Donald W. Kohler |
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WORKERS' COMPENSATION, PERSONAL INJURY, WRONGFUL DEATH, NO-FAULT INSURANCE LAW, AND ESTATE PLANNING |
Practice Areas
Mr. Kohler has many areas of expertise, all based on helping people through difficult and confusing situations. Following are his thoughts on why having legal representation for each area is important:
Workers' Compensation and Personal Injury
I went through this myself when I injured my back at work prior to becoming an attorney. An injury not only impacts your ability to do physical things you used to do, it also impacts you emotionally and mentally. One day you were able to do things, and then you sustain an injury and now have limitations. You no longer view yourself the same. You feel somewhat diminshed, and this affects you, your family and other relationships. Having gone through the experience of being injured, I can appreciate the struggle that it is for other people who are injured.
Product Liability
I have successfully handled numerous cases related to product liabiltiy including a malfunctioning treadmill and motorized wheelchair.
No-Fault Insurance
Minnesota law requires that any insurance policy sold in the state provide $20,000 in medical/mileage coverage and $20,000 in replacement services, primary homemakers services, and wage loss. But there are no-fault tort thresholds to consider, one of which needs to be met in order to bring a suit against another driver. An attorney can help guide a client through the various aspects of no-fault provisions to be sure that any settlement is as fair as possible and general damages are considered.
Estate Planning
Over half (55% according to a 2007 survey by Martindale Hubble) of adult Americans do not have a will. In Minnesota, when a person dies without a will, there is an intestate statute which was written by the legislature that controls the distribution of a deceased's estate. Basically, the state has written a will for you, and that statute controls where your assets will go.
With a minimal amount of planning, you can protect assets from having to go to probate, and you can determine where the assets go. There are two instances in particular where people really need wills: to protect minor children in case both parents predecease (die) while their children are still minors, and, in the case of blended marriages, to protect your adopted or biological children's inheritance rights.
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