Accident Victim Critically Injured in Head-On Crash on Highway 61 near Hugo and Forest Lake, MN
Youah Vu was critically injured in a head-on crash on Highway 61 at approximately 165th Street, near Hugo and Forest Lake, MN. The driver of a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck (name not yet released) was driving northbound in the southbound lane of Highway 61 when the driver hit Youah Vu (driving a Toyota Avalon) head on.
Head-On Collisions and Fault
This truck-car accident is still under investigation by the Minnesota State Patrol, but given the few facts established by the state patrol, it is likely that the driver of the pickup truck (who was driving the wrong way) was most likely at fault. In the many wrong-way cases our law firm has handled in the past, almost always the drivers have been in violation of at least one traffic law (e.g., drunk driving, unsafe passing, speeding, texting, etc.).
If, for example, the driver of the pickup was over the legal blood-alcohol limit and a bar or restaurant served him alcohol before the crash, Youah Vu may have claims against both the driver of the truck and the bar or restaurant under Minnesota dram shop laws. This is important because in many situations the insurance coverage of the at-fault driver is not enough money to fully compensate the accident victim.
Pritzker Olsen law firm has offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Our lawyers can meet with you at a hospital, your home or at our offices. You can contact us at 612-338-0202 or by submitting the free consultation form.
Zipper Merge in Construction Zone May Prevent Auto Accidents
by Attorney Eric Hageman 
Instead of merging early in a construction zone, the Minnesota Department of Transportation is urging drivers to wait to merge until the defined merge area and then alternate in “zipper” fashion into the open lane. When you see the “lane closed ahead” sign and traffic backing up, stay in your current lane up to the point of merge (where you can see the orange cones closing off one lane). Then take turns with other drivers to safely and smoothly ease into the open lane.
Early merging (as opposed to zipper merging) can lead to dangerous lane switching, serious crashes and road rage. Research shows that these are decreased when drivers zipper merge into the open lane.
The benefits of zipper merging include the following:
- Reducing differences in speeds between two lanes;
- Reducing the overall length of traffic backup (by as much as 40 percent);
- Reducing congestion on freeway interchanges; and
- Creating a sense of fairness and equity that all lanes are moving at the same rate.
Below is a video explaining how to zipper merge. As an accident attorney and father of 5 children, I recommend you show this to your teenage and young adult children.
Attorney Eric Hageman travels throughout Minnesota and the United States representing accident victims and their families in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against drivers, trucking companies and others. His offices are in Minneapolis, MN. To contact Eric for a free consultation, call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our free consultation form. Watch Eric’s video at “Personal Injury Car Accident MN.”
Head-On Collisions Cause Personal Injury on Minnesota Roads
The Minnesota State Patrol reported 6 accidents Sunday, three of them head on collisions:
- A head on collision on Highway 59 north of Slayton, MN resulted in injuries, according to the Minnesota State Patrol, but the conditions of the 4 people involved in the accident are not yet documented. Frank Kemper was driving a Chevrolet Silverado northbound on Highway 59 when he lost control and hit head on Warren Suckow of Slayton, MN and Bonita Suckow of Lismore, MN. Assisting were the Murray County Sheriff’s Office and Slayton Rescue & Ambulance and the Slayton Fire Department.
- Derek Naslund, 18, of Thief River Falls, MN failed to yield at the intersection of County Road 7 and 120 Avenue (Pennington County near TRF) and broadsided Kimberly Bitzer. On impact, Ms. Bitzer entered the ditch and rolled, sustaining personal injury.
- A head on collision in Bemidji, MN resulted in the injury of a Little Canada woman. The Beltrami County Sheriff Office responded. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, a Pontiac Bonneville driven by Jason Norvold of Bemidji was southbound on Highway 71 approaching the Highway 2 ramp when a Dodge Calibre driven by Brina Ellison of Little Canada attempted to cross both lanes of Highway 71 and crashed head on with Norvold. There were also 2 passengers in Ellison’s vehicle. According to the State Patrol report, the passengers had “no apparent injury,” but our experience is that soft tissue injuries (whip lash, etc.) can surface a couple of weeks after an accident.
- A Honda Accord and Dodge Caravan were involved in a head on collision east of Bingham Lake, MN at the intersection of Highway 60 and County Road 2 (Cottonwood County). Delores Peters of Mountain Lake, MN, driving the Honda Accord, was traveling eastbound on Highway 60 when she hit the shoulder of the road, lost control of her car and struck head on the Dodge Caravan, which was driven by Alexander Sorensen of Comfrey, MN. Damone Sorensen, also of Comfrey, was a passenger in the Caravan. Injuries were serious enough to require immediate treatment.
- Cecil Boerner of Marshall, MN was driving southbound on Highway 4 north of St. James, MN, when he lost control and entered the northbound lanes, sideswiping Terril Smith of Comfrey, MN, who was driving a Pontiac Bonneville, and hit head on Maria Puentes of Sleepy Eye, MN, who was driving a GMC Sierra. Ms. Puentes suffered injury, according to the Minnesota State Patrol report. The Watonwan County Sheriff’s Office responded to the accident.
- Four people were transported to the hospital after an accident on Highway 212 near Dawson, MN. Dennis Schueller of Dawson was making a left turn in a Cadillac in a snow cloud when he rear ended a Dodge Charger driven by Steven Kerkvliet of Castlewood, South Dakota. Nicole Kerdvleit was a passenger in the Charger and Harriet Schueller was a passenger in the Cadillac.
The Minnesota State Patrol accident report is only preliminary. Contact our law firm for a free consultation regarding an independent investigation of your accident and information on how to protect your legal rights.
