Minnesota Fault Rule
Modified Comparative Negligence (51% Bar) + Mandatory No-Fault PIP: Minnesota applies a 51% modified comparative fault bar alongside mandatory No-Fault PIP ($40,000 package: $20k medical + $20k wage loss). You must meet statutory tort thresholds to claim non-economic pain and suffering.
Statute of Limitations
6 Years (Minn. Stat. § 541.05(1)(5) & § 65B.44): Claimants must finalize settlement agreements or initiate formal civil actions within 6 years of the collision date.
Statutory Insurance Minimums
30/60/10 ($30k bodily injury / $60k per accident / $10k property damage): These mandatory insurance minimums represent the maximum available coverage under standard policies unless the driver purchased higher optional coverage.
How Fault Apportionment Affects Claims in Minnesota
When negotiating auto accident claims in Minnesota, insurance adjusters calculate damages using an itemized formula that adds economic losses (medical bills, future treatment, lost earnings, property repair) to non-economic damages (pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life).
Under Minnesota Statutes § 604.01, a claimant can recover damages if their contributory fault was not greater than the fault of the person against whom recovery is sought (50% or less). Under the Minnesota No-Fault Act (Minn. Stat. § 65B.51), accident victims must first exhaust their own mandatory $20,000 medical PIP coverage, and can only pursue third-party non-economic damages if medical expenses exceed $4,000, 60 days of disability occur, or permanent injury is documented. Understanding this threshold prevents accident victims from being pressured into unfair initial liability splits during adjusters' telephone recorded statements.