Pritzker Olsen law firm has a leadership roll in litigating Yamaha Rhino lawsuits nationwide that have been consolidated for pre-trial purposes. Pritzker Olsen attorney Eric Hageman was appointed to the multidistrict litigation (MDL) panel by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer Coffman.

"We are representing several people seriously injured in Yamaha Rhino rollovers," stated Mr. Hageman. "Most of these cases involve crushed hands, arms, legs and feet. We allege that the design of the Yamaha Rhino ATV involved in the accident was a bad design that allowed rollovers on flat surfaces while the Rhinos were traveling at slow speeds."

Consolidation of Yamaha Rhino Lawsuits in MDL Benefits Victims

The Yamaha Rhino lawsuits were consolidated in MDL instead of in a class action lawsuit because MDL allows for more personal represention. With MDL, the pre-trial preparation is consolidated, but each claimant has the opportunity to obtain a separate settlement or jury verdict.

"MDL will streamline the Yamaha Rhino lawsuits and should result in victims being compensated for their injuries as quickly as possible," explained Mr. Hageman. "We prefer MDL over class action because we want each person injured to have the right to their own day in court. This allows each client to obtain a compensation package that will meet the client's needs and fully and adequately compensate the client for all physical and emotional inuries and financial losses."

If you or a loved one has been in a Yamaha Rhino rollover accident, please contact Pritzker Olsen law firm about our Yamaha Rhino lawsuits:

• 1-888-377-8900 (toll free)
• Submit our free consultation form

If you would like to talk with attorney Eric Hageman, please ask for Eric. He is easy to talk with and takes pride in the personal service that he gives each client.

For more information, please see our Yamaha Rhino lawsuit blog.

Labels: lawyer, rhino rollover, Yamaha recall, yamaha rhino lawsuit

May 26, 2008 -- A Minneapolis school bus hit an 81-year-old man who was walking in a crosswalk with a walk sign and a green light. The school bus was waiting at a stoplight, then turned left when the light turned green. According to Minneapolis police, the bus driver didn’t see the man.

The man is in critical condition at Hennepin County Medical Center.

The bus involved in the accident is owned and operated by Minneapolis Suburban Bus Company, and contracted by the Minneapolis Public Schools. This means that the man injured in this accident may have claims against both Minneapolis Suburban Bus Company and Minneapolis Public Schools.

Contact Pritzker Olsen Attorneys for a free consultation regarding medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress and disability: 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our free consultation form.

Labels: lawyer, Minnesota bus accident, school bus accident

Broadside Accident in Olmsted County Kills Four and Injures Two
Four people died in a drunk driving accident in Olmsted County on May 23, two were critically injured. The victims were in a van that was broadsided at the intersection of highway 36 and highway 30 by a drunk driver. The driver of the van, Terry Milholland of Beecher, Illinois, was killed along with passengers Heidi Newell and Jarah Beers of Rochester, MN., and Raymond Milholland from Minnesota. The other two passengers, Rita Seha and Carter Newell of Rochester, are in the hospital in critical condition.

Rochester, MN Family Injured in Head-On Collision
Christina Sheldon, Kenneth Sheldon, and two children, all from Rochester, MN were injured when another car driving westbound on highway 14 in Olmsted County, swerved into the eastbound lane and hit the Ford Focus driven by Ms. Sheldon. Christina Sheldon, is in critical condition. The accident happened May 23, 2009.

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Accident Victim Compensation

• Medical expenses. Minnesota no-fault law requires insurance companies to provide no-fault coverage of up to $20,000 in medical expenses (Minn. Stat. Sec. 65B.41). To get medical expenses paid beyond that amount, an injured person must seek payment from the insurance company of the at-fault driver.
• Pain and suffering. Minnesota no-fault does not cover pain and suffering compensation. People injured in an accident must seek pain and suffering compensation from the at-fault driver's insurance company. Pain and suffering includes money payments for physical pain, emotional distress, disfigurement and disability.
• Lost wages. Minnesota no-fault insurance may cover up to $20,000 of lost wages. For amounts not covered by no-fault, the injured person may seek compensation from the at-fault driver's insurance company.

Accident Wrongful Death Compensation

If someone dies in a Minnesota car accident, the family can sue the parties at fault for compensation. Minnesota law provides some basic MN no-fault survivors' benefits, but compensation in accident death cases can be hundreds of thousands of dollars—even millions of dollars—beyond these basic survivors' benefits.

