Category: Personal Injuries
FINALLY: A NEEDED CHANGE
April 9, 2015 | John T. BuchmanLast session, the Minnesota legislature finally passed and Governor Dayton signed into law, a provision that increases some of the benefits available to victims of car crashes here in Minnesota. This was a long overdue increase to wage loss and funeral expense benefits under Minnesota No-Fault Act. Minnesotans injured in car accidents have had, since the No-Fault Act was first created 40 years ago, the right to 85{a0c01d20c42349884e67ff80c137866b0a9fe47aaae8f8a86a605a369ae487c3} of any wage loss or income reduction due to injuries suffered in a car crash. However, for the last 30 years, that has been limited to a maximum of $250 a week. As a result, most wage earners could not survive long on $250 a week. The No-Fault Act also provided $2,000 for families who had to pay the expenses of burying a loved one who was killed in a car crash. The new law increases the maximum wage loss benefit to $500 a week. Additionally, the funeral expenses have been increased to $5,000 (which is still much less than the typical funeral cost of $8,000 – $10,000). These new benefit amounts became effective January 1, 2015, for any collision occurring after that date or for any policies renewed after January 1, 2015. It is our position that this would apply to people that were…
Read MoreLiberty Mutual Insurance Subject of Another Class Action Lawsuit Concerning its Automobile Accident Claims Handling
January 28, 2015 | John T. BuchmanA chiropractic clinic pursued a “class action” suit against Liberty Mutual and several of its subsidiaries, including Safeco Insurance, in the state of Illinois. A class action suit is one in which the class representative acts on behalf of many claimants when the monetary value of each claim is relatively small and it would seldom justify lawsuits on behalf of each individual. There is a proposed settlement awaiting court approval. The basis of the claim is that Liberty Mutual would pay less than the amount charged by an injured person’s medical providers. The claimant alleged that Liberty Mutual used a computerized bill review system to reduce its payments, which was not disclosed to its insureds. The proposed settlement also references two similar lawsuits against Liberty Mutual in the states of Washington and Oregon. The class action suit also includes Minnesotans who purchased No-Fault Insurance from Liberty Mutual or Safeco. If you have been injured in a car accident due to another’s negligence, the attorneys at BGS will help recover the compensation that you deserve. Under the terms of the agreement, if approved by the court, Liberty Mutual would have to pay medical care providers pursuant to an agreed health care cost database for a period of five (5) years after the date of…
Read MoreWhat Does Contingency Basis Mean in Minnesota?
August 15, 2014 | Adriel B. VillarrealIf you have suffered a personal injury or loss and would like to bring a case against someone but don’t have the funds to pay a lawyer to begin a lawsuit, it may be beneficial for you to find a lawyer who works on a contingency basis. This means that they will only collect a fee if they win the case, and if they don’t win the case for you, you will owe them nothing. This can be incredibly helpful for those who may not have the funds to secure legal representation but still want to pursue their civil right to bring a lawsuit against someone. Contingency Based Lawyers Generally, if you hire a lawyer with the understanding that they are working for a contingent fee, it means that they will require a payment only if they win the case through settlement or jury trial. This fee will generally be their normal hourly billing. Contingency Fees are Often a Win-Win The main advantage of contingency fee arrangements is that it provides access to the courts for those who cannot afford to pay attorney’s fees and the high costs of civil litigation. They also provide motivation for an attorney to work more diligently on a case. In cases where a person pays the attorney…
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