Auto Accidents

In 1974, Minnesota adopted the No-Fault Insurance laws to ensure prompt payment of certain economic losses to victims of automobile accidents without regard to who was responsible for causing an accident.  Under the No-Fault System, you may be entitled to compensation for certain medical expenses, income loss, replacement services, funeral expenses, survivor's economic loss, and survivor's replacement services loss.  In certain cases, you may also be entitled to non-economic loss, such as pain and suffering.

Most claims in Minnesota are handled through a process of negotiation and arbitration outside of the judicial system.  This is a less formal process that allows the parties to save costs that would otherwise be associated with traditional litigation.  Over the past 25 years, the law firm of Griffel & Dorshow, Chartered has been successful in handling these types of cases.

Serious and catastrophic claims, however, may have to be resolved in the traditional court system.  This requires formal proceedings that require extensive knowledge of negotiation, trial tactics, and legal principles and formalities.  With an experienced law firm on your side, you will level the field and have the best chance of recovering the damages you have suffered.  At Griffel & Dorshow, Chartered, we have over 90 years of combined experience.

Although the No-Fault System was intended to simplify the process for everyone involved, insurance companies have created unnecessary barriers to resolving these claims quickly and fairly.  As a result, you will need an experienced law firm on your side.  Contact us at (612) 529-3333 or E-Mail Us today to discuss your case.

Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle riders are breed of their own.  Riders venture out onto the highway seeking adventure, peace, or just relaxation.  Unforunately, because riders are exposed to traffic conditions more so than car drivers, motorcyclists suffer more severe injuries than an ordinary driver might.  In 2004, there were 76,000 motorcycle injuries and 4,008 motorcycle-related fatalities.

Motorcycle injury cases are different from the typical automobile accident case because these cases fall outside the traditional No-Fault system.  As a result, motorcycle cases may need to be resolved in the courts through traditional litigation if a settlement cannot be achieved.

Motorcycle cases can also be more complicated because of the serious injuries associated with motorcycle accidents.  Contact Griffel & Dorshow, Chartered, at (612) 529-3333 or E-Mail Us, a local law firm with over 90 years of combined experience representing individuals with serious injuries.

Worker's Compensation

Millions of workers are injured at work every year.  Injuries can range from minor injuries to permanent disability or even death.  The worker's compensation system compensates employees for work-related injuries regardless of whether it was the employee's or employer's fault.  Employees may be entitled to lost wages, temporary or permanent disability, and medical expenses incurred as a result of their injury.

A third-party may also be sued if your injury is related to an outside party's conduct.  Contact Griffel & Dorshow, Chartered, at (612) 529-3333 or E-Mail Us, a Twin Cities firm with over 90 years of combined experience to discuss your case.

Medical Malpractice

Medical errors are unfortunately a common occurrence in the United States.   According to the Institute of Medicine, medical errors kill as many as 98,000 Americans every year.  This equals one fatal medical error every 5.3 seconds.  A malpractice claim is extremely complicated and you will need an experienced firm at your side.

 It is not necessarily enough that a procedure did not go as planned or a complication arose.  A doctor may only be held liable for injuring a patient if it is shown that the doctor breached his or her professional standard of care and caused the patient to suffer injury.  Many states require an expert physician to review a case to determine if a case has merit before a lawsuit may begin.

A doctor may also be held liable when he or she fails to diagnose certain medical conditions such as a heart attack or cancer.  Although the doctor may not have inflicted the same sort of injury as a botched surgery, the doctor's error caused the patient to not receieve life-saving care.

Medical associations and insurance companies vigorously fight malpractice claims arguing that these claims have caused a dramatic rise in healthcare costs.  This is simply not true.  According to the United States Congressional Budget Office, malpractice costs amount to "less than 2 percent of overall health care spending."  Contact Griffel & Dorshow, Chartered, at (612) 529-3333 or E-Mail Us, a firm with over 90 years of combined experience to handle your medical malpractice case.

Products Liability

Manufacturers and distributors of consumer products must ensure that the products are reasonably safe for consumers.  A product that is not reasonably safe is considered defective.  Almost any type of consumer product can be defective.  A few examples include tires, foods, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and appliances.

Three broad theories in products liability exist.  A manufacturing defect occurs when a product has not been built according to the manufacturer's design.  A design defect exists when the design itself is unreasonably unsafe.  Finally, a warning defect exists when the consumer is not adequately warned of the dangers of using a particular product.

Companies invest a lot of time and money into protecting their products against claims by consumers.  The profit generated from that product could be in jeopardy if a court finds that the product is defective.  Contact Griffel & Dorshow, Chartered, at (612) 529-3333 or E-Mail Us, a local Minnesota firm with over 90 years of combined experience handling injury-related claims.