Accident death cases in Minnesota are governed by Minnesota Statutes, sec. 573.02 and case law interpreting the statute. Under Minnesota law, families may be entitled to compensation for the following:

• Funeral expenses
• Medical expenses, past and future
• Earnings, past and potential, that the decedent would have provided his loved ones if not for the wrongful death
• Loss of advice, care, comfort and companionship the deceased would have provided had he or she lived
• Punitive damages, upon clear and convincing evidence that the acts of the defendant showed deliberate disregard for the rights or safety of others.

CONTACT PRITZKER OLSEN ATTORNEYS ABOUT ACCIDENT COMPENSATION >>

Labels: Minnesota accident, Rochester accident lawyer

Four people died in a crash in Olmsted County on Saturday, two were critically injured.

The victims were in a van that was broadsided at the intersection of highway 36 and highway 30 by a driver who had consumed alcohol. The driver, Christopher Frisch of Winona, MN, who was not apparently injured, was arrested. Alcohol was not detected on any of the victims.

The driver of the van, Terry Milholland of Beecher, Illinois, was killed along with passengers Heidi Newell and Jarah Beers of Rochester, MN., and Raymond Milholland from Minnesota. The other two passengers, Rita Seha and Carter Newell of Rochester, are in the hospital in critical condition.

Drunk Driver Liability

When a drunk driver causes an accident in Minnesota, the injured and families of those killed look to the drivers insurance to compensate them for pain and suffering, emotional distress, medical expenses and lost wages (above MN no-fault limits in applicable situations), and, in some cases, punitive damages. Read more about car accident compensation.

Under Minnesota Statute, Section 169A, it is a violation of Minnesota law to drive with an alcohol concentration of .08 or more. If someone violates this law, it is prima facie evidence of negligence in a civil case (Minnesota Statutes, Section 169.96 (2006)).

Liability of Bars, Restaurants and Other "Dram Shops"

Generally, bars, restaurants and other sellers of liquor (referred to in the law as "dram shops") are liable for car accidents in Minnesota when they have violated a law or regulation. This means that the bar, restaurant or other seller of liquor could be responsible for the following:

• If the victim of the drunk driving accident survives: medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and punitive damages
• If the victim is killed in the drunk driving accident: funeral expenses, loss of potential earnings, loss of advice and comfort, and punitive damages.

The illegal sale of intoxicating beverages includes the following:

• Selling liquor to an obviously intoxicated person;
  
• Selling liquor without a license to do so;
  
• Selling liquor after hours; or
  
• Selling liquor to a minor.

Our Minnesota car accident lawyers have successfully obtained significant compensation from dram shops for victims of accidents and their families.

Contact a Minnesota car accident lawyer at Pritzker Olsen Attorneys for a free consultation. We can meet you wherever it is convenient for you. Our toll-free number is 1-888-377-8900. If you reach us after business hours, please leave a message with our on-call attorney, and he will get back to you as soon as possible.

Labels: accident death, drunk driver, Minnesota accident, Rochester accident lawyer, wrongful death

A tragic accident that killed a bicyclist near downtown Minneapolis during the morning rush hour Wednesday has put the Twin Cities bicycling community on alert once again to the dangers of inattentive car and truck drivers.

The bicyclist, Dennis Dunn of Minneapolis, was crushed by a commercial truck when the driver turned into the cycling lane on Park Avenue, near East 14th Street.

The accident happened about 7:40 a.m. and investigators were sent to the scene to reconstruct the accident.

As a one-way street with its own bike lane, Park Avenue near downtown is a heavily traveled route for bicyclists during the morning commute.

The accident happened on the same day as a previously scheduled National Ride of Silence for victims of bicycle accidents.

This latest Minnesota fatal bicycle accident is reminiscent of a crash last August that claimed the life of Twin Cities resident Julie Casey, a beautiful person in the prime of her life. Julie was on a ride up north with friends when she was struck by a semi-truck-trailer combination at a busy intersection near Clearwater, Minnesota.

Her husband and children are represented by Minneapolis-based Pritzker Olsen Attorneys, a firm that specializes in obtaining justice for bicyclists involved in collisions with motor vehicles.

Attorney Fred Pritzker, founder and president of the Minnesota bicycle accident law firm, is a former bicycle racer who himself rides to work. In Julie's case, he was able to establish that her death was caused by the negligence of the truck driver and was entirely preventable if the driver had been looking where he was going and paying attention to bicyclists traveling on an adjoining bicycle path. Read about bicycle accident death compensation.

In memory of Julie, and to prevent similar tragedies in the future, Julie’s husband, Jon Sandberg, and a graphic-artist friend of the family designed a bumper sticker to encourage attentiveness from motorists. The LOOK sticker is a fitting tribute to Julie, her family and friends and a reminder to motorists to look out for bicyclists.

