Brooklyn Center Car Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been hurt in a car accident in Brooklyn Center, you’re likely dealing with pain, mounting medical bills, and uncertainty about your next steps. At Milavetz Injury Law, P.A., our Brooklyn Center car accident lawyers understand how overwhelming this time can be — and we’re here to help. Since 1963, our firm has stood up for everyday Minnesotans, recovering more than $500 million in settlements for injury victims and their families across the state.
What Can I Expect to Pay?
At Milavetz Injury Law, P.A., we handle car accident cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay nothing upfront and owe no legal fees unless we recover compensation for you. Our fee is a percentage of your final settlement or verdict — so our success is directly tied to yours.
This arrangement removes the financial barrier that prevents many injury victims from pursuing the justice they deserve. You can get experienced legal representation without worrying about hourly rates or retainer fees.
Who Pays for Your Medical Bills While Your Case Is Pending?
This is one of the most common concerns our clients have, and it’s a valid one. Here’s how medical expenses are typically handled during an active case in Minnesota:
Minnesota’s no-fault system requires all drivers to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance, which provides up to $20,000 in coverage for medical expenses related to the accident. This is available regardless of who caused the crash, so it’s typically the first source of payment for your medical bills.
If your PIP coverage is exhausted, your personal health insurance can step in to cover ongoing treatment. In many cases, medical providers may agree to treat you on a lien basis — meaning they defer payment until your case settles. This allows you to continue receiving care without paying out of pocket during the process.
Once your case resolves, outstanding medical bills are paid from the settlement proceeds. Your attorney will work to negotiate any outstanding balances to ensure you keep as much of your compensation as possible.
Do You Have Grounds for a Car Accident Claim?
To pursue a car accident claim in Minnesota, our legal team will need to establish several key elements. Here’s what we look for when evaluating your case:
- Duty of care: Every driver on Minnesota roads has a legal obligation to operate their vehicle safely and follow traffic laws. This duty extends to all other motorists, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists sharing the road.
- Breach of duty: We must show that the other driver failed to meet this standard — whether by speeding, running a red light, texting behind the wheel, or driving under the influence.
- Causation: There must be a direct link between the other driver’s negligent behavior and the accident that caused your injuries. Our team works to establish this connection through evidence gathering and, when necessary, expert analysis.
- Damages: You must have suffered real, documented losses as a result of the accident. This includes medical expenses, lost income, property damage, and pain and suffering.
We’ve Secured Millions for Minnesota Car Accident Victims
Damages You Can Recover
$1.4
Million
recovered after a school bus accident
$1
MILLION
recovered in a multi-vehicle collision
$567
THOUSAND
recovered for the wrongful death of a minor in a traffic accident
Contact Our Legal Team Today
Reaching our team is simple, and we offer multiple ways to connect:
- Call us directly at 763-560-0000 — available 24 hours a day
- Visit our Contact Us to submit an online inquiry or schedule a consultation
- Stop by our Brooklyn Center office at 1915 57th Ave N, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430
Your initial consultation is completely free, with no obligation. Let us review your case and help you understand your options.
Visit Our Brooklyn Center Law Office
Your Deadline for Filing a Claim
Under Minnesota Statutes § 541.05, you generally have six years from the date of your car accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. While this may seem like plenty of time, there are important exceptions that can shorten your window significantly:
- Wrongful death claims must be filed within three years of the date of death.
- Claims against a government entity (such as after a crash involving a city vehicle or unsafe public road) require written notice within 180 days for injury claims and one year for wrongful death.
- PIP insurance claims must be initiated within six months of the accident.
Even when the six-year deadline applies, waiting works against you. Witnesses become harder to locate, physical evidence disappears, and memories fade. The sooner you contact our team at Milavetz Injury Law, P.A., the stronger your case will be.
What to do After a Car Accident?
If you’ve been in a car accident, the dust may have settled — but the decisions you make right now can significantly impact the outcome of your case. Here’s what to do:
- Contact our Brooklyn Center car accident lawyers: The sooner you speak with an attorney, the sooner we can begin protecting your rights and preserving critical evidence. Waiting too long can give the insurance company time to build a case against you.
- Seek thorough medical attention: Even if you feel okay, many injuries like whiplash, concussions, and internal bleeding don’t show symptoms right away. Gaps in medical treatment give insurers ammunition to argue your injuries aren’t serious — or weren’t caused by the accident.
- Stay off social media: Anything you post — even something as simple as a photo at a family gathering — can be taken out of context and used to undermine your injury claim. Insurance adjusters actively monitor claimants’ social media accounts.
- Don’t accept the insurer’s first offer: Early settlement offers are almost always lower than what your claim is worth. Once you accept, you give up the right to seek additional compensation, even if your injuries turn out to be more serious than initially thought.
- Be careful in communications with the insurance company: Adjusters are trained to ask questions designed to get you to minimize your injuries or accept partial blame. Avoid giving recorded statements without legal advice — what you say can and will be used to reduce your payout.
- Keep detailed records of everything: Start a file with your medical records, repair estimates, receipts for out-of-pocket expenses, and notes about how your injuries affect your daily life. This documentation strengthens your case.
