Circus Juventas Bleachers Collapse at St. Paul Event

The circus turned into a nightmare when the circus bleachers collapsed about 10 p.m. on Sunday evening at the Circus Juventas event, in Highland Park area, according to St. Paul Police.

There were about 400 people on the bleacher when it collapsed. Sgt. Paul Schnell reported that there were multiple injuries, many people suffered broken bones. At this time, none of the injuries appear to be life-threatening.

Circus Juventas is a performing arts circus school for youth between the ages of 3 and 21. It is based in St. Paul, at 1270 Montreal Avenue.

How Can a Lawyer Help In An Incident Like This?

There is a legal obligation to ensure a reasonable level of safety for anyone invited onto a property. This obligation is referred to in litigation as “premises liability”. Our Minneapolis personal injury attorneys are skilled, aggressive litigators with years of experience. Our partners are experts at establishing fault and proving liability. They have recovered millions for victims. Call (612) TSR-TIME or submit our free consultation form.

School Bus in Ditch, Maple Grove

A school bus went into the ditch after the driver lost consciousness Tuesday afternoon. There were 38 children on the bus and 11 adult chaperons. The group was from Rice Lake Elementary School, Fridley. They were on their way home from a swimming trip to Bunker Beach, in Coon Rapids.

According to Maple Grove Police, the driver slumped over and the bus went off the road on County Road 121, north of County Road 81. The bus ended up in a wooded area.

The driver was taken to North Memorial Hospital. Her condition is still unknown. Nearly a dozen of the children sustained minor injuries.

Accident Victims Have Rights

In a situation like this, it is still important to have the children checked by a doctor to verify that they do not have a concussion or any other head trauma. If you have questions about your rights in a school bus accident injury, contact a licensed personal injury lawyer from TSR Injury Law. Our partners are skilled, compassionate lawyers with years of experience. We will answer your questions and inform you of your legal options.

Call (612) TSR-TIME or submit our free consultation form.

Chaska Passed Social Host Ordinance

Last fall Chaska became the first city in Minnesota to pass a social host ordinance. It was passed unanimously. The ordinance makes it illegal to knowingly permit consumption of alcohol on the premises by underage persons. This is a clear message to parents that they are responsible for what happens in their home. Violators will be charged with a misdemeanor.

TSR Injury Law is a proud sponsor of the MADD mission and is the recipient of the MADD Choice Award. Steve Terry, founding partner, was the guest speaker at the Minnesota Statewide Recognition Ceremony. We are passionate about this issue and our Minneapolis auto accident lawyers would like the opportunity to help you if you have been the victim of a drunk driving accident. Call (612) TSR-TIME or submit our free consultation form.

Garbage Truck Accident Claims

If you or someone you love has been injured in a collision or accident with a garbage truck or other waste management vehicle, call us — we want to hear about it and help you obtain justice. Our Minnesota Garbage Truck Accident Attorneys are available for a free consultation. Call 612-TSR-TIME or submit our contact form. Our attorneys have years of experience with excellent results.

Factors in Garbage Truck Collisions

Waste management is an arduous but necessary part of every major city’s basic services; the cities of Minnesota are no exception. Unfortunately, garbage trucks, like other large motor vehicles, are capable of causing serious accidents if negligently driven or handled.

Although any powerful motor vehicle can cause severe injury in the event of an accident, the ways in which garbage trucks are typically operated create several unique safety concerns for nearby drivers and pedestrians.

  • Narrow roads and alleyways: Because garbage collection trucks must navigate through a complex network of city streets and back streets, they often find themselves in narrow alleyways where visibility and maneuverability are limited. If a driver fails to take proper precautions, an accident is likely.
  • Erratic driving patterns: Garbage trucks make frequent and often unexpected stops to pick up waste. Drivers and cyclists around the truck may be in danger if these stops are made too quickly or without warning.
  • Falling objects/waste: The many waste items and objects that a garbage truck may be carrying at any time are also hazards. If they are negligently piled up or inadequately secured, they may fall from the truck onto nearby cars or pedestrians – a serious danger if the garbage truck is moving at a high speed.
  • Mechanical failure: In addition to tire defects, brake system malfunctions, and other dangerous mechanical failures, garbage trucks are also vulnerable to breakdowns of their unique moving parts, including compartment doors and lifting arms.

Contact Us Today

Contact TSR Injury Law if you have been the victim of a garbage truck accident. Our experienced Minneapolis truck accident lawyers can help you determine if you are entitled to compensation from the driver or waste management company responsible. Call (612) TSR-TIME or submit our free consultation form.

MADD Minnesota Sponsor

TSR Injury Law sponsored a recent MADD Minnesota Statewide Recognition Ceremony. As an event sponsor, Steve Terry was asked to speak at this ceremony, which recognized individuals and police departments committed to the Mothers Against Drunk Driving mission. MADD’s mission is to the stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime, and prevent underaged drinking. TSR Injury Law supports the mission of MADD and has been a financial supporter of MADD Minnesota for many years.

