Gregory J. Johnson - an Apple Valley, Minnesota (MN) Auto & PI Coverage Disputes Lawyer

Apple Valley Auto & PI Coverage Disputes Lawyer

Updated: 07/15/2026

Areas of Practice

Auto & PI Coverage Disputes
Priority of Coverage & MN No-Fault Claims
UM/UIM & "Occupying" Disputes
Commercial Auto, Trucking & TNC (Uber/Lyft) Liability
Garage & Auto Dealer Policy Exclusions
Declaratory Judgment & General Insurance Defense
Broad Civil Litigator Net
Defending Against Carrier Denials / Reservation of Rights
Commercial General Liability (CGL) Disputes
Homeowners & Professional Liability Exclusions
Co-Counsel & Outsourcing Options (B2B Engagement Models)
Co-Counsel on Active DJ Actions
Flat-Fee Neutral Coverage Evaluations (ADR)
Post-Trial & Appellate Briefing / Oral Arguments

Attorney Information

Overview

For more than thirty-five years, Greg Johnson has devoted his legal career to the analysis, litigation, and resolution of complex insurance coverage disputes. His practice is founded on a simple belief: meaningful insurance coverage analysis requires far more than reading the language of an insurance policy. It requires understanding the legal, business, and insurance context in which the policy was written and the claim arose.

Throughout his career, Mr. Johnson has represented insurers, policyholders, businesses, and injured persons in matters involving commercial and personal automobile insurance, trucking, transportation network companies, automobile dealerships and garage liability, vehicle rental operations, commercial general liability, homeowners insurance, professional liability, aviation liability, umbrella and excess liability insurance, and numerous other first-party and third-party insurance coverage issues. Today, his practice is devoted primarily to collaborating with personal injury attorneys in third-party liability insurance coverage disputes and representing policyholders.

Mr. Johnson graduated with honors from Minnesota State University in 1985, earning degrees in Finance and Accounting. He then attended William Mitchell College of Law while working full time, graduating magna cum laude in 1989 and ranking second in his evening graduating class.

During law school, Mr. Johnson completed an extensive research manuscript entitled Broton & Beyond: Minnesota's 1985 Underinsured Motorist System. The 225-page manuscript, containing more than 800 footnotes, examined the legislative history, statutory framework, insurance policy language, appellate decisions, and public policy underlying Minnesota's underinsured motorist system. More importantly, it established the analytical framework that has guided his approach to insurance coverage analysis throughout his professional career.

Early in his legal career, Mr. Johnson was responsible for monitoring and analyzing newly issued insurance coverage decisions from Minnesota's appellate courts. Preparing summaries of significant appellate decisions reinforced the importance of disciplined legal research, statutory interpretation, insurance contract analysis, and understanding how appellate decisions shape the continuing development of insurance law.

His experience extends well beyond insurance coverage litigation. During his career, Mr. Johnson has prepared countless comprehensive insurance coverage evaluations involving catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, commercial litigation, class actions, and other complex insurance matters. He has also drafted stand-alone insurance policies, manuscript endorsements, and contractual risk-transfer agreements, providing practical insight into the purpose of insurance policy language, underwriting considerations, and the operation of commercial insurance programs.

Mr. Johnson's practice is built upon a comprehensive analytical approach to insurance coverage issues. Rather than interpreting isolated policy provisions, he begins by understanding the underlying claim, the insured's business operations, the liability risks presented by those operations, the structure and purpose of the insurance program, the applicable policy forms and endorsements, the governing statutory framework, and the appellate decisions interpreting those authorities. That broader context frequently provides the foundation for identifying potential sources of insurance coverage, evaluating competing coverage positions, developing litigation strategy, and maximizing available insurance recovery.

Throughout his career, Mr. Johnson has worked collaboratively with attorneys representing individuals, businesses, and policyholders. Depending upon the needs of the case, his services have included identifying potential sources of insurance coverage, preparing comprehensive insurance coverage evaluations and opinions, negotiating with insurers, pursuing reconsideration of coverage denials, litigating declaratory judgment actions, prosecuting statutory garnishment proceedings, handling insurance coverage appeals, and evaluating other legal and strategic alternatives designed to maximize insurance recovery.

