Minnesota Mock Trial & BGS
April 5, 2011 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.This past year Attorney Joan M. Quade, division leader for the commercial litigation practice group at BGS, volunteered as a coach to the Spring Lake Park High School’s Mock Trial Team. Mock Trial is a competition where participating schools are given a real legal case which was developed by the Minnesota State Bar Association. Each school’s students then discuss the case and are subsequently assigned to either attorney or witness roles. In some cases, team members may play more than one part. The students prepare the case like an actual trial. They must be able to compete on either the defense or plaintiff/state’s side doing both direct and cross examination and objections just as in a real trial. They practice extensively and compete in simulated trials against other schools. The team consisting of mostly sophomore students did extremely well and one member was awarded a perfect score in one of the competitions. Even though they did not make the State competition this year, members of the Spring Lake Park High School’s Mock Trial team had the opportunity to attend and observe the State Mock Trial Competition in Duluth on March 8, 2011. The legal case used by the Minnesota Mock Trial teams this year was based upon the criminal trial in the Condon…
Read MoreWhat are "No-Fault Benefits"?
March 29, 2011 | Adriel B. VillarrealIf you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident you are entitled to benefits through your insurance company. These benefits are called “No-Fault Benefits” or “Personal Injury Protection Benefits.” As the insured of your policy you may be entitled to them regardless of who was at fault in the automobile accident. Minnesota Statutes provide that all motor vehicle owners must have no-fault coverage for any vehicles operated in Minnesota. These no-fault benefits are available to the insured even if the accident occurs in a state other than Minnesota. Basic No-Fault Benefits consist of the following: $20,000.00 in medical benefits. Medical benefits may include doctor’s examinations/treatment, mileage reimbursement due to medical visits, interpretation services, prescription reimbursement, etc. $20,000.00 in income loss, replacement services, funeral expenses, and survivor’s losses. Replacement services may be claimed if your doctor recommends that you do not perform household duties due to your injuries. As no-fault benefits are available due to an injury, the insurance company can decide to investigate if the insured is entitled to any or additional benefits. This process will begin with the scheduling of a medical examination by an independent medical provider, hired by your insurance company. According to the doctor’s opinion the insurance company may deny payment of additional or past medical bills or…
Read MoreIt's My Money and I Want It Now – But Should You Do It?
March 16, 2011 | John T. BuchmanThere have been many t.v. ads from J. G. Wentworth and others urging people with structured settlements to convert them to cash now. These ads feature comments like, “It’s my money and I want it now.” For some it may be a good decision, particularly if they are in financial distress without any other options. A structured settlement is one that pays an injured person over a period of time rather than a one-time payment upon conclusion of a settlement. I have represented many people who have suffered injuries from car crashes in the Coon Rapids/Blaine area as well as in greater Anoka County, who have opted to explore a structured settlement. I also represented a client who suffered a brain injury at a construction site accident in Blaine, for which it worked out very well to purchase a structured settlement. Such settlements are common in cases involving injuries to minors as well as people with serious or catastrophic injuries. The advantage of these was that they can provide prudent financial counseling for young people, who may not otherwise make the best decisions about having a significant sum of money when they turn 18, or for those whose injuries have impacted their ability to earn a living and this becomes an income substitute….
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