About MADD Minnesota

Mothers Against Drunk Driving is a non-profit organization comprised of victims, families, and dedicated citizens who are willing to volunteer of their time and energy to prevent drunk driving in order to reduce the number of:

  • crashes;
  • injuries;
  • deaths; and
  • families torn apart by accidents.

MADD also:

  • provides support to victims;
  • attends victims’ DWI trials and hearings upon request;
  • advocates for stricter drunk driving legislation;
  • conducts public awareness events;
  • provides speakers for community and school events; and
  • implements prevention programs.

Additionally, MADD:

  • offers self-help support groups for victims;
  • helps victims understand the legal process;
  • helps prepare victim impact statements for hearings;
  • provides information and referral for services needed by victims; and
  • provides training programs for victims to empower them to help other victims.

Victim Impact Panels

Victim impact panels provide an opportunity for victims to tell their story and share their feelings of how drunk driving has impacted their lives. These personal stories humanize the crime for offenders and teaches offenders the short and long-term effects of their crime on real people. By telling their stories, victims also hope to influence offenders to become more responsible and accountable for their behaviors. For more information on victim impact panels and when they are scheduled, go to www.maddmn.org.

Contact an Attorney that Supports the Mission of MADD MN

If you have been the victim of a drunk driving accident, contact someone who is involved with, and supports the mission, of MADD. Contact a Minneapolis car accident lawyer from TSR Injury Law, at (612) TSR-TIME or submit our free consultation form.

Speeding Accident Lawsuits

Do you have questions about the circumstances of an accident that was not your fault? An accident that was made worse by excessive speed? We can help.

Speeding is negligence because drivers have a duty to obey traffic laws. Speeding is one of the main causes of vehicle-related accidents.

If you have been injured in a speeding-related car accident that was not your fault, contact a Minneapolis car accident lawyer at (612) TSR-TIME. We will go to work on your case, fighting for just compensation and ensuring that your rights are protected. Our lawyers are aggressive, ethical litigators with years of experience.

Speeding Accident Statistics

Speeding greatly increases the chance of being involved in an accident because driver reaction time is drastically reduced, vehicles may perform differently at high speeds, and the law of physics tells us that the harder you hit something, the more severe the resulting damage and injury.

In 2009, speed contributed to 28% of Minnesota’s fatal accidents. It is written into Minnesota state law that drivers are to use duty of care when operating a vehicle; which includes obeying the speed limit. Statistics compiled by the NHTSA show that speeding among drivers involved in alcohol-related crashes is also common.

The Minnesota State Statute dealing with duty of care and speed limits is 169.14. It is as follows:

Subdivision 1. Duty to Drive with Due Care

No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions. Every driver is responsible for becoming and remaining aware of the actual and potential hazards then existing on the highway and must use due care in operating a vehicle. In every event speed shall be so restricted as may be necessary to avoid colliding with any person, vehicle or other conveyance on or entering the highway in compliance with legal requirements and the duty of all persons to use due care.

In a car accident where the offender was using excessive speed, the victim may be able to obtain compensation for:

  • medical expenses;
  • lost wages;
  • pain and suffering; and/or
  • other applicable damages.

Need Help? Call Us Today

Our legal team will investigate your speed-related accident to establish fault and ultimately prove liability. Our lawyers have decades of combined experience handling car accident cases with excellent results, including a recent car accident settlement for $400,000. Call (612) TSR-TIME or submit our free consultation form.

Criminal and Civil Penalties May Come from Fatal Truck Accident

On May 23, 2012, a semi-truck driver was convicted by a Minnesota judge on one count of misdemeanor careless driving and three counts of criminal vehicular homicide that all stemmed from a fatal accident that had occurred two years earlier almost to the day. Two women were killed in the accident and one of those women was pregnant.

This is a case that shows how a truck accident can result in both criminal charges and a civil lawsuit.

The 38-year-old driver worked for Reinhart Foodservice and began his shift at 10 p.m. on May 23, 2010. This was the evening before the LaCrosse Wisconsin accident that killed the women. He drove all night long, making stops in Owatanna and Austin, Minnesota. At 11:30 a.m., he was northbound on Interstate 35 when he reached down to grab an energy drink from the passenger side floor of the truck. In his testimony, he stated that he took his eyes off the road for no more than 10 seconds when he looked up and saw that traffic was stopped due to road construction delays.

He was traveling at 68mph when his semi-truck slammed into the back of one of the victims’ vehicles, sending her vehicle into the rear of the other victims’ vehicle. The second victim’s car then slammed into the back of another semi-truck that was hauling 12 million bees. The bees were released at the scene of the accident because of the impact and this delayed the rescue efforts.