- Follow your treatment plan: Skipping appointments or stopping treatment early signals to the insurance company that your injuries may not be as severe as claimed. Consistent medical care protects both your health and your legal position.
Insurance Company Tactics to Be Aware Of
Insurance companies are businesses, and their goal is to pay out as little as possible. Based on our decades of experience handling car accident claims in Minnesota, here are tactics we see regularly:
- Offering quick lowball settlements: Insurers often reach out within days of an accident with a fast offer. This is intentional — they want to settle before you know the full extent of your injuries and the true value of your claim.
- Requesting recorded statements early: An adjuster may call and ask you to provide a recorded account of what happened. These statements are used to find inconsistencies and shift blame onto you.
- Delay tactics: Stalling the process is a common strategy. The longer your case drags out, the more financially pressured you become — and the more likely you are to accept a reduced offer.
- Monitoring your social media: Adjusters may review your online posts for anything that contradicts your injury claims. A photo of you smiling at a birthday party can be used to argue you aren’t really in pain.
- Disputing the severity of your injuries: Insurers may question whether your injuries are as bad as you claim, suggest they were pre-existing, or argue that certain treatments weren’t medically necessary.
- Shifting blame to you: Even if the other driver was clearly at fault, the insurance company may try to assign you a higher percentage of responsibility to reduce or eliminate your payout under Minnesota’s comparative negligence law.
⚠️ Warning: Giving a recorded statement without first speaking to a lawyer could be used to limit your compensation later. Always consult
Our Process for Handling Your Case
Here’s a clear look at how our team manages your car accident claim from start to finish:
- Free initial consultation: We listen to your story, review the details of your accident, and provide an honest assessment of your case — all at no cost and with no obligation.
- Investigation and evidence gathering: Our team collects police reports, medical records, witness statements, and any available photo, video, or electronic evidence related to your crash.
- Medical documentation and review: We work with your medical providers to ensure every injury and treatment is thoroughly documented to support the full value of your claim.
- Insurance claim filing: We handle all communications with the insurance companies, file your PIP claim and any third-party liability claims, and manage every deadline on your behalf.
- Damage calculation: Our attorneys calculate the complete value of your claim, including current and future medical costs, lost income, reduced earning capacity, and non-economic damages like pain and suffering.
- Demand and negotiation: We present a comprehensive demand to the insurance company and negotiate aggressively to reach a fair settlement.
- Litigation, if necessary: If the insurer refuses to offer a reasonable settlement, we are fully prepared to take your case to court and advocate for you before a judge and jury.
- Settlement distribution: Once compensation is secured, we ensure all medical liens and outstanding bills are addressed, and you receive the maximum amount possible.
Why Choose Milavetz Law for Your Claim
Milavetz Injury Law, P.A. isn’t a faceless corporate law firm. We’re a Minnesota-born firm that has been protecting the rights of individuals since 1963. With our main office located right here in Brooklyn Center at 1915 57th Ave N, we’re deeply connected to this community.
Over more than six decades, our firm has recovered over $500 million in settlements for injury victims across the state. Our attorneys have been recognized by Best Law Firms, Minnesota Super Lawyers, and Attorneys of the Year — but our proudest accomplishments are the lives we’ve been able to change for the better.
What sets us apart is our commitment to being accessible. While many firms operate out of a single downtown office, we deliberately placed our offices in neighborhoods across the Twin Cities metro so that the people who need us most can reach us easily. Our lawyers don’t just work in Brooklyn Center — we are part of this community. Our team members volunteer with organizations like Beyond The Yellow Ribbon, Legal Aid, and local civic groups, and several of our attorneys serve as conciliation court judges, arbitrators, and qualified neutrals.
When you work with us, you’re working with experienced professionals who see you as a person — not a case number.
FAQs
Can I still file a claim if the car accident was partially my fault?
Minnesota follows a modified comparative fault rule, which means you can still recover compensation as long as you are not more than 50% responsible for the accident. However, your total award will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are found 20% at fault and your damages total $100,000, you would receive $80,000. Insurance companies often try to shift blame onto injured drivers, which is why having a lawyer review the details of your case matters.
What if I was a passenger in the car accident?
As a passenger, you are almost never considered at fault for a collision. You may be able to file a claim against one or both drivers involved, depending on who caused the crash. In some cases, your own auto insurance policy may also provide additional coverage. Milavetz Law P.A. can help you identify every available source of compensation so nothing is overlooked.
Do I have to go to the doctor right away after a car accident?
Seeking medical attention as soon as possible is strongly recommended, even if you feel fine at first. Some injuries — like whiplash, concussions, and internal bleeding — may not produce symptoms for hours or even days after the crash. Delaying treatment can also give the insurance company a reason to argue that your injuries are not serious or were caused by something other than the accident. A prompt medical evaluation creates documentation that strengthens your claim.
Will my car accident case go to trial?
The majority of car accident cases in Minnesota settle before ever reaching a courtroom. However, if the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, filing a lawsuit and preparing for trial may be the best path to full compensation. Milavetz Law P.A. prepares every case as if it could go to trial, which often motivates insurers to negotiate more seriously. If your case does proceed to court, our team will guide you through every step of the process.
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