Testimonials
Julie K. Thomas
Kenny Arradondo
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FAQs
Do I have to 'sue' someone in order
to recover for my injuries?
No. That decision is yours to make. Generally, we can work with your insurance company to obtain a settlement for your injuries. Unfortunately, it is not usual for insurance companies to offer offensively low amounts to resolve your claim which results in you having to make a difficult decision about whether or not you want to sue the other driver.
Even if you decide to sue the other driver, it does not necessarily mean that your case will go to trial. Often times issues are hashed out and determined before trial which allows the insurer to make a much more reasonable offer to settle your claim.
I've been in a collision, what should I do?
The first thing you need to do is to exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver(s). This is a vital first step because if you had the opportunity to get the other persons information and you do not, you may be barred from obtaining a recovery for your pain and suffering.
Once you have the other party's information, you should notify both your insurance company and their insurance company that there has been a collision and then call me as soon as possible.
Why do I need an attorney?
Who pays for my vehicle damage?
There are many pitfalls in Minnesota when it comes to automobile insurance. An attorney can assist you in determining the correct course of action to obtain maximum settlement. Further, insurance companies are in business to make money. I have seen insurance companies repeatedly refuse to make reasonable offers to settle cases with individuals until an attorney is involved. An attorney who specializes in personal injury will also be able to obtain the appropriate information and present your injuries to the insurance company in a way that they will be able to process the information and determine what they believe a "fair" settlement to be. Further, once you have settled your case, you may owe money to your health insurance, even if you receive Medicare or are on other government assistance. An attorney will be able to analyze your insurer's contract, determine what, if anything, they are owed and negotiate with them for an appropriate resolution for their lien.
It depends. If you have collision coverage on your vehicle your insurance company will pay you for your car damage using their adjusting software which, may or may not fairly represent your actual car damage. The best thing to do is to take your vehicle to a car shop and let them deal with your insurance company. If you did not have collision coverage on your vehicle, then you need to seek compensation from the at-fault-driver's insurance (if you were at fault, then this does not apply to you).
However, the at-fault driver's company may delay payment while they do a reasonable investigation. If the other driver's company refuses to pay for the car damage and you believe that they were at fault, then you can take the other driver to conciliation court.
Who pays for my medical bills, wage loss, pain and suffering?
Minnesota is a No-Fault state meaning that regardless of whose fault the accident is, so long as you had insurance at the time of the collision, you may be entitled to up to $20,000 in payment for your medical bills and $20,000 in payment for your wage loss (85% of your lost wages up to $500 per week) and replacement services. Some insurance policies provide for stacking meaning that if you have two or more vehicles and you elect this coverage your No-Fault insurance is doubled. However, even though the Minnesota Supreme Court has said that injured people have the right to No-Fault benefits upon reasonable proof of a loss, more and more insurance companies are denying benefits in order to pad their bottom line in the hopes that you will simply go away. M. Ryan Madison is experienced in these No-Fault issues and can work to get your benefits reinstated after they have been cut-off. Once we know that you have healed or that you are not going to get any better, as attested to by your treating doctor, we can then go after the other driver's liability insurance. The minimum amount of liability insurance in Minnesota is $30,000 and, unfortunately, many people are driving around with minimal coverage when the premiums for $100,000 in coverage are not that much more expensive. If the other driver is without insurance or you have suffered an injury that is worth more than their liability insurance policy, each policy of insurance written in Minnesota is required to provide uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Depending on your circumstances, we may also be able to go after these benefits for which you have paid a premium. Such decisions are made on a case by case basis and require careful analysis of the particular facts of your case and the laws of Minnesota.
I wasn't injured in an automobile, can I still recover anything?
YES! M. Ryan Madison has obtained very good results for clients who have been injured as the result of the negligence of store employees, slips and falls on ice, water and other foreign objects that simply should not have been where they were. Most home/land owner's policies have what is generally referred to as a med-pay provision which means that regardless of whose fault it is, if you are injured on another person's land your medical bills will be paid up to a certain dollar amount.
Unfortunately, many of these policies pay between $1,000 and $3,000 for injuries where no one was at fault. On the other hand, if you believe another person is at fault, then you should consult with attorney M. Ryan Madison in order for him to fully analyze the facts of your case and apply them to the ever-changing landowner liability laws in Minnesota.
Can I Leave my medical expenses 'open' as a condition of my settlement?
No. There are attorneys who will settle your case as quickly as possible so that they can make some quick money and move on to the next case. As previously stated, M. Ryan Madison settles cases when they are ready for settlement! That is, when your doctor agrees that you're better and are not going to get any better or will be permanently injured. There are ways to be reimbursed for future medical expenses at the time of settlement, however, you should contact M. Ryan Madison who will discuss that issue with you before settling your case.
Why should I hire Ryan Madison?
Ryan is a caring and compassionate attorney who treats each of his clients like human-beings. Mr. Madison has obtained judgments for injured people up to $3,000,000 and many settlements up to over $100,000.00. Ryan has experience in all aspects of personal injury matters up to and including trials. For more than a year Mr. Madison has also served as an Arbitrator on many No-Fault Arbitration dispute. Ryan is honest and straightforward and will give you a fair assessment of your case and if you chose to hire him he will give your case the attention it deserves!
How does payment work?
Frequently Asked Questions