The judge came to the conclusion that the driver’s testimony regarding how long he took his eyes off of the road was not credible and that he operated his truck in a grossly negligent manner.

In addition to the criminal charges resulting from the accident, the families of the victims brought civil claims against the driver and his employer. The families settled early in 2012.

Chondromalacia Injury Lawsuits

TSR Injury Law is a leading Minnesota personal injury law firm with extensive experience litigating knee injury cases, including chondromalacia.  We care about you and understand the pain involved with this injury. We will give you knowledgeable, aggressive representation. Call (612) TSR-TIME or submit our free consultation form.

What Is Chondromalacia?

Chondromalacia is the softening of the cartilage on the back side of the patella due to misalignment. The misalignment is frequently the result of trauma to the patella, as in a patella fracture, dislocation, menisci damage, or patellar tendon rupture. A misaligned patella rubs on the end of the femur, destroying the cartilage and making it look like crab meat. This not only causes inflammation but moderate to intense pain and grinding in the knee.

Chondromalacia Treatment

The first steps in treating chondromalacia are:

  • rest the knee to lessen the intensity of the chondromalacia pain
  • take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • do physical therapy, especially quadriceps strengthening and hamstring stretching

Alignment is key to minimizing chondromalacia. If the alignment of the patella cannot be improved or corrected with physical therapy, surgery may be necessary. Depending on the type and extent of misalignment, the surgery may be arthroscopic or open.

Surgery for chondromalacia has a high success rate. But there may be complications, including:

  • failure to relieve pain
  • increased pain
  • infection

Minneapolis Chondromalacia Lawyers

Even though chondromalacia is very painful and debilitating, it is marginalized by insurance companies. If you are suffering from chondromalacia from a negligent accident, you need a lawyer who understands chondromalacia and will aggressively defend your rights.

The lawyers at TSR Injury Law know Minnesota law. They know chondromalacia. They will fight for you. Call one of our Chondromalacia lawyers at (612) TSR-TIME or submit free contact form.

 

Man Charged in Fatal Truck Crash that Killed MN Man

A former semi truck driver has been charged in the death of a fellow truck driver in a semi truck crash that occurred on Interstate 94. He is scheduled to stand trial from May 22 to the 24th.

Great Lakes, Illinois resident Destry D. Wilson, 23, is charged with felony homicide for allegedly being negligent and intoxicated at the time of the accident. He is also charged with the misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. He was also cited for operating while intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle with a restricted controlled substance in his possession.

After the fiery crash that killed 43-year-old Brian L. Paglusch, Wilson told authorities that he had smoked some synthetic marijuana. He did test negative for illegal substances, though. According to the criminal complaint, a pipe was found in the semi with Wilson after the accident.

During an August preliminary hearing, a Menomonie police officer testified that on July 31 at 11:15 p.m., he had arrived on the scene of the crash where he found two semi trucks blocking the westbound lanes at the 42 mile marker, just past a rest area in Menomonie.

The officer observed Paglusch’s truck completely up in flames after he had rear-ended the flatbed truck that was driven by Wilson. The flatbed was stopped in the right westbound lane. Paglusch was pronounced dead at the scene because he was not able to get out of the truck.

Wilson would tell police, according to reports, that he had left the rest stop and was moving at highway speed. However, a number of witnesses told authorities that Wilson’s truck was not moving at all. A reconstructionist and a State Patrol officer testified that it appeared that Paglusch had slammed on his brakes in order to not hit Wilson’s truck.

A motion hearing is scheduled for April 5 and the final pretrial is slated for May 5.

Social Host Liability Claims

Despite government attempts to cut down on the rate of underaged drinking, it remains a common problem across the U.S. Minnesota’s social host liability laws try to minimize this problem by holding responsible those adults who provide alcohol to minors.

The laws governing social drinking are not nearly as strict as the laws governing commercial sales of alcohol. Therefore, a much shorter list of people can be liable under Minnesota social host liability laws, as opposed to dram shop laws. A person can be liable if he or she is over 21 and:

  • Sold or gave alcohol to a minor
  • Knowingly allowed minors to consume alcohol on his or her premises

Who Can File a Social Host Liability Claim?

If you have been injured by a minor who was driving under the influence of alcohol, you may have grounds for a lawsuit against the adult who provided the alcohol. Minors who injure themselves or others while intoxicated do not have grounds for a social liability suit.

Need Legal Help?

If you or your child is a minor and has become a victim of an injury after being served alcohol, contact TSR Injury Law at 612-TSR-TIME and speak to one of our Minneapolis personal injury attorneys. We offer a free, no obligation consultation and charge no upfront fees if we take on your case.

TSR Injury Law. Ph: (612) TSR-TIME.