Premises Liability

Premises liability cases are cases where a person is injured as a result of an unreasonably dangerous condition on another's property.  Owners of real property have an obligation to keep their property in a reasonably safe condition.  This duty might be breached if the landowner knows of a dangerous condition--such as an icy walkway, broken steps, hidden dangers, or unplowed snow--and fails to make that condition safe.

Premises liability cases can be tricky cases to prove.  Often times, the facts are complicated and may be difficult to prove.  With so much at risk, property owners will invest in the best legal representation to protect themselves.  Contact Griffel & Dorshow, Chartered, at (612) 529-3333 or E-Mail Us, a local firm with over 90 years of combined experience to discuss your case.

Wrongful Death

After losing a loved one, the last thing that one wants to do is navigate through the legal process to attempt to balance your financial instability.  Griffel & Dorshow, Chartered has experience in zealously handling wrongful death claims while remaining considerate of your family's loss.

A wrongful death action is a legal claim that the decedent--the person who has died--died as a result of another's negligence.  These claims arise out of many types of negligence cases, such as automobile accidents, products liability, premises liability, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, and battery.  Damages in this type of case may include income loss, loss of companionship, loss of services or assistance, and the decedent's medical and funeral expenses.

It is important to contact an attorney as soon as possible to preserve your case.  Contact Griffel & Dorshow, Chartered, at (612) 529-3333 or E-Mail Us to discuss your claim.

Nursing Home Litigation

Nursing homes are entrusted with our loved ones when we are no longer able to provide the care that they require to live a safe and enjoyable life.  Unfortunately, many nursing homes are operated as businesses where profit is the central concern.  As a result, nursing homes often place residents in danger by failing to provide sufficient care and services or by employing inadequately trained staff.

This problem is widespread throughout the entire United States.  In 1998, the National Center on Elder Abuse reported that more than a million senior citizens suffered abuse or neglect during a one-year period.  Inadequate care is a financial burden on our society.  According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the average cost to treat a pressure sore is over $37,000.

Nursing homes do not have to be this way.  Even minor changes in the nursing home industry could make life more enjoyable for our loved ones.  Our attorneys know this and are committed to fighting for that change.  Contact Griffel & Dorshow, Chartered, at (612) 529-3333 or E-Mail Us, to discuss your case and force the nursing home industry to make the changes to protect our loved ones.

Griffel & Dorshow DWI Hotline

612-207-2624

Driving is an essential privilege of most Americans' life.  We use it to get to and from work, school, and other events.  Sometimes we can make bad decisions which can lead to restrictions or revocation of our privilege.  These bad decisions can lead to major penalties and even jail time.

If you have been charged with a driving while under the influence, or DWI, contact us immediately.  Without a knowledgeable attorney at your side you could be facing jail time, fines and penalties, license revocation, and vehicle forfeiture.  There are also long-lasting collateral consequences of a DWI or other criminal conviction.  Your insurance rates may increase and you may have trouble finding housing and employment.

Don't let a DWI charge ruin your life.  Contact the Griffel & Dorshow DWI Hotline at 612-207-2624 or E-Mail Us.  Our initial consultations are always free.

Traumatic Brain Injury

According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC, the most common causes of traumatic brain injury (TBI) are falls, traffic crashes, assaults, and events causing the injured person to be struck against or by an object.  Traumatic brain injury may cause lifelong disability.  TBI patients often experience functional changes in thinking, sensation, language, and emotions.  

Traumatic Brain Injury cases can be complicated requiring a law firm with experience in personal injury cases.  Contact Griffel & Dorshow, Chartered, at (612) 529-3333 or E-Mail Us, to speak with an attorney.

Burns

Burns can cause permanent disfigurement and are a daily reminder of the traumatic incident.  Whether caused from a propane tank explosion, house or car fire, or even boiling water, people afflicted with burns require specialized medical treatment requiring the expenditure of significant amounts of time and money.

Burn cases can be complicated requiring a law firm with experience in products liability and negligence cases.  Contact Griffel & Dorshow, Chartered, at (612) 529-3333 or E-Mail Us, to setup a free consultation.

Dog Bite

Dogs are often considered a person's best friend but dogs do occassionally bite and inflict serious injuries.  A dog owner may be held liable if their dog injures a person without provocation.  Injuries can range from scratches to serious multi-system trauma and sometimes death.  Some injuries can even interfere with a person's ability to work and cause lifelong problems.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a dog, contact Griffel & Dorshow, Chartered, at 612-529-3333 or E-Mail Us to discuss your case.