According to Minnesota law, insurers are required to reimburse drivers for medical expenses and injuries regardless of who was at fault in an accident. This means that if you are in an accident with another driver and the other driver doesn’t have insurance, you may still have options—as long as you have proper Minnesota insurance coverage. Minnesota coverage protects drivers from economic loss that occurs due to an accident. Bodily injury coverage can protect one victim up to $30,000 and two or more victims up to $60,000. Uninsured motorists coverage protects one person up to $25,000 and two or more people up to $50,000.
Individuals who have been injured in an accident can use their policy’s uninsured or underinsured motorists coverage as long as they can prove that the other party was responsible for the accident. Minnesota’s no-fault coverage would also protect you by paying any medical expenses you might have.
In some cases, insurance protections won’t pay for all medical bills. Minnesota has specific laws about when a driver can sue another motorist for damages. In general, the damages must be at least $4000 or must result in disability for at least 60 days, permanent disability, or permanent disfiguring injuries.
Of course, while the law seems very clear when it comes to uninsured coverage and insurance coverage in general, there are definitely cases where a personal injury lawyer’s assistance may be helpful to ensure that families receive the coverage and reimbursement they deserve.
In some instances, insurance companies may fail to offer victims the full value of their coverage or may balk at covering a victim for an accident.
For instance, according to Minnesota Public Radio, after a 7 year battle following a horrific bus accident, a student was finally able to use his own family’s uninsured motorist coverage to help him pay for his devastating injuries. Seven years ago, a woman ran a stop light, and hit a bus full of children, killing 4 and injuring 7. The woman neither had a driver’s license, nor did she have insurance. The school bus’s insurance was insufficient to cover all the expenses and injuries the children sustained in the accident.
The student’s family also had coverage, but this insurer refused to pay for the $65,000 in additional damages not covered by the bus’s insurance on a technicality. According to the insurer, the student’s injuries did not exceed the bus’s $1 million policy. Unfortunately, so many students were injured in the accident, that when the $1 million policy was split, each student didn’t receive sufficient coverage to pay for his or her injuries.
The Minnesota Supreme Court overturned an earlier ruling and required the student’s uninsured motorists insurance to help pay for the remaining bills.
Insurance claims can sometimes be complex. Insurance companies will often try to use loopholes to get out of paying money they rightfully owe victims. If you feel that you have not received the money you deserve, a personal injury attorney in Minneapolis, Minnesota may be able to help. The Law Office of Martin T. Montilino can evaluate your policy and determine the best course of action for you and your loved ones.