In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Johnson has authored legal publications, contributed to professional reference materials, prepared continuing legal education presentations, and devoted substantial time to community leadership. He founded the Minnesota Developmental Football League, served as President of the Eastview Lightning Touchdown Club, coached youth athletics for many years, and developed innovative community fundraising initiatives that strengthened partnerships between local businesses and youth sports organizations.

Mr. Johnson believes that successful insurance coverage analysis requires more than knowledge of insurance policies. It requires understanding how insurance law, tort law, contract law, statutory law, business operations, underwriting principles, contractual risk transfer, and appellate precedent interact to resolve complex insurance coverage disputes. That philosophy has guided his practice for more than three decades and continues to shape his work on behalf of policyholders and referring attorneys throughout Minnesota.

Whether preparing a comprehensive insurance coverage evaluation, litigating a declaratory judgment action, handling an insurance coverage appeal, or working with referring counsel to maximize available insurance recovery, Mr. Johnson's objective remains the same: to identify, preserve, enforce, and maximize every insurance benefit and remedy available under the insurance policy and applicable law.

Awards and Honors

Super Lawyers® Selectees

Gregory J. Johnson included in a Super Lawyers® list

Honors

Awarded Super Lawyer Designation Minnesota Law & Politics and MSP Communications, 1998 - 2003
Listed in Best's Directory of Recommended Attorneys

Other Sources of Feedback About Gregory J. Johnson

Included on the 2003 Minnesota Super Lawyers list

Past Lists

2001 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
2000 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
1999 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
1998 Minnesota Super Lawyers list

Education

Legal Education

William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1989
J.D.
Honors: magna cum laude

Non Legal Education

Mankato State University, Mankato, 1985
B.S.
Honors: cum laude
Major: Business Administration
Major: Finance
Major: Accounting

Current Employment Position(s)

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Founder
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CEO
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Past Positions

Johnson & van Vliet, LLP, Founder & Managing Partner, 1995 - 2009
Arthur, Chapman & McDonough, P.A, Associate Attorney, 1989 - 1994

Classes and Seminars

Speaker, Automobile Repossession in Minnesota: Wrongful Repossession Claims Under Cobb v. Midwest Recovery Bureau, the Uniform Commercial Code and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, November 10, 1999
Speaker, The Garage Liability Policy and the Automobile Dealership: From Auto (BI, UIM, PIP, PD) Claims to Financing (TILA, MMVRISA, ECOA) Claims, Northwest Claims Managers Association, December 6, 1997
Speaker, The Garage Liability Policy and the Automobile Dealership: From Auto (BI, UM/UIM, PIP, PD) Claims to Financing (TILA, MMVRISA, ECOA) Claims, Twin Cities Claims Association, April 18, 1997
Speaker, The Commercial General Liability Coverage Form: What's Covered and What's Not? A Comprehensive Review of Minnesota Case Law Interpreting the Form, National Business Institute, January 28, 1997
Speaker, Rentals, Loaners, Demos, Short Term and Long-Term Leases in Minnesota: Who Has The BI/P.D. Coverage and Responsibility for Damage to the Vehicle?, Twin Cities Claims Association, June 7, 1996
Speaker, The Commercial General Liability Coverage Form: What's Covered and What's Not? A Comprehensive Review of Minnesota Case Law Interpreting the Form, National Business Institute, July 27, 1995
Speaker, From Notice of Claim to Claim Resolution: The Major Coverage Decisions of 1994-1995, Annual Twin Cities Claims Seminar, 1995
Speaker, Advanced Liability Coverage Concerns, Understanding Garage, Rental and Self-Insurance Schemes, Minnesota Automobile Insurance & Claims Seminar, 1994
Speaker, Liability Insurance: An Insider's Look at Self Insurance, Rental Car and Garage Policies and Other Exotic Forms of "Non-Insurance", MDLA/MTLA Education Alliance Seminar, 1994
Speaker, Loaners, Demos, Long-Term and Short Term Leases and Rentals--Who Has the Liability Coverage and Where Is It?, Annual Twin Cities Claims Seminar, 1994
Speaker, Automobile Coverage: Recent Developments and Appellate Decisions, Seventh Annual Minnesota Law & Litigation Seminar, 1994
Guest Instructor, Uninsured and Under insured Motorist Coverage, William Mitchell College of Law, 1994
Speaker, Under insured Motorist Law: What is an "Under insured Motor Vehicle After Richards?, Twin Cities Claims Luncheon, 1993
Speaker, Insurance Coverage: Recent Appellate Decisions, Sixth Annual Minnesota Law & Litigation Seminar, 1993
Speaker, Garage Liability Policies and the No-Fault Act --Who pays, when and how much? Test drives and Loaners, is "Conditional Coverage" Dead?, Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association Seminar, October 25, 2001

