if they have one.

E. Rights If You Don’t Have Insurance: Even if you didn’t have car insurance and the car in which you were riding didn’t have insurance, you still might be able to collect from the Minnesota Assigned Risk program. If you don’t have car insurance and are driving illegally, then you may not have the right to collect No-Fault insurance benefits. (You should consult with an attorney about how to apply for Assigned Risk coverage.)

3. What if you were riding as a passenger in someone else’s car when you were injured?

If you have car insurance of your own and were injured when riding as a passenger in somebody else’s car, you are entitled to collect No-Fault benefits from the insurance policy on your own car, even though you were not in your own vehicle at the time of the accident. If you do not have a car of your own and, as a result, don’t have your own policy of car insurance but are injured while riding in someone else’s car, you are entitled to receive No-Fault benefits from the insurance policy on the car that you were riding in when you were injured.

4. What types of benefits can I get from my No-Fault Insurance Claim?

If you have been injured in a motor vehicle collision, you are entitled, under Minnesota law, to receive the following benefits:

a. Medical Expenses. These benefits may include the expenses of doctors, hospitals, chiropractors, special nurses, physical therapy, and prescriptions. It may also include medical travel expenses prescribed by a doctor or chiropractor, braces, cervical collars, crutches, wheelchairs, and the cost of a health/exercise club.

b. Replacement Services. These benefits may include: as prescribed by a doctor, the costs of cleaning help, snow removal, and the costs of other hired services that would have been performed by you if you were not injured.

c. Primary Homemaker Replacement Services (PHRS). If you were, or would normally be, the “primary homemaker” of your family unit, you can collect the fair market value of the homemaker services that you would normally do, but cannot do because of your injuries. (A lawyer knowledgeable in handling Primary Homemaker Replacement Services claims can help you with making a PHRS claim.)

d. Wage/Income Losses. These benefits also may include lost wages. If you are self-employed, you can collect the cost of replacement workers who are paid to fill in for you. You are entitled to collect 85% of your actual wage or salary up to a maximum of $250/week, or more if you have purchased extra coverage.

5. How Do I start a claim for No-Fault benefits?

First, you should contact your insurance company immediately after you’ve been injured in a car accident. You should call your agent and ask for claim forms.

Secondly, you should complete the form immediately and submit it to your No-Fault insurance company promptly. (The assistance of an attorney in doing this can be very valuable to avoid any statements in your application that may later be used against you.)

Thirdly, you should provide your insurance company with the information and evidence necessary to prove your entitlement to No-Fault benefits. (Here, the assistance of an attorney would also be valuable.)

6. How much can I collect?

A. Minimum Coverage: Under Minnesota law, every policy of No-Fault insurance must have a minimum of $20,000.00 in coverage for medical/health care expenses and another $20,000.00 for Non-Medical Benefits (wage loss and replacement services).

B. Additional coverage: You may also have additional coverage if you elect to buy additional coverage. Some companies offer coverages above the minimum.

C. Stacking coverage: You may also have stacking coverage which allows you to collect No-Fault coverage where more than one vehicle is insured under the policy and you paid an extra premium amount for the stacking coverages. (The assistance of a lawyer who is knowledgeable in No-Fault insurance matters can be of assistance to you in determining how much coverage you have under your No-Fault policy.)

7. How long can I continue to collect No-Fault benefits?

You are entitled to receive No-Fault benefits for as long as it is medically reasonable for you to incur these expenses or losses. Your rights to benefits may continue for the rest of your life or until the full amount of your coverage limits have been exhausted or until there has been a one-year “lapse” in treatment or disability.

If there is a one-year lapse in your disability, the coverage may be lost. For that reason, it is important that you continue to see your healthcare providers on a regular basis and according to their recommendations. You should see a doctor for your injuries at least once a year. If you skip treatments for more than a year, the insurance company may attempt to deny No-Fault benefits for the rest of your life! Of course, your claim must be supported by your healthcare providers in order for you to collect.

8. What if the insurance company doesn’t pay or stops paying?

If you have a valid claim and the insurance company doesn’t pay or stops paying, you have the right to take your claim to arbitration to force the insurance company to pay if the claim is under $10,000. If the claim is over $10,000 you must file suit in court to collect the benefits to which you are entitled. The assistance of an attorney is not necessary but can be very helpful in prosecuting your claim in an arbitration hearing and making certain that you are claiming all of the benefits to which you are entitled under the law.

