Minneapolis Personal Injury Lawyer

If you were injured in Minneapolis, whether in a car crash, truck or motorcycle collision, slip and fall, or another serious incident, you are suddenly facing medical bills, time away from work, and a lot of confusing information about your rights. 

Minnesota’s “no‑fault” rules add to that confusion, leading many people to believe they cannot seek compensation from the person or business that caused their injuries.

In reality, no‑fault is just one piece of a much larger system. 

Your own auto policy may cover some initial medical costs after a motor vehicle accident, but many claims in Minneapolis involve injuries that go beyond those basic benefits or arise from incidents, such as falls, dog bites, or unsafe property conditions, where different rules apply.

Securing fair compensation often means proving negligence, identifying every potentially responsible party, and meeting strict legal deadlines, all while you are trying to heal. 

At Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, our focus is on helping injured individuals across Minneapolis understand their full range of options, not just what an insurance adjuster is willing to disclose.

If you have questions about what happened or what a fair recovery might look like in your situation, our Minneapolis personal injury lawyers are here to provide clear, straightforward guidance. Call (612) 888‑8258 or reach out through our secure online contact form for a free, no‑pressure case review exploring your legal rights and options.

Schedule A Free Consultation

Why Choose Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers in Minneapolis?

Our Story: From a Single Room to a Regional Firm

Russell Nicolet founded this firm in 2007 in a small office with a single purpose: to give injured people access to high-quality legal help. Word of his tenacious, client-focused approach spread, and the firm grew, expanding from Wisconsin into Minnesota and beyond. 

Today, our team is made up of more than 50 dedicated professionals united by that original mission.

A Team with Well-Rounded Insight

What makes our team different? We have attorneys recognized for their work, a registered nurse who deciphers the medical details of our clients' injuries, and staff who previously worked inside the insurance industry. This blend of experience gives us a 360-degree perspective on your case.

Founder Russell Nicolet continues to steer the firm with its core principle of community accessibility. Managing Partner John Spiten brings deep local roots and knowledge gained from his work fighting insurance companies at a major Minneapolis personal injury firm, sharpening our hometown advantage.

Rooted in Your Minneapolis Community

We are a proud and accessible part of the community we serve. Our commitment to Minnesota is also shown in our role as proud legal partners of the Minnesota Wild, Minnesota Twins, and Minnesota Vikings.

Our Commitment to You

We bring clarity and confidence through our promises:

• Free Case Review: We will sit down with you, listen, and explain your legal options with no cost or obligation.
• No Win, No Fee: You will not pay us any attorney's fees unless and until we successfully recover compensation for you. This is our contingency fee promise.
• Personalized Attention: We limit our caseload. This ensures your case gets the focus it deserves from our entire team.

Accidents in Minneapolis and Minnesota: A Look into the Statistics

Statewide Traffic Accident Realities

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety reports tens of thousands of crashes each year. In the most recently reported year of 2023, the numbers included:

• 64,744 total traffic crashes across Minnesota.
• 402 fatalities from those crashes.
• 23,771 people injured.

Speed, impairment, and distraction remain the top causes of these preventable incidents.

Where Do Accidents Happen Most in Hennepin County?

Hennepin County consistently reports the highest number of crashes in the state. While a collision can happen anywhere, some Minneapolis intersections see more than their fair share due to high traffic and challenging designs:

• The I-94 and I-35W interchange: The constant merging of high-volume traffic here creates conditions where collisions are frequent.
• Hennepin Avenue & Lake Street: As a major urban crossroads, this area’s mix of cars, buses, pedestrians, and cyclists increases the risk of an accident.
• Olson Memorial Highway (Hwy 55) & Hiawatha Avenue (Hwy 55): Both of these roadways have been identified as being prone to a high rate of serious and fatal crashes.

