Practice Areas Overview

At Bittle Bosman LLC, our Minnesota law practice has grown from representing plaintiffs in personal injury actions in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area to representing individuals, families, and small businesses in the areas which impact their lives the most, including bankruptcy, business transactions and litigation, divorce and family law, and wills, trusts and estate planning. With industry experience on both sides of the issue, our attorneys will handle your matter competently and efficiently, with personal attention to client needs and concerns throughout the representation.

Personal Injury

Minnesota is a no-fault insurance state, a concept which continues to confuse and mislead people who are involved in an automobile accident. Generally speaking, if you are injured in an accident, your own insurance company will compensate you for your medical expenses and lost wages, regardless of who was at fault in causing the accident. There are, however, many situations in which no-fault does not apply. For instance, no-fault does not cover motorcycles, snowmobiles, or boats. It does not cover property damage, or "non-economic" damages such as the pain and suffering caused by a serious accident. There are many times when a lawsuit may be allowed and necessary to compensate the injured individual. Since the rules on when a lawsuit may and may not be initiated are complicated, the best rule of thumb is to contact an attorney anytime you are involved in an accident. Our firm offers a free initial consultation, so it will not cost you anything to find out your rights and responsibilities in a given situation.

Our personal injury practice covers all types of motor vehicle accidents involving all types of injuries. As an attorney who formerly defended trucking accident cases, Greg Bittle knows the intricacies of a trucking case inside and out, including the importance of examining driver and company log books to determine compliance (or lack thereof) with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations covering vehicle inspections and maintenance, and limits on truck driver hours of service.

No fault insurance also does not apply to the law of premises liability, which holds property owners responsible for maintaining their property in a reasonably safe condition by promptly repairing or providing adequate warning about any dangers the owner knows or should have known about. A slip, trip or fall in a restaurant, grocery store, or retail establishment can cause serious personal injury, including hip fractures or even spinal cord paralysis. Greg Bittle has defended supermarkets in slip and fall cases and knows that the elapsed time between the spill and the fall, and the customs and standards in the industry, are critical elements to establishing fault.

Back to Top

Bankruptcy

The extension of credit is often easy to obtain but hard to keep up with. Building a credit history is important to one's financial portfolio, but once one has acquired a home mortgage, a car loan or two, and multiple credit cards, any financial setback - from a brief illness to loss of a job - can cause that debt to spiral out of control. When people find themselves struggling to meet their obligations, a consumer bankruptcy can provide them with a fresh start, or give them the breathing room they need to get back on their feet.

We shepherd individuals and families through Chapter 7 liquidation proceedings, identifying which assets may be exempt from the bankruptcy and which debts are eligible for discharge. If the consumer has a steady stream of income, we may look at the option of a Chapter 13 wage earner's plan, allowing the debtor to restructure his or her debts and finances and develop a payment plan to pay off those debts over a period of years. We also help businesses with a Chapter 7 business liquidation or a Chapter 11 reorganization through our small business legal services.

Where appropriate, we help consumers to negotiate or restructure debt without bankruptcy. When creditors cross the line with harassing or threatening behavior, we go after them for violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). We also defend consumers in various methods of debt collection, such as helping to avoid garnishment of retirement benefits and other critical sources of income.

Back to Top

Divorce and Family Law

Just as getting credit is often easier than keeping up with it, getting married is sometimes the easy part, but staying married or obtaining a divorce that is constructive and fair can be incredibly complicated. A marriage involving significant assets or minor children can result in a contentious and emotionally charged dispute when the parties disagree on how issues should be resolved.

Our representation deals with all of the issues in a divorce from a client-centered approach. For instance, whether one party should get the house and the other a lien, or if some other arrangement would be preferable, requires an in-depth study of the assets, liabilities, desires, and needs of the parties, which is accomplished through direct contact with the client and strict attention to the client's needs. In addition to the property settlement, we will argue for an award of maintenance or spousal support (alimony) that accurately reflects our client's needs and abilities regarding earning capacity and other financial considerations.

If children are involved, we seek a custody arrangement that fairly represents the client in terms of both legal and physical custody of the child. Where our client is the non-custodial parent, we work to ensure adequate parenting time (visitation) that works for the parent and child. We make sure that child support is sufficient for the child's expenses while not unfairly taking advantage of one parent, including arguing for deviation from the "income shares" model of the state's child support guidelines where appropriate.

We guide people through the process of divorce from filing the petition for dissolution of marriage to obtaining a final decree and beyond, such as when changed circumstances justify returning to court for modification of a custody or support award.

In addition to handling divorces, we assist clients with other family law matters, including paternity, prenuptial agreements, and marital separation agreements. We understand how these matters may impact a divorce or other proceedings, and we advocate vigorously for our client in all situations.

Back to Top

Wills and Trusts

Comprehensive estate planning often involves the creation of a will to appoint a guardian over any minor children, to appoint an executor of the estate, and to specify how your estate will be divided and distributed in the event of death. Intervivos or "Living" Trusts can also be utilized to provide a plan for the management and control of assets both during your lifetime and after death; they also offer certain estate tax planning advantages and the assets held by the trust do not need to be probated. Finally, executing powers of attorney in advance provide a plan for the management of your health and financial affairs should you become physically or mentally incapacitated and unable to make or communicate important medical, financial and legal decisions.

Back to Top

Small Business Transactions and Litigation

From entity formation to dissolution and everything in between, we help small businesses by negotiating, drafting, and reviewing contracts and other documents to ensure every transaction complies with applicable law while promoting the client's interests and protecting the client's rights. When disputes do arise, we prosecute or defend the entire range of general civil litigation, from breach of contract claims and mechanic's liens to business torts alleging fraud, unfair competition, and unfair business practices.

Back to Top

No matter your area of concern, we are committed to providing you with exceptional, cost-effective legal advice and representation. In the Twin Cities or throughout Minnesota, contact Bittle Bosman LLC for a free initial consultation to share your thoughts and find out how our lawyers can be of service to you.