Minnesota is a No-Fault State for auto accidents, which affords nearly all drivers and passengers medical and wage loss benefits from car insurance. BUT, did you know your auto insurance can decide to stop paying these benefits to which you are entitled!? Then what?
A great reason to retain legal representation after an auto accident is so you don’t have to file or attend a No-Fault Arbitration on your own. What is a no-fault arbitration?
A no-fault arbitration is a very informal hearing typically lasting less than an hour that occurs in an attorney’s conference room. The arbitration usually includes only 4 people – the injured person and their attorney, an attorney representing the insurance company, and an attorney acting as the arbitrator. The arbitration is for nothing more than determining if the insurance company must pay the outstanding medical expenses and/or wage loss and reinstate your PIP benefits.
The arbitration can go 1 of 3 ways:
- 100% successful and the injured person’s future benefits are reinstated;
- 100% unsuccessful, and the auto insurance company will not have to pay the expenses that were arbitrated but the injured party has the right to petition for another arbitration for future PIP benefits; or
- there can be partial success on both sides, meaning the auto insurance company will pay however much the arbitrator decides to award to the injured person, but benefits will not be reinstated, so, again, a second arbitration would be needed for future PIP benefits.
Many other burdens and anxieties can be alleviated from you if you retain our office for legal representation. Please explore the Otten Law website for more information or call us at 952-736-3300 for more information.