Common Sources of Injury Claims

Our work with injured people in Minneapolis reflects these broader trends. The most common incidents we handle include:

• Motor Vehicle Accidents: This is the largest category, covering everything from car and truck accidents to motorcycle, bicycle, rideshare and pedestrian collisions.
• Slip and Fall Incidents: Minnesota winters are a major contributor. Property owners may be responsible for dangerous conditions created by icy, poorly maintained sidewalks, parking lots, and store entrances.
• Dog Bite Accidents: If you find yourself with a dog bite wound, you may have the right to pursue compensation. Dog bites can result in a range of physical and emotional damages, from puncture wounds and lacerations to infections, scarring, and psychological trauma.

The Financial Weight of an Injury

The National Safety Council estimates that the average economic cost of a non-fatal disabling injury from a car crash can exceed $167,000. That figure accounts for lost wages, medical expenses, and property damage, showing how quickly the financial burden can spiral.

How Much Is a Minneapolis Personal Injury Claim Worth?

The goal of a personal injury claim is about being "made whole" under the law. This means accounting for every single loss, financial and personal, the accident forced upon you.

What are Economic Damages?

These are the tangible, out-of-pocket expenses that form the foundation of your claim. We document every cost, including:

• Medical Bills: This covers everything from the ambulance ride and ER visit to ongoing physical therapy, surgeries, and any future medical care your doctors anticipate.
• Lost Wages: This includes the paychecks you've already missed. It also includes compensation for diminished earning capacity if the injury permanently affects your ability to work.
• Out-of-Pocket Expenses: Smaller costs add up quickly. This can include prescription medications, gas for trips to medical appointments, or even modifications to your home or car to accommodate a new disability.

What are Non-Economic Damages?

These damages compensate you for the ways the injury has rewritten your daily life. They don't come with a receipt, but their impact is undeniable.

• Pain and Suffering: This addresses the physical pain and emotional distress caused by the injury and its fallout.
• Permanent Disfigurement or Injury: This provides compensation for lasting changes like significant scarring, the loss of a limb, or a permanent disability.
• Loss of Enjoyment of Life: This acknowledges how the injury prevents you from participating in hobbies, activities, and routines that once brought you joy.

How Does Minnesota's "Modified Comparative Fault" Rule Affect My Compensation?

Even if you were partially at fault, you might still recover damages. Under Minnesota's "modified comparative fault" rule, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. 

But there's a hard line. If you are found to be 51% or more at fault, you are barred from recovering any compensation at all. 

Insurance companies conduct thorough investigations looking for any evidence to shift blame. Our role is to build a strong case to protect you and ensure no amount of fault is unjustly placed on you.

Your Rights Under Minnesota Personal Injury Law

Minnesota law provides clear protections for people harmed by negligence, but these rights come with specific rules and absolute deadlines.

What Are the Most Frequent Injuries in Personal Injury Cases?

Some of the most common injuries we encounter are:

• Soft Tissue Injuries: Conditions like whiplash are common in rear-end collisions. The pain from these injuries sometimes doesn’t appear for days but can become a chronic problem.
• Broken Bones: Fractures may require surgery and extensive rehabilitation, forcing people to miss a great deal of work.
• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): A TBI can range from a concussion with temporary effects to severe, permanent brain damage that alters personality, memory, and every aspect of daily life.
• Spinal Cord Injuries: These are among the most catastrophic injuries, frequently resulting in partial or complete paralysis and requiring a lifetime of specialized medical care.

Key Minnesota Laws That Affect Your Claim

It’s our job to know the law, but it’s helpful to be aware of a few statutes that form the bedrock of personal injury claims in Minnesota:

• The "No-Fault" System Explained: Minnesota is a no-fault state for motor vehicle accidents only. Simply put, your own auto insurance is the first to pay for your initial medical bills and lost wages through your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage, no matter who caused the crash.
• When Can You Pursue the At-Fault Driver?: You have the right to file a claim against the at-fault driver for pain, suffering, and other losses if you meet a certain threshold. You can do this if your medical bills exceed $4,000, or if the injury results in one of the following:

1. Permanent disfigurement
2. Permanent injury
3. Disability for 60 days or more
4. Death

• The Statute of Limitations: As set by Minnesota Statute § 541.05, you generally have six years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. If you miss this deadline, you generally lose your right to seek compensation through the courts forever.

