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3 mistakes that could harm your personal injury claim

On behalf of Harper & Peterson, P.L.L.C. posted in Injuries on Monday, August 13, 2018.

If you've sustained a serious injury from negligence or malpractice, you know how stressful the consequences can be. The injury may leave you unable to work or with big medical bills. It may even be life-altering, in all sorts of ways.

You may decide that your next step is filing a personal injury claim. The process can seem daunting at first, and you must be careful not to make mistakes that could get your claim rejected.

What are some common mistakes that could harm your personal injury claim? We will discuss three errors to avoid in this post.

5 most common medical errors in Minnesota

On behalf of Harper & Peterson, P.L.L.C. posted in Injuries on Wednesday, August 8, 2018.

Hospitals are supposed to be a place where we go for much-needed medical care. Many doctors and nurses do amazing work, but medical errors are still far too common.

In Minnesota alone, there were 341 adverse events reported in 2017.

What are the most common adverse events in Minnesota? We will discuss them in this post.

Who can bring a wrongful death lawsuit in Minnesota?

On behalf of Harper & Peterson, P.L.L.C. posted in Wrongful Death on Wednesday, August 8, 2018.

Even when a loved on passes away too early, leaving you with a wrongful death claim, there's no amount of money that can bring that person back or get you back to where you were before they passed. Bringing a wrongful death claim can, however, help bring closure and a small sense of justice to the process.

The process of bringing a wrongful deal claim can seem difficult and confusing. Especially since Minnesota limits who can bring a wrongful death claim and what that claim covers.

Here are four FAQs about who can bring a wrongful death claim in Minnesota.

Understanding tort reform and its potential consequences, Part 3

On behalf of Harper & Peterson, P.L.L.C. posted in blog on Monday, November 6, 2017.

Understanding tort reform and its potential consequences, Part 3

We have discussed the issue of tort reform in a variety of ways. Unfortunately tort reform has become a recurring topic that makes it into the public debate without any significant premise for its need. Concerns over health care costs, the potential for so-called frivolous lawsuits and a fear of a possible runaway jury are frequently the pegs that reformers rely on to argue to limit the constitutional rights of injury victims, while immunizing negligent actors from liability for the catastrophic harms they cause.

Tort law and tort reform: What is the answer?

In January and March, we discussed how strongly the founders of our country valued the importance access to the courts to resolve controversies. The framers believed that the jury system is vital to freedom and self-governance. The Seventh Amendment expressly guarantees the right to a jury to decide issues of fact in injury cases. Tort reform ultimately seeks to deny victims of negligence from having members of the community decide facts on an individual basis. It seeks to have detached lawmakers decide how much a life is worth in an arbitrary fashion under the guise of protecting Americans.

Understanding tort reform and its potential consequences, Part 2

On behalf of Harper & Peterson, P.L.L.C. posted in blog on Monday, November 6, 2017.

Researchers generally recognize three waves of tort reform. The most recent wave occurred between 2002 and 2005. Nine states across the country enacted laws to cap damages in medical malpractice cases. Then, as now, proponents of plans to immunize medical professionals from being held liable for their negligence have claimed that tort reform is necessary to promote good health.

The arguments take different forms. Some so-called tort-reformers have argued that jury awards in medical malpractice cases drive up the costs of health care. Other say that medical malpractice insurance costs reduce access to medical care as doctors flee rural areas and smaller communities due to their insurance rates.

Understanding tort reform and its potential consequences, Part 1

On behalf of Harper & Peterson, P.L.L.C. posted in Injuries on Wednesday, May 10, 2017.

In any area of public concern, lobbyists, politicians, big business, and pundits alike, often turn to catchphrases that serve to undermine open and full discussion over a specific topic. As our nation is struggling to find ways to address the rising cost of healthcare there are some who suggest that tort reform is necessary to protect public health.

Tort reform is not a new concept. The phrase itself, however, suggests that a problem exists that needs correcting. The slogan, tort reform, was devised in order to entice individuals to waive an indispensible constitutional right.

Understanding the importance of the jury in civil trials, Part 2

On behalf of Harper & Peterson, P.L.L.C. on Wednesday, March 22, 2017.

The United States has a long tradition of respecting the right to have a jury of peers participate in resolving disputes. Few other countries look to juries to decide facts, relying on other systems involving government authorities to decide the fate of people in criminal and civil cases. In the last post we discussed the foundation of our jury system in civil cases in the United States. Here, we will discuss the importance of the jury in preserving freedom and democracy.

Controlling Special Interests And Partisan Politics In The Jury Room

The founders believed that the right to a jury was indispensable. As we mentioned in the last post, partisan politics often create strife in the election process. Special interests have a strong voice in state legislatures and Congress. New laws are frequently enacted in a knee-jerk response to a single event to apply blanket restrictions or limits on the freedom of the people based upon a single event, without regard for the unique facts of that event, leading to unintended consequences under different facts in a future case.

Understanding the importance of the jury in civil trials, Part 1

On behalf of Harper & Peterson, P.L.L.C. posted in Injuries on Monday, January 23, 2017.

As we move into 2017, the political landscape across the country remains in turmoil. Last year experienced a tumultuous campaign that people on both sides of the aisle agree highlighted that a strong partisan rift exists in America. In fact, in naming "The Person of the Year" in 2016, the cover of Time Magazine indentified the country as the "Divided States Of America." It is no secret that partisan politics are often driven by special interests. The courts, on the other hand, are supposed to mete out justice without regard to partisan politics, special interest pressures and government oppression.

A Jury Is The Voice Of The Local Community In Serving Justice

Before our country was founded, the colonists in North America were governed under the law of England without representation in the British Parliament. Most people are familiar with the story of the Boston Tea Party as a protest against taxation without representation. However, the roots of the jury in America in certain civil cases are also tied to the lack of representation in parliament. Cases at law in the colonies involved a jury of peers who decided the facts according to local customs and understanding of the law - standing between the power of the King and the colonists.

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