Representative Cases

U.S. Fire Ins. Co. v. Fireman's Fund Ins. Co.
- Citation: 461 N.W. 2d 230
- Court: Minn. Ct. App.
- Year: 1990
- Serial Number: 1990139898
Kothrade v. American Family Mut. Ins. Co.
- Citation: 462 N.W. 2d 413
- Court: Minn. Ct. App.
- Year: 1990
- Serial Number: 1990157716
State Farm Fire & Cas. Co. v. Strope
- Citation: 481 N.W. 2d 853
- Court: Minn. Ct. App.
- Year: 1992
- Serial Number: 1992050503
Barneson v. Western National Ins. Co.
- Citation: 486 N.W.2d 176 (Minn. Ct. App. 1992)
- Court: Minnesota Court of Appeals
- Year: 1992
Meister v. Western Nat. Mut. Ins. Co.
- Citation: 479 N.W. 2d 372
- Court: Minn.
- Year: 1992
- Serial Number: 1992025597
Gieser v. Home Indem. Co.
- Citation: 484 N.W.2d 256
- Court: Minn. Ct. App.
- Year: 1992
- Serial Number: 1992084583
Clusiau's Range Drive-U-Self, Inc. v. Federated Mut. Ins. Co.
- Citation: 1992 WL 340521
- Court: Minn. Ct. App.
- Year: 1992
- Serial Number: 1992200761
Northbrook Ins. Co. v. American States Ins. Co.
- Citation: 495 N.W. 2d 450
- Court: Minn. Ct. App.
- Year: 1993
- Serial Number: 1993039404
Richards v. Milwaukee Ins. Co.
- Citation: 505 N.W.2d 97 (Minn. Ct. App. 1993)
- Court: Minnesota Court of Appeals
- Year: 1993
Waataja v. American States Inc. Co.
- Citation: 1993 WL 89657
- Court: Minn. Ct. App.
- Year: 1993
- Serial Number: 1993076876
Richards v. Milwaukee Ins. Co.
- Citation: 518 N.W. 2d 26
- Court: Minn.
- Year: 1994
- Serial Number: 1994141996
Agency Rent-A-Car, Inc. v. American Family Mut. Auto. Ins. Co.
- Citation: 519 N.W. 2d 483
- Court: Minn. Ct. App.
- Year: 1994
- Serial Number: 1994160813
Kivel v. Milwaukee Guardian Ins. Co.
- Citation: 1994 WL 637816
- Court: Minn. Ct. App.
- Year: 1994
- Serial Number: 1994228636
Kinzel, et. al. v. Southview Chevrolet Co.
- Citation: 892 F. Supp. 1211
- Court: D. Minn.
- Year: 1995
- Serial Number: 1995155663
Davis v. Jensen & Burnett Realty Co.
- Citation: File No. : C4-96-9971
- Court: Dakota Cty. Dist.
- Year: 1996
In Re All Automobile Dealers v. Minnesota Dept. of Commerce, et. al.
- Citation: File No.: C9-96-9967
- Court: Ramsey Cty. Dist. Co.
- Year: 1996
Cullen v. Art Goebel, Inc.
- Citation: 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23682
- Court: United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
- Year: 1997
LeBeau v. John Deere Ins. Co.
- Citation: 574 N.W.2d 83 (Minn. Ct. App. 1998)
- Court: Minnesota Court of Appeals
- Year: 1998
Sharlow v. Wally McCarthy Pontiac-GMC Trucks-Hyundia, Inc.
- Citation: 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22726
- Court: United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
- Year: 1998
Sharlow v. Wally McCarthy Pontiac-GMC Trucks-Hyundia, Inc.
- Citation: 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22744
- Court: United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
- Year: 1998
Sharlow v. Wally McCarthy Pontiac-GMC Trucks-Hyundia, Inc.
- Citation: 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22746
- Court: 1998 United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
- Year: 1998
Sharlow v. Wally McCarthy Pontiac-GMC Trucks-Hyundia, Inc.
- Citation: 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22727
- Court: United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
- Year: 1998
Lindholt, et. al. v. Walser Ford
- Citation: 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22765
- Court: United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
- Year: 1998
Picht, el. at. v. Stillwater Ford-Lincoln-Mercury, Inc.
- Citation: 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22766
- Court: United States District Court of the District of Minnesota
- Year: 1998
Logan, et al. v. McCarthy's Oldsmobile-GMC Trucks, Inc.
- Citation: 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22725
- Court: United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
- Year: 1998
Scott v. Forest Lake Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge
- Citation: 598 N.W.2d 713
- Court: Minn. Ct. App.
- Year: 1999
- Serial Number: 1999197960
Evans, et. al. v. Rudy-Luther Toyota, Inc.
- Citation: 39 F. Supp.2d 1177
- Court: D. Minn.
- Year: 1999
- Serial Number: 1999081981
Alsen v. Forest Lake Chrysler-Plymouth