Attorneys Fred Pritzker, Elliot Olsen and Eric Hageman have been named Minnesota “Super Lawyers” for 2012 and past years and Brendan Flaherty has been named a “Rising Star” for three consecutive years, including 2012. Fred and Eric were also named “Attorneys of the Year” by Minnesota Lawyer, a respected legal publication. Our Minnesota car accident lawyers represent accident victims and their families throughout Minnesota.
Fatal Minnesota Car Accident Kills Pedestrian In North St. Paul
A fatal car accident killed a 23-year-old woman in North St. Paul, MN Thursday night. As she was walking northbound, crossing MN Highway 36 at Century Ave., the woman was pushing her toddler in a stroller. She was struck by an eastbound passing motorist and killed; her 2-year-old child suffered minor injuries. Minnesota State Patrol Public Information Officer Lt. Eric Roeske told local news sources the crash happened shortly before 10 p.m. “A fraction of a second and the child would have been hit as well,” he said in a press conference Friday.
According to local news sources:
“A similar incident occurred around midnight on Oct. 16 last year. A 19-year-old Oakdale man was struck and killed when he was running north across Highway 36 at the same intersection by a driver traveling east who had a green light, according to the Minnesota State Patrol incident report.”
The intersection was closed down during Thursday night’s investigation of the accident.
Car-Pedestrian Accident Lawyer and Lawsuit Information
The car accident lawyers at Pritzker Olsen have recovered millions of dollars for pedestrians and motorists injured or killed by negligent drivers. If it is found that another driver is at fault, the injured pedestrian or driver may be able to file a car accident injury lawsuit and recover expenses for medical bills, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, and other damages. The family of someone killed in a car accident may file a car accident wrongful death lawsuit if it is found that another driver is at fault. In such a lawsuit, the family of a person killed in a car accident may be entitled to recover money for funeral expenses, loss of income, loss of comfort and consortium, and other damages.
Contact the car accident and wrongful death lawyers at Pritzker Olsen for a free consultation >>>
News source: http://stillwater.patch.com/articles/pedestrian-hit-seriously-injured-at-highways-36-and-120
MN Boating Accident Leaves One Dead, One Missing
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A boating accident in Northern Minnesota has left one man dead and authorities are still searching for a 52-year-old Sheboygan, Wisconsin man. Cass County officials say the search began at sunrise on Wednesday, July 27. They have been using dogs to search for the missing man. On Monday evening, a boat was reportedly circling on Cass Lake, and rescue workers found the body of a 70-year-old Denmark, MN man shortly thereafter.
Minnesota Boat Accident Lawsuit Information
Anyone injured in a boat accident may file a lawsuit if it is found that the accident is someone else’s fault. The family of someone killed in a boating accident may file a wrongful death lawsuit if it is found that the accident is someone else’s fault. In these situations, it may be possible to recover damages (money) for:
- property damage
- medical expenses
- lost wages
- pain and suffering
- emotional distress
- loss of quality of life
- funeral expenses
- other damages.
Minnesota boating regulations require that all boating accidents be reported to the county sheriff in instances where there is property damage exceeding $2,000, an injury, or a death. Boating accidents should also be reported to your insurance company. Have more questions about a boating accident resulting in personal injury or death? Contact the boating accident lawyers at Pritzker Olsen for a Free Consultation. Several of our Minnesota personal injury attorneys have been named “Minnesota Super Lawyers.” Attorney Fred Pritzker was named a “Top 100 Super Lawyer” and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America (current and past editions).
News source: http://whbl.com/news/articles/2011/jul/27/search-continues-for-missing-sheboygan-man-in-minnesota/
Head Injury Puts MN Man in Hospital After Rear-end Motorcycle Accident
A four-vehicle accident in Otter Tail County, Minnesota injured a 54-year-old Henning, MN man. The accident occurred on Tuesday, July 26 just north of Underwood, MN. According to authorities, one vehicle rear-ended another, resulting in a three-car collision, at which point the third car rear-ended the motorcyclist, throwing him into a ditch. No other drivers were injured. The motorcyclist was airlifted to a Twin Cities hospital with head injuries.
Our experience is that most rear end collisions are caused by negligent drivers. In many cases, the driver was speeding, intoxicated or otherwise breaking a traffic law at the time of the accident. If the accident was caused by a drunk driver, a bar or restaurant may also be liable for the accident under Minnesota dram shop laws.
Motorcycle Rear-ended – Accident Lawsuit Information
If a motorist is injured in an accident in which he or she was rear-ended by another driver, the injured motorist may be able to file a lawsuit against the driver who rear-ended them. It will take a skilled accident injury attorney to prove driver negligence on the part of the driver who rear-ended and injured the other motorist. The attorney will need to examine the facts of the accident in order to determine whether that is the case.
Head Injury Lawsuit Information
Head injuries can be among the most serious injuries in a crash and can result in traumatic brain injury (TBI). It takes an experienced lawyer to effectively argue a TBI case because many of the effects of a TBI aren’t immediately noticeable. For example, even if the person looks physically healed, the injury to the brain can leave him or her with significant cognitive, emotional, and behavioral challenges that can affect relationships with family, friends, employers. A skilled TBI lawyer will take these things into consideration when litigating a TBI case.
The lawyers at Pritzker Olsen have recovered millions of dollars for victims injured in motorcycle accidents and accident victims with traumatic brain injuries.
Contact the motorcycle accident and TBI lawyers at Pritzker Olsen for a free consultation >>>
News Source: http://www.wday.com/event/article/id/49670/group/homepage/