Building Your Case: The Evidence That Matters

While you focus on healing, our team gets to work gathering and preserving every piece of information that tells the story of what happened and how it has affected you.

What Does an Investigation Look Like?

We typically gather:

• Official Reports: The police accident report is a starting point, but we may also obtain incident reports from a business or property owner in a slip and fall case.
• Medical Records: We collect all documentation related to your diagnosis and treatment. These records are the primary evidence of your injuries and their severity.
• Photos and Videos: We look for surveillance footage from nearby cameras, dashcam videos, and photos of the scene, vehicle damage, and your injuries.
• Witness Statements: We contact anyone who saw what happened and record their accounts while the memories are still fresh.

The Role of Expert Witnesses

For some cases, we may bring in outside experts to explain technical details to an insurance company or a jury. Depending on the situation, we might work with:

• Accident Reconstructionists: These specialists use physics and engineering principles to determine exactly how a crash occurred, calculating things like speed and points of impact.
• Medical Experts: A doctor who did not treat you can review your records and offer an independent opinion on the cause of your injuries and your long-term prognosis.
• Vocational Experts: If your injury affects your ability to work, a vocational expert can analyze your job prospects and calculate the financial impact on your future earning potential.
• Economists: These experts can project the total financial losses from a permanent injury, including future medical care and lost income over a lifetime.

What to Expect When Dealing With Insurance Companies

You will probably have to speak with at least one insurance company—yours and the at-fault party's. Partnering with a lawyer before you have to make either call may position your case for the maximum compensation available under the law.

Understand Their Business Model

Insurance companies are businesses. They have a duty to pay valid claims, but they also have a responsibility to their shareholders to remain profitable. This creates a built-in tension between their financial interests and your need for full payment for your losses.

Remember this: No matter how friendly the adjuster is on the phone, their goal is to resolve your case for the lowest amount possible.

What Should You Look Out For?

• Requests for a Recorded Statement: The other party's insurance adjuster may ask you to give a recorded statement. You are not legally required to do this. Their goal is to look for inconsistencies or get you to say something that could be used to blame you for the accident. We will handle these communications for you.
• Fast Settlement Offers: An insurer might make a quick offer, sometimes before you even know the full extent of your injuries. This is a bad idea, because an injury that seems minor at first might develop into a long-term problem. Accepting an early offer closes your claim for good, and you can't ask for more money later if your condition gets worse.
• Broad Medical Authorization Forms: You may be asked to sign a medical release. If the form is too broad, it could give the insurer access to your entire medical history. They might then try to argue a pre-existing condition is the real cause of your pain. We will review any authorization to make sure it is limited to records relevant to the accident.

FAQ for a Minneapolis Personal Injury Lawyer

Injured in Minneapolis? You Have More Rights Than You Think. Contact Nicolet Law For A Free Case Evaluation

Confusion about Minnesota’s no-fault rules and other insurance jargon keeps too many injured people in Minneapolis from getting the help they need. 

Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed after an accident is normal, but it should not stop you from finding out what the law actually allows you to recover.

Minnesota personal injury law offers strong protections when someone else’s carelessness disrupts your health, work, and daily life, whether the harm came from a crash, a fall, or another serious incident. 

Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers is here to explain how those protections apply in your situation and to pursue the full compensation you may be entitled to, not just what an insurer offers at first.If you were hurt in or around Minneapolis and have questions about your next steps, the team is ready to listen and provide clear, straightforward guidance. Call (612) 888-8258 or reach out to our Minneapolis personal injury law firm online for a free, no-pressure evaluation of your case.

Schedule A Free Consultation