- Citation: File No.: 82-C3-97-005052
- Court: Wash. Cty. Dist. Ct.
- Year: 2000
Mutual Service Cas. Ins. Co. v. West Bend Mut. Ins. Co.
- Citation: 599 N.W. 2d 585
- Court: Minn. Ct. App.
- Year: 1999
- Serial Number: 1999215368
Revering v. Norwest Bank Minn., N.A.
- Citation: 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20726
- Court: 1999 United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
- Year: 1999
Saice v. MidAmerica Bank
- Citation: 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20845
- Court: United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
- Year: 1999
Ripka v. City & County Employees Credit Union
- Citation: 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21977
- Court: United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
- Year: 1999
Oehrlein v. Western Funding, Inc.
- Citation: 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17919
- Court: United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
- Year: 1999
Clarin v. Minnesota Repossessors
- Citation: 198 F.3rd 661 (8th Cir. 1999)
- Court: Eighth Circuit
- Year: 1999
Shelly v. Wells Fargo et. al.
- Citation: 1998 U.S. LEXIS 22580
- Court: United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
- Year: 1999
Scott v. Forest Lake Chrysler
- Citation: 611 N.W.2d 346 (Minn. 2000)
- Court: Minnesota Supreme Court
- Year: 2000
Johnson v. Credit Acceptance Corp.
- Citation: 165 F. Supp. 2d 923
- Court: D. Minn.
- Year: 2001
- Serial Number: 2001322804
State Farm Mut. Auto Ins. Co. v. Universal Underwriters Ins. Co.
- Citation: 625 N.W. 2d 160
- Court: Minn. Ct. App.
- Year: 2001
- Serial Number: 2001326467
Jacobson v. Universal Underwriters Ins.Group
- Citation: 645 N.W. 2d 741
- Court: Minn. Ct. App.
- Year: 2002
- Serial Number: 2002392320
Stevens, et. al v. Brookdale Dodge, Inc.
- Citation: 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25406
- Court: United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
- Year: 2002
- Serial Number: 2003077742
Scott v. Forest Lake Chrysler-Plymouth Dodge
- Citation: 637 N.W.2d 587
- Court: Minn. Ct. App.
- Year: 2002
- Serial Number: 2002034317
Edlund v. Ridgedale Automotive Inc.
- Citation: 101 Fed. Appx 180 (8th Cir. 2004)
- Court: Eighth Circuit
- Year: 2004
Reinke v. Harold Chevrolet Inc.
- Citation: 2004 WL 1152700 (Minn. Ct. App. 2004)
- Court: Minnesota Court of Appeals
- Year: 2004
U.S. Fidelity & Guarantee Ins. Co. v. Commercial Union Midwest Ins. Co.
- Citation: 430 F.3rd 929 (8th Cir. 2005)
- Court: Eighth Circuit
- Year: 2005
Wooddale Builders Inc. v. Maryland Casualty
- Citation: 695 N.W.2d 399 (Minn. Ct. App. 2005)
- Court: Minnesota Court of Appeals
- Year: 2005
Madigral v. Kline Oldsmobile Inc.
- Citation: 423 F.3d 819 (8th Cir. 2005)
- Court: Eighth Circuit
- Year: 2005
Liabo v. Wayzata Nissan LLC
- Citation: 707 N.W.2d (Minn. Ct. App. 2006)
- Court: Minnesota Court of Appeals
- Year: 2006
Wooddale Builders Inc. v. Maryland Casualty Co.
- Citation: 722 N.W.2d 283 (Minn. 2006)
- Court: Minnesota Supreme Court
- Year: 2006
In Re SRC Holding Corp. v. Executive Risk Indemnity
- Court: Eighth Circuit
- Year: 2009
VanDanacker, et al v. Main Motor Sales Co.
- Citation: 109 F. Supp.2d 1045
- Court: D. Minn.
- Year: 2000
- Serial Number: 2000455282
Sharlow v. Wally McCarthy Pontiac-GMC Trucks-Hyundai, Inc.
- Citation: 2000 U.S. App. LEXIS 15627
- Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- Year: 2000
Vang, et. al v. Morrie's Minnetonka Ford
- Citation: 2001 WL 1589614
- Court: D. Minn.
- Year: 2001
- Serial Number: 2001546876
Lofquist, et. al. v. Whitaker Buick-Jeep-Eagle, Inc.
- Citation: 2001 WL 1530907
- Court: Minn. Ct. App.
- Year: 2001
- Serial Number: 2001498223
Peter, et. al. v. Village Imports Co,
- Citation: 2001 WL 1640130
- Court: D. Minn.
- Year: 2001
- Serial Number: 2001574013
Peter v. Village Imports Co.
- Citation: 2001 WL 1640130 (D. Minn. 2001)
- Court: Federal District Court--MN
- Year: 2001
Ackerlund v. TCF National Bank of MN
- Citation: 2001 WL 1530907 (D. Minn. 2000)
- Court: Federal District Court-MN
- Year: 2000
Scott v. Forest Lake Chrysler Plymouth Inc.
- Citation: 668 N.W.2d 45 (Minn. Ct. App. 2003)
- Court: Minnesota Court of Appeals
- Year: 2003

