Motorcycle accident
Motorcycle Accident Attorneys in St. Paul, Minnesota
The firms in this guide
1. Meshbesher & Spence, Ltd.
Practice Focus: Motorcycle accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, product liability
Case Types Handled: Motorcycle collisions, motorcycle vs. car accidents, motorcycle vs. truck accidents, fatal motorcycle accidents, intersection crashes, left-turn accidents, wrongful death claims, traumatic brain injury cases, spinal cord injuries
Legal Services: Negligence investigation, liability determination, insurance claim negotiation, settlement negotiations, trial representation, accident reconstruction, expert witness coordination, medical record analysis, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death litigation
Background: One of Minnesota’s largest personal injury law firms with decades of experience handling motorcycle accident cases in the Twin Cities area including St. Paul and Minneapolis. The firm has recovered millions of dollars for accident victims throughout Minnesota.
Location: Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN (Ramsey County)
Contact: Contact via website
Consultation: Free consultation offered. Contingency fee basis.
2. TSR Injury Law
Practice Focus: Motorcycle accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, personal injury, wrongful death, premises liability
Case Types Handled: Motorcycle collisions, motorcycle vs. car accidents, fatal motorcycle accidents, intersection crashes, hit-and-run accidents, distracted driving accidents, drunk driving accidents, wrongful death claims, traumatic brain injury cases
Legal Services: Negligence investigation, insurance claim negotiation, settlement negotiations, trial representation, accident reconstruction, medical record review, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death litigation, no-fault PIP claims
Background: Minnesota personal injury law firm serving the Twin Cities including St. Paul. The attorneys handle motorcycle accident cases and understand Minnesota’s no-fault insurance system and how it applies to motorcyclists.
Location: St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN
Contact: Contact via website
Consultation: Free consultation offered. Contingency fee basis.
3. SiebenCarey
Practice Focus: Motorcycle accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, personal injury, wrongful death, workers’ compensation
Case Types Handled: Motorcycle collisions, motorcycle vs. car accidents, motorcycle vs. truck accidents, fatal motorcycle accidents, intersection crashes, rear-end collisions, wrongful death claims, traumatic brain injury cases, spinal cord injuries, road rash injuries
Legal Services: Negligence investigation, liability determination, insurance claim negotiation, settlement negotiations, trial representation, accident reconstruction, expert witness coordination, medical record analysis, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death litigation
Background: One of Minnesota’s largest personal injury law firms with over 65 years of combined experience. The firm serves clients in St. Paul, Minneapolis, and throughout Minnesota. The attorneys understand Minnesota’s comparative fault laws and no-fault insurance system.
Location: St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN
Contact: Contact via website
Consultation: Free consultation offered. Contingency fee basis.
4. Bradshaw & Bryant PLLC
Practice Focus: Motorcycle accidents, car accidents, personal injury, wrongful death, criminal defense
Case Types Handled: Motorcycle collisions, motorcycle vs. car accidents, fatal motorcycle accidents, intersection crashes, hit-and-run accidents, drunk driving accidents, wrongful death claims, traumatic brain injury cases
Legal Services: Negligence investigation, insurance claim negotiation, settlement negotiations, trial representation, medical record analysis, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death litigation
Background: Minnesota personal injury firm serving the Twin Cities metro area including St. Paul. The attorneys handle motorcycle accident claims and understand Minnesota’s fault determination rules and insurance requirements.
Location: St. Paul area, MN
Contact: Contact via website
Consultation: Free consultation offered. Contingency fee basis.
5. Knutson + Casey
Practice Focus: Motorcycle accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice
Case Types Handled: Motorcycle collisions, motorcycle vs. car accidents, fatal motorcycle accidents, intersection crashes, left-turn accidents, distracted driving accidents, wrongful death claims, traumatic brain injury cases, spinal cord injuries
Legal Services: Negligence investigation, liability determination, insurance claim negotiation, settlement negotiations, trial representation, accident reconstruction, expert witness coordination, medical record review, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death litigation
Background: Minnesota personal injury law firm serving clients in St. Paul, Minneapolis, and throughout the state. The firm has decades of experience handling motorcycle accident cases and understanding Minnesota’s modified comparative fault rules.
Location: St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN
Contact: Contact via website
Consultation: Free consultation offered. Contingency fee basis.
Passenger Rules, Municipal Claims and Wrongful Death Actions for St. Paul Motorcycle Crashes
A St. Paul motorcycle crash claim can involve Minnesota’s passenger and lane-use rules for motorcycles, the 180-day notice and liability limits for a claim against the city, and the trustee-led wrongful death action. Minnesota also requires every operator to use eye protection.
Carrying a Passenger
Under Minn. Stat. 169.974 subd. 5(a) and (b), a passenger may ride only on an operator’s seat designed for two, on an additional attached seat or in a sidecar, the operator may not carry more passengers than the motorcycle is designed for, and a passenger must be able to reach the footrests or floorboards with both feet.
Lane Use and Headlights
Under Minn. Stat. 169.974 subd. 5(e), (i) and (l), motorcycles may ride two abreast in a lane only with both drivers’ consent and if they fit safely, every motorcycle is entitled to the full use of a traffic lane, and the headlight must be lighted at all times on a street or highway.
A Claim Against the City
Under Minn. Stat. 466.05 subd. 1, notice of a claim against a municipality must be presented to its governing body within 180 days after the injury is discovered, and under subd. 2 a wrongful death notice within one year. Under 466.04 subd. 1, liability is limited to $500,000 per claimant and $1,500,000 per occurrence for claims arising on or after July 1, 2009, with no punitive damages.
A Wrongful Death Action
Under Minn. Stat. 573.02 subd. 1, a court-appointed trustee may bring the action within three years after the death and no later than six years after the act or omission, for the surviving spouse and next of kin in proportion to their pecuniary loss.
St. Paul Motorcycle Accident Questions
Do I have to wear eye protection on a motorcycle in Minnesota?
Yes. Under Minn. Stat. 169.974 subd. 4(a), no person may operate a motorcycle without an eye-protective device, except during a permitted parade or in an enclosed-cab autocycle under (b).
Can I recover if I was partly at fault?
Yes, if your fault is not greater than the other driver’s. For example, imagine $125,000 in damages and 40 percent of the fault on the rider: under Minn. Stat. 604.01 subd. 1 the recovery would be $75,000. Minnesota’s no-fault act also sets motorcycles apart: Minn. Stat. 65B.43 subd. 2 excludes a motorcycle from its definition of “motor vehicle”, so confirm with counsel which no-fault rules, including the tort threshold, apply to a rider’s claim.
How long do I have to sue after a St. Paul motorcycle crash?
Under D.M.S. v. Barber (2002), personal injury actions grounded on negligence must generally be commenced within the six-year period of Minn. Stat. 541.05, now subd. 1(5), as the Minnesota Supreme Court put it; 541.07(1) sets two years for the torts it lists. Confirm with counsel which period applies, and give the city notice within 180 days under 466.05 if a city vehicle was involved.