For more information about Pritzker Olsen and the firm's strident approach and proven results in representing bicycle accident victims and their families, please call 1-888-377-8900 or complete an online form for a free case consultation.

Labels: bicycle accident, lawyer, Minnesota accident

A violation of a Minnesota traffic law is prima facie evidence of driver negligence, meaning it is considered negligence if the defendant fails to introduce evidence of an excuse or justification for violating the traffic law. If a driver involved in a car accident is found negligent, persons injured in the accident may sue for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering (includes physical pain, emotional distress, disfigurement and disability) and other expenses.

CONTACT A LAWYER ABOUT MINNESOTA LAW AND VICTIM COMPENSATION >>

Traffic law violations frequently involved in Minnesota car accidents include the following:

Failure to Yield Right-of-Way: Minnesota statutory law regarding right-of-way can be found in Minnesota Statutes, Section 169.20. Includes provisions on intersections, left turns, stop signs, emergency vehicles, entering the highway and transit buses. Read about Minnesota accidents and failure to yield right-of-way.

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Speeding: Minnesota Statutes, Sec. 169.14 provides specific speed limits for different roadways. For example, the speed limit for noninterstate expressways and noninterstate freeways is 65, unless otherwise stated on a traffic sign. All of the speed limits listed can be modified and the lower speed limits posted. Drivers are responsible for knowing the speed limit. Read about a Minnesota accident caused by a speeding driver.

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Turning, Signaling, U-Turns and Changing Lanes: Minnesota Statutes, Sec. 169.19 provides laws governing turning at an intersection, signaling to turn, signaling to stop, u-turns, changing course (includes changing lanes) and starting from a stopped position. The law states that all drivers are responsible for driving in a manner that is safe. Read about an accident involving failure to signal, an illegal turn, a u-turn or recklessly changing lanes.

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Drunk Driving (DUI): Under Minnesota Statute, Sec. 169A, it is a violation of Minnesota law to drive with an alcohol concentration of .08 or more. In a civil action against a drunk driver, the injured party may have a claim for punitive damages, which, depending on the circumstances, can be significant. A criminal charge or conviction is not a prerequisite to consideration of punitive damages. Read about a Minnesota drunk driving (DUI) accident.

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Cell Phones and Text Messaging: Under Minnesota Statutes, Sec. 169.443, subd. 9, a school bus driver may not operate a school bus while communicating over, or otherwise operating a cellular phone for personal reasons when the vehicle is in motion. This restriction applies whether the style of the cell phone is hand held or hands free. This also includes texting. Minnesota Statutes, Sections 171.05 and 171.055, states that provisional license holders and instruction permit holders who are under the age of 18 may not use cell phones when driving. Read about a Minnesota accident involving cell phone use or test messaging.

If you have been injured by a car, commercial truck, motorcycle or other vehicle in Minnesota, contact our law firm at 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free) or 612-338-0202. If you would prefer to send us an on-line message, please submit our free consultation form.

Labels: car accident lawyers, Minnesota accident

Six-year-old Dominick Strey was hit and killed by his school bus April 6, 2009. According to the Itasca County sheriff, he exited his bus and walked in front of it. The bus rolled forward and knocked him down.

Dominick died at the scene.

The accident happened near Calumet, Minnesota.

Liability for School Bus Wrongful Death

A bus driver is required to use “the utmost caution” to ensure the safety of the passengers (Urban v. Minneapolis St. Ry.). If this tragedy was caused by the driver’s failure to use this high degree of caution (driver negligence), the driver, Greenway Public School District and others may be liable to the family for their loss.

Please contact our Minnesota law firm to talk to an attorney. For each of the families we represent in wrongful death cases, we are dedicated to seeking justice by both:

1. Obtaining the best possible compensation for the family and
2. Fighting for any changes needed to prevent similar tragedies.
   

To contact our law firm about a bus accident, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our free consultation form. An attorney from our office can meet you at a location that is convenient for you.

Pritzker | Olsen attorneys have appeared on CBS News, Fox News, KARE-TV, KSTP-TV and WCCO-TV. They have also been quoted by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Lawyers USA, Minnesota Lawyer, Minnesota Law & Politics, the Star Tribune and other publications. Several of our lawyers have also been named Minnesota “Super Lawyers” by Law & Politics magazine.

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Reference: Urban v. Minneapolis St. Ry., 256 Minn. 1, 5, 96 N.W.2d 698, 700 (1959).

Keywords: MN school bus hits child, Minnesota school bus kills child, school bus accident liability, school bus death, attorney MN, Grand Rapids, Duluth, Minneapolis, lawyer for school bus accident.

Labels: lawyer, Minnesota bus accident, wrongful death