Minnesota Law Blog

Some of these distracted driving activities may shock you

On behalf of Milavetz Gallop & Milavetz PA on Friday, February 7, 2020.

Like most Minnesota residents, you may find yourself feeling distracted at various points during the day. During a work meeting, you may think about what you will have for lunch, or you may even find yourself thinking about something else when a friend is telling a story. Often, you can bring yourself back to attention without anyone even noticing, but in other scenarios, distraction can have devastating results.

In particular, distracted driving is an issue that causes injuries and deaths far too often. You may remain extra vigilant when behind the wheel and stay focused as best as possible. Unfortunately, other drivers may purposefully distract themselves from paying attention to the road.

Ground-level falls often result in brain injuries

On behalf of Milavetz Gallop & Milavetz PA on Tuesday, January 7, 2020.

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At this time of year, when the Minnesota temperatures hover in the teens and twenties, you can expect that any precipitation that falls will freeze when it hits the ground. This is not something new, and property owners should expect that sudden changes in the weather may mean changes in the conditions of their sidewalks, parking lots and building floors.

Ice, water and even salt can create a slick surface that can result in a hard fall. If you strike your head when you fall, you may suffer a traumatic brain injury, which may mean a significant change in life as you know it.

Having trouble making child support payments?

On behalf of Milavetz Gallop & Milavetz PA on Friday, December 27, 2019.

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Like all good parents in Minnesota and beyond, your children's well-being is your greatest priority. Depending on the ages of your kids and their particular life circumstances, the amount of money needed to provide for them is likely to fluctuate through the years or, perhaps, even by the month. When you filed for divorce, you understood that the court would order you to pay child support. You wanted a divorce and in no way wished to abdicate your parental obligations.

As time went on, things changed, and you found it more difficult to keep up with court-ordered child support payments. As long as you continue to make payments on time, you may be able to request modification of the court order. What you cannot do, however, is stop making payments unless and until the court grants permission to do so.

Get ready for winter weather-related car accidents

On behalf of Milavetz Gallop & Milavetz PA on Friday, November 15, 2019.

Winter is here; there is no doubt about it. It is something that Minnesotans typically deal with, but it doesn't mean they are experts at driving in the snow and ice -- despite what some might think. Every winter, weather-related car accidents affect numerous people, but the weather is not fully at fault for these events. Drivers have a responsibility to adjust their driving habits when the weather turns.

There are numerous things drivers can do to make sure they drive safely this winter. If safe drivers get in accidents with unsafe drivers, they may have legal recourse. The state allows victims of negligent drivers or -- in the event of fatality -- their surviving family members to seek compensation for their losses.

Dog bites down, but not for everyone

On behalf of Milavetz Gallop & Milavetz PA on Wednesday, October 9, 2019.

Dogs can be wonderful companions for all ages, but they are also unpredictable, as are all animals. A bite from a dog can cause excruciating pain, debilitating injuries and disfiguring scars. Dog bites frequently become infected, causing even more medical challenges for the victim.

The good news is that dog bites across the country have dropped in the past year. However, that's not the whole story. If you live in Minnesota, you may be more likely to suffer a dog bite than in most other states. If you have a child, especially one who is a toddler, you have even more reason for concern.

How will you cope with paralysis caused by crash injuries?

On behalf of Milavetz Gallop & Milavetz PA on Friday, October 4, 2019.

If you spend a lot of time driving on the busy roads of the Twin Cities metropolitan area, you might have concerns about your safety and how you would manage if you suffered a life-changing injury in a car accident. It is a valid concern because accidents can happen in the blink of an eye, often with devastating consequences. Along with the trauma of a crash and the injuries you suffered will come the financial impact.

Authorities say, along with sports accidents, knife wounds, gunshots and falls, car accidents are the most common cause of spinal cord injuries. Depending on the severity and location of the injury, damage to your spinal cord could cause permanent disability.

Avoid post-divorce problems when kids go back to school

On behalf of Milavetz Gallop & Milavetz PA on Monday, August 26, 2019.

If a life-changing event occurred in your child's life over the summer, especially a stressful one such as divorce, it's always best to inform his or her teachers ahead of time. This way, when your son or daughter returns to school, the faculty is aware that this particular student is dealing with some personal life issues at home that may adversely affect his or her academic performance.

Working closely with your co-parent during back-to-school season can help your children adapt to their new lifestyle in a healthy manner. It may also help you avoid child custody or other legal problems. No matter how willing to cooperate and compromise you are, if the other parent is not equally putting forth effort, back-to-school season may be difficult to navigate. That's why it's important to build a strong support network from the start.

New Minnesota law hopes to reduce distracted driving

On behalf of Milavetz Gallop & Milavetz PA on Thursday, August 8, 2019.

According to TrueMotion – a company that studies cellphone use – about 15% of a driver’s trip on Minnesota roads is spent talking on the cellphone. And about 60,000 crashes between 2014 and 2018 were a result of distracted driving. Now Minnesota is trying to reduce those numbers.

The hands-free law in Minnesota is official. As of August 1, 2019, holding a phone while driving can lead to a ticket. Lawmakers and police hope to reduce the distracted driving happening on Minnesota roads.

Pointers for parents on child passenger safety: 3 things to know

On behalf of Milavetz Gallop & Milavetz PA on Friday, July 26, 2019.

As a parent, you may be unsure about what car seat to get for your kids or how long they are supposed to ride in back.

In this post, we will inform you about three points that will help you take care of your kids with the right seating arrangements based on their ages.

Minnesota's dram shop law makes bars liable for accidents

On behalf of Milavetz Gallop & Milavetz PA on Monday, July 22, 2019.

The sad stories come to us all the time via the news or social media. A drunk driver's been arrested, sometimes having caused an accident that's injured or killed someone. We might not ordinarily stop to wonder where the alcohol came from.

But there's a good chance many bar owners all over the Twin Cities Metro feel a twinge of more personal worry. Minnesota law includes a provision allowing a person injured by a drunk driver to sue the bar or restaurant that served overserved the driver. The law is called the Dram Shop Law.