Minnesota Neck & Back Injury Lawyers
Every day in Minnesota, people hurt their neck and back in vehicle accidents, slip and falls, and while performing their jobs. Unfortunately, these injuries can be serious and lead to life-long impairment. If another party was responsible for your injuries, a back and neck injury lawyer at Sieben Polk P.A. can help. Our firm has helped victims and their families throughout Minnesota seek justice, accountability, and compensation.
The negligence or recklessness of others can result in serious injuries to your neck and back. You could be hurt in a motor vehicle accident, slip and fall on an unsafe property, or be struck by a failing piece of equipment at work.
When you’ve been hurt because of someone else’s careless actions, you have the right to pursue justice and fair compensation through a personal injury claim. At Sieben Polk P.A., our neck and back injury attorneys help clients in the Twin Cities and throughout the Upper Midwest seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
Minnesota Neck and Back Injury Attorneys
Back and neck injuries are quite common and have innumerable causes. Some of the most common types of accidents our back and neck injury lawyers handle include:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Construction site accidents
Spinal cord injuries are a particularly serious form of back injury and are often accompanied by other severe injuries, such as traumatic brain injury, internal bleeding, and burns. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident, remember that you do not need to handle the legal aftermath alone.
Why Work With Sieben Polk P.A.?
Sieben Polk P.A. is a premier personal injury firm in the Upper Midwest. We have over 50 years of experience, understand the laws governing our community, and know how to navigate the local legal system.
Our top-tier legal team has helped accident victims throughout the state secure millions in compensation for injuries. We believe in the high quality of our services, but you do not have to take our word for it. Our results and client testimonials speak for themselves.
Symptoms of Neck and Back Injuries
Some types of back and neck injuries are minor, with discomfort lasting only a few days or weeks. But others result in long-term impairment.
A serious back or neck injury can involve the disks between the vertebrae. If one or more of these disks are ruptured or herniated, it can place pressure on the bone and nerves of the spinal cord, leading to severe pain and physical impairment, including full or partial paralysis.
Symptoms that indicate a severe neck or back injury include:
- Significant pain concentrated in your back and radiating through your body
- Numbness or tingling in your legs, knees, or arms
- Sharp or dull pain confined to a single area
- Weakness in the legs
- Headaches or shoulder pain
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
Even soft tissue injuries can result in serious damage and physical impairment if not treated promptly. If you are experiencing any symptoms related to a neck or back injury, you should seek immediate medical treatment.
How Are Neck and Back Injuries Treated?
Some neck and back injuries improve with time and rest. Others require more involved treatment, such as medication, physical therapy, injections, chiropractic care, and even surgery. If your injury was work-related, Minnesota law even includes specific treatment guidelines for neck injuries.
No matter the severity of your injury, your back and neck injury lawyer will help you get the treatment you need and fight for the maximum compensation you deserve.
Filing a Neck and Back Injury Claim in Minnesota
To file a personal injury claim for your neck or back injury, you must suffer sufficient damages to justify pursuing the claims process. There must also be another party that is responsible for the damages you’ve suffered.
An experienced personal injury lawyer can review the circumstances of your case and explain your legal options. If you have a valid claim, you may be able to receive several different types of damages:
- Economic damages – This may include compensation for things like medical bills, lost wages, lowered future earning capacity, and property damage.
- Non-economic damages – This may include compensation for intangible things like pain, suffering, emotional anguish, and lowered quality of life.
- Punitive damages – This form of damages is available to punish defendants when they act with deliberate disregard for the rights and safety of others.
If you have lost a loved one due to a back or neck injury that wasn’t their fault, you may be eligible to recover compensation through a wrongful death claim.
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a Minnesota accident, collecting full and fair compensation isn’t always as simple as filing a claim. Unfortunately, insurance companies don’t make the process easy and often attempt to diminish or deny the value of legitimate claims. Our attorneys know how to push back when they do.
Pre-Existing Conditions
Many insurance companies may try to claim that some or all of your neck or back injuries are due entirely to pre-existing conditions. However, even if you have a prior injury or physical condition, this doesn’t necessarily preclude your claim. For example, if an accident aggravates a pre-existing condition, the liable party would be responsible for related damages.
If you’ve been involved in an accident and hurt your neck, back, or spine, it’s critical that you get medical attention as soon as possible. The full impact of your injuries may not be apparent following an accident, and you can worsen it by moving around before treatment.
Proving Liability
You must show the other party was negligent to hold them liable for your damages. In Minnesota, you must normally prove four elements to establish negligence:
- The defendant owed you a duty of care to avoid harming through their actions,
- The defendant breached that duty,
- The breach of duty caused your injury, and
- You suffered damages as a result.
In some cases, it’s clear who was at fault in the accident. If someone was driving drunk or ran a red light, the resulting accident was probably their fault. However, insurance companies will commonly try to shift some or all of the blame to the injured party.
If you are found to be partially at fault for the accident, you may still be able to collect compensation. Under Minnesota’s “modified comparative fault” system, you can collect damages so long as you are not more than 50 percent responsible for the accident. However, your damages will be reduced in proportion to your share of fault.
Because proving fault can be complex, it’s vital to seek the counsel of an experienced Minnesota back and neck injury lawyer. Your attorney can thoroughly investigate your claim and gather evidence to help you build the most compelling case possible.
How Long Do I Have to File My Neck and Back Injury Claim?
In Minnesota, you only have a limited amount of time to file a neck and back injury claim. The deadline is known as the statute of limitations and varies depending on how the injury was caused:
- Personal injury claims – six years from the date of injury
- Medical malpractice claims – four years from the date the cause of action accrued
- Wrongful death – three years from the date of death (no time limit in cases involving murder)
Failure to file before the correct deadline normally results in your case being dismissed in court. To avoid compromising your legal right to compensation, you should seek the guidance of a qualified personal injury lawyer.
Contact Our Experienced Eagan Slip and Fall Injury Attorneys
If you have suffered a back or neck injury at little to no fault of your own, the personal injury attorneys at Sieben Polk P.A. can help. We will explore all possible sources of financial compensation on your behalf.
We work on a contingency basis, which means you pay nothing unless we win your case. Call us today at (651) 437-3148 or complete our online form to schedule your free case review. Our personal injury firm is conveniently located in Eagan and proudly serves the community in the Twin Cities and beyond.
- Minnesota Neck and Back Injury Attorneys
- Why Work With Sieben Polk P.A.?
- Symptoms of Neck and Back Injuries
- How Are Neck and Back Injuries Treated?
- Filing a Neck and Back Injury Claim in Minnesota
- How Long Do I Have to File My Neck and Back Injury Claim?
- Contact Our Experienced Eagan Slip and Fall Injury Attorneys
