Margolis Law Firm

Firm focus and philosophy

• Since 1983, Dean Margolis has exclusively represented injured people.
• He has declined to represent insurance companies and employers.
• The firm's practice is 100% devoted to injured workers and personal injury victims.
• Margolis Law Firm emphasizes:
• Deep experience in workers compensation and personal injury claims
• A narrow focus on injury-related law, rather than trying to cover many unrelated practice areas
• Fast action on cases instead of letting files sit
• Staying with clients throughout their case to help them get needed medical care and benefits

What sets Margolis Law Firm apart ("The Margolis Law Advantage")

According to the firm's own description, key advantages include:

• Experience – Decades of experience and many past cases in workers compensation and personal injury matters.
• Specialization in injuries – The firm focuses only on workers compensation and personal injury cases, with the belief that this focus helps achieve better results for clients.
• In-home appointments when needed – For clients whose injuries make travel difficult, the firm can offer in-home appointments in appropriate situations.
• Fast results approach – The firm works promptly to investigate, build, and file claims, rather than delaying or placing cases at the bottom of a stack.
• With you all the way – The firm aims to support clients through the entire process, answering questions and helping ensure they get the medical care and benefits they need.

Legal staff (as listed on the site)

• Stephanie – Office Manager
• Background in social work and healthcare insurance.
• Focuses on helping clients with their work comp claims and making sure their needs are met.

• Jennifer – Senior Legal Assistant
• With the firm since 2014.
• Experienced in the workers compensation legal system and assisting injured clients.

• Maria – Intake Coordinator
• Handles intake for new client matters as listed on the staff page.

• Michelle – Personal Assistant
• Listed on the legal staff page as part of the support team.

Types of situations Margolis Law Firm can help with (workers compensation)

Based on information from the firm's FAQ and site, Margolis Law Firm commonly helps with:

• Disputes over payment of medical or chiropractic bills after a work injury
• Getting prescribed medical treatment pre-authorized when the workers compensation insurer refuses to approve it
• Claims for wage loss benefits when:
• Your employer cannot take you back within your medical restrictions
• You are fired because your employer says they do not have work within your restrictions
• You return to work at a lower-paying job or in a light-duty position that pays less
• Claims involving permanent partial disability ratings (for example, compensation for rated injuries like back, knee, shoulder and other body parts)
• Requests for retraining, such as vocational school, college or trade school, when an injury prevents you from returning to your prior kind of work
• Help changing treating doctors in appropriate circumstances (for example, when you move, when your current doctor has nothing further to offer, or when you need a different specialty)

Personal injury and car accident cases

• Represents people injured in car accidents and other personal injury situations.
• Helps clients understand their rights after an accident and works to pursue compensation available under Minnesota law.

How the firm is paid

• According to the firm's FAQ, Margolis Law Firm is paid on a contingency fee basis in workers compensation matters.
• This means attorney fees are a percentage of the recovery only if the firm wins or obtains benefits.
• If the firm does not win, the client does not owe attorney fees.

Free consultation

• The firm invites injured workers and personal injury victims to contact the office for a free consultation about their work comp or personal injury case.
• Potential clients can call the office or use the contact form on the website to request this consultation.

Office location

• Address:

4901 Excelsior Blvd St. Louis Park, MN 55416 Minnesota, USA

Phone and fax

• Telephone: (952) 230-2700
• Fax: (952) 230-2701

Email

• General contact email: dm@margolislawoffice.com

Website contact form

• The firm's website includes a "Get a Free Consultation" contact form where you can enter your name, email, phone and a brief message about your situation.
• Inquiries submitted through the form go directly to the firm for follow-up.

Free consultation

• The website invites injured workers and injury victims to reach out for a free consultation about their workers compensation or personal injury case.
• You can request this consultation by:
• Calling the office at (952) 230-2700, or
• Using the contact form on the website.

Service area

• The firm handles workers compensation and personal injury matters in Minnesota and is based in St. Louis Park.