Published Works

Articles

Minnesota Motor Vehicle Insurance Manual, Co-Author, Education Alliance, 2nd Edition, 1994
Minnesota Motor Vehicle Insurance Manual, Co-Author, Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, 1991
Automobile Repossession in Minnesota: Wrongful Repossession Claims Under Cobb v. Midwest Recovery Bureau, the Uniform Commercial Code and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, 1999
The Garage Liability Policy and the Automobile Dealership: From Auto (BI,UIM, PIP, PD) Claims to Financing (TILA, MMVRISA, ECOA) Claims, Northwest Claims Managers Association, 1997
The Garage Liability Policy and the Automobile Dealership: From Auto (BI, UM/UIM, PIP, PD) Claims to Financing (TILA, MMVRISA, ECOA) Claims, Twin Cities Claims Association, 1997
The Commercial General Liability Coverage Form: What's Covered and What's Not? A Comprehensive Review of Minnesota Case Law Interpreting the Form, National Business Institute, 1997
Rentals, Loaners, Demos, Short Term and Long-Term Leases in Minnesota: Who Has The BI/P.D. Coverage and Responsibility for Damage to the Vehicle?, Twin Cities Claims Association, 1996
The Commercial General Liability Coverage Form: What's Covered and What's Not? A Comprehensive Review of Minnesota Case Law Interpreting the Form, National Business Institute, 1995
From Notice of Claim to Claim Resolution: The Major Coverage Decisions of 1994-1995, Twin Cities Claims Association, 1995
Loaners, Demos, Long-Term and Short Term Leases and Rentals--Who Has the Liability Coverage and Where Is It?, Annual Twin Cities Claims Seminar, 1994
Automobile Coverage: Recent Developments and Appellate Decisions, Minnesota Law & Litigation Seminar, 1994
Miller-Shugart Settlements and the Claims Professional: Recognizing and Understanding the Exposure and Using it as an Effective Settlement Tool, 1993
Minnesota Motor Vehicle Insurance Manual , Co-Author, Minnesota Institute of Legal Education , 2001 Supplement, 2001
Minnesota Motor Vehicle Insurance Manual, Co-Arthur, Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, 3rd Edition, 2000

Bar Admissions

Minnesota, 1989
U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 1989
U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 1990

Other Affiliations

Minnesota State Bar Association (Member)
National Association of Dealer Counsel (Member)

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Contact

Apple Valley, MN

6688 145th Street West
Apple Valley, MN 55124

Directions

Phone Number: 952-236-9887

Email: Send a message

Website: http://autodealerbuzz.com

Credit Cards Accepted
Free Consultations

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Gregory J. Johnson - Apple Valley, MN