9. Do I need an attorney to collect No-Fault benefits?

Not necessarily, but having an attorney can be very helpful. You can collect No-Fault benefits without the help of an attorney. However, the services of an attorney can help you to collect and to make sure that the benefits paid are correct. If you have an injury that is such that you may have a claim against the at-fault driver, the attorney handling that claim can assist you with your No-Fault claim. There are many claims that can be made for No-Fault benefits that are often not obvious to a non-lawyer. The Schmidt Salita Law Firm has been able to collect many types of No-Fault claims that many other lawyers and law firms, even those specializing in injury claims, often overlook. An attorney can also help you to determine whether your claim is one that permits you to bring a claim against the at-fault driver.

In the event of an accident, you should immediately contact your own insurance company and report the accident. You should ask your agent for No-Fault claim forms. Your attorney can help you to fill out those forms and to get payments started sooner.

10. Should I sign a release to collect No-Fault benefits?

No. It is not necessary for you to sign a release in order to get No-Fault benefits. In fact, you absolutely should not sign a release without consulting an attorney.

11. If I collect No-Fault benefits, can I still make a claim against the other driver?

Yes. You can collect these valuable No-Fault benefits from your own insurance company and still bring a claim against the At-Fault driver and his/her insurance company, for damages you have sustained over and above those which you collect under your No-Fault coverage. The damages include medical expenses and wage/salary losses not paid by No-Fault. It also includes damages for your pain and suffering, disability, and loss of enjoyment of life. The spouse of the injured person may also collect damages for the loss of the services of the injured person.

12. Do you have to prove that someone else was at fault to collect No-Fault benefits?

Absolutely not. That’s why it is called “No-Fault” insurance. You can collect No-Fault benefits even if you were at fault OR if no one was at fault (i.e. hitting a deer on the road).

13. What is No-Fault arbitration and how does it work?

Minnesota No-Fault disputes are typically decided by a single arbitrator who is selected from a panel appointed by the Minnesota Supreme Court. Both sides; the injured party and the No-Fault insurance company, present their evidence and the arbitrator then decides the case. The arbitrator’s decision is then made in the form of an “award.” In most cases, the No-Fault insurance company will voluntarily pay the award. However, in some cases, the insurance company will appeal the award to the District Court.

14. Will filing a No-Fault claim increase my insurance premiums?

The filing and pursuit of a No-Fault claim should not affect your future insurance premiums. The Schmidt Law Firm has handled thousands of No-Fault claims and it has not been a problem, it’s the client’s insurance rates that have been affected.

NOTE: The assistance of an attorney who is experienced in automobile insurance matters is very important to preserve your UIM claim. If the settlement against the at-fault driver is not done properly, you can lose your rights to collect UIM benefits.

FOR A FREE CONSULTATION WITH AN EXPERIENCED PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND IF YOU HAVE A VALID CASE, CONTACT THE SCHMIDT SALITA LAW TEAM AT 952-473-4530. The Schmidt Salita Law Team Handles a Wide Variety of Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Claims.

The Schmidt Salita Law Team handles cases involving car accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian car accidents, and bicycle accidents.  It has many years of experience in workers’ compensation, product liability, and medical malpractice cases.

The Schmidt Salita Law Team has extensive experience with concussion injuries, traumatic brain injuries, neck and back injuries, whiplash injuries, broken bones, injured joint injuries (knee, hip, shoulder, wrist, ankle, spinal), amputation injuries, and vision and eye injuries.

The Schmidt Salita Law Team has offices throughout the State of Minnesota.

We handle contingent fee agreements (You don’t pay lawyers fees until you collect and then only as a percentage of the settlement). It also offers home and hospital visits to clients whose injuries present difficulty in coming to the office.

The Schmidt Salita Law Team has locations throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area of Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Plymouth, Osseo, Anoka, Coon Rapids, Brooklyn Center, Fridley, Blaine, Shoreview, Woodbury, Falcon Heights, Columbia Park, Stillwater, Hastings, Inver Grove, Cottage Grove, South St. Paul, Apple Valley, Eagan, Burnsville, Savage, Shakopee, Richfield, Bloomington, Chaska, Chanhassen, Edina, Eden Prairie, and Hopkins.