Office hours

• The website does not list specific office hours.
• For current hours or to schedule an appointment, please call the office at (952) 230-2700.

Disclaimer

• The website notes that information provided there is for general education only and should not be regarded as specific legal advice.
• Individuals should consult a licensed and qualified lawyer, such as Margolis Law Firm, about their own specific situation.

Lists Wilmington, Lawton, and Mitchell as a location. Names Minnesota as a service area. Areas beyond these are not published.

• If the workers compensation insurance company refuses to pay past medical or chiropractic bills, or will not pre-authorize treatment your doctor has prescribed, a request can be filed with the Minnesota workers compensation courts.
• The FAQ describes two main filings:
• A Medical Request; or
• An Employee's Claim Petition.
• A judge can order the insurance company to pay for past, present or future medical treatment if the request is approved.
• Court dates on denied treatment can sometimes be obtained in about 30–40 days, depending on the circumstances.

If your employer cannot take you back within restrictions or fires you

• If your employer cannot modify your old job or place you elsewhere within your restrictions, you may be entitled to wage loss benefits.
• If you are fired because the employer says there is no work within your restrictions, you may also be entitled to wage loss benefits while you look for work.
• A Qualified Rehabilitation Consultant (QRC) can be appointed to:
• Help you build a résumé
• Provide job leads within your restrictions
• Assist you in returning to suitable employment
• The FAQ notes that the insurance company pays the cost of the QRC.

When your new or light-duty job pays less

• If a new job after your injury pays less than your old job, and the wage loss is due to the work injury, the insurer may be required to pay two-thirds (2/3) of the wage difference.
• Example given on the site:
• Old wage: $400 per week (gross)
• New wage: $300 per week (gross)
• Wage loss: $100 per week
• Insurer's payment: 2/3 of $100 = $66.66 per week, in addition to the new employer's $300 check.
• The same two-thirds rule can apply when you stay at the same employer but work light duty at a lower wage due to restrictions.

Permanent partial disability (PPD) ratings (example from the FAQ)

• The FAQ explains that Minnesota law assigns percentage ratings to different types of permanent impairment, usually from "nose to toes."
• Each percentage point is worth a set dollar amount; the FAQ states that, on average, it is between $750 and $900 per percentage point.
• Examples given:
• 5% rating ≈ $3,750
• 10% rating ≈ $8,000
• 15% rating ≈ $12,750
• Some injuries may have multiple possible ratings that differ by several percentage points; the specific rating depends on the medical findings and the applicable rules.

Retraining

• If you are in a lower-paying job with little opportunity for advancement because of your work injury, you may be eligible for retraining.
• Retraining can include:
• Vocational/technical school
• College
• Trade school
• While in an approved retraining program, the FAQ notes that the insurer may be required to pay:
• Weekly wage loss benefits
• Child care costs while you are in school
• Mileage, books and tuition, at a stated rate of 100% reimbursement.

Changing doctors

• You are not always required to stay with the same doctor.
• The FAQ lists examples of situations where a change of doctor has been approved, such as:
• You move to a new town
• Your current doctor has nothing further to offer
• You need to change specialties (for example, from a neurologist to a chiropractor, or from a chiropractor to a surgeon)

Attorney fees and affordability

• The FAQ explains that Margolis Law Firm is paid on a contingency fee basis for workers compensation matters.
• This means:
• Attorney fees are a percentage of benefits or recovery only if the firm wins or obtains benefits.
• If the case is not successful, the client does not owe attorney fees.

Important note

• The examples and dollar amounts above are taken directly from the firm's FAQ and are for illustration only.
• Actual entitlement to benefits, percentages and amounts depends on Minnesota law, the facts of the injury, and medical evidence.
• For advice on a specific situation, individuals should contact Margolis Law Firm directly or consult another qualified Minnesota workers compensation attorney.

Ask anyway — the agent will say plainly that it is not published rather than guess.