In Minnesota, there is a six-year statute of limitations for personal injuries arising out of a motor vehicle accident. Accordingly, you have six years from the date of the accident to serve a Summons and Complaint upon the party or parties responsible for your injuries. Failure to adhere to this date will preclude you from recovery.

Attorneys Ron Meuser and Mary Beth Boyce obtained a successful jury verdict on behalf of their clients in Wright County. Ron and Mary Beth brought a civil claim on behalf of their client who was seriously injured while working as a deputy sheriff. The deputy sheriff was struck by another vehicle while performing law enforcement duties and suffered career ending injuries to the officer’s neck, back, head, and knee. The trial lasted 7 days and required over 9 experts to provide testimony. Meuser Law Office, P.A. successfully obtained a verdict that included monetary damages for wage loss, medical expenses, and pain and suffering in excess of $650,000.

In certain circumstances when you are injured during the course and scope of your employment you may be able to bring a civil claim against the third-party, other than your employer, who is ultimately responsible for your injuries. When pursuing a claim against a third-party or a “tortfeasor” the parties must also consider that workers’ compensation insurance carrier also has a claim against the responsible negligent party. In these situations, it’s often expedient to work together with the workers’ compensation carrier to maximize your total recovery from all the different sources, whether they be Minnesota workers’ compensation benefits, PERA/MSRS Duty Disability benefits, or civil proceeds. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

In cases where Minnesota police officers or firefighters are injured in the line of duty through the fault of a third-party, typically a suspect or the driver of another vehicle, then he or she has a separate cause of action against the negligent person, outside of PERA/MSRS benefits and workers’ compensation benefits. In those cases, sometimes defendants try to argue to the jury that the officer or firefighter did not truly sustain any economic damage because he or she has been adequately compensated for his or her loss by PERA or MSRS Duty Disability benefits.