Best Personal Injury Lawyers in Minnesota (2026)

In Minnesota, many negligence-based personal injury lawsuits fall under a 6-year limitations period, although the accrual date and any shorter claim-specific statute can change the deadline.

Governing statute: Minn. Stat. § 541.05, subd. 1(5). It covers injury to the person or rights of another when the action is not otherwise enumerated. Under Minn. R. Civ. P. 3.01, service of the summons is one method of commencing an action; a signed waiver or qualifying delivery to the sheriff may also commence it.

Medical malpractice claims in Minnesota have their own deadline: 4 years from the date the cause of action accrued.

Minn. Stat. § 541.076. Medical malpractice actions must be commenced within four years of accrual; tolling based on the plaintiff being a minor is limited under Minn. Stat. § 541.15(b).

Wrongful death claims in Minnesota are generally subject to 3 years from the date of death and no more than 6 years from the act or omission that caused the death.

Minn. Stat. § 573.02. A death claim based on specified professional negligence also cannot be commenced beyond the medical-malpractice deadline in Minn. Stat. § 541.076. The statute separately permits an action for death caused by an intentional act constituting murder to be commenced at any time after death.

If a government entity is involved, a much shorter notice deadline usually applies in Minnesota: 180 days after the alleged loss or injury is discovered.

Minn. Stat. § 466.05 (municipalities) and § 3.736, subd. 5 (state). Notice generally must identify the circumstances and requested relief. Wrongful-death notice may instead be presented within one year, and the statutes contain an incapacity provision.

Minnesota follows modified comparative fault: a claimant may recover if the claimant’s fault is not greater than the fault of the person against whom recovery is sought, and the damages are reduced in proportion to the claimant’s percentage of fault.

Governing statute: Minn. Stat. § 604.01.

Damage caps in Minnesota: Official statutes verify government tort-liability limits of generally $500,000 per claimant and $1.5 million per occurrence for claims arising on or after July 1, 2009, for both municipalities and the state, subject to statutory exceptions (Minn. Stat. §§ 466.04 and 3.736).

Caveat: The reviewed official sources do not independently establish the broader statement that Minnesota has no general cap on non-economic damages in every personal-injury case.

Contingency fees may be used in personal injury cases, but the fee must be reasonable under Minnesota Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5. The contingent-fee agreement must be in writing, signed by the client, and explain how the fee and expenses will be calculated.

Caveat: Official sources reviewed do not establish a typical 33%–40% range or a universal rule that no statutory fee limitation can apply.