St. Cloud Personal Injury Lawyer - Motor Vehicle Accident

Drunk Driver Who Killed Local Superintendent Gets Four Years.

Mike Bryant — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:03:00 GMT

Some time ago, I wrote about the rear end accident that killed a well known local superintendent. A sad case that affected all of the students and their families who had ever dealt with him. Having worked for the district since the 80's, he was involved in the education of hundreds of young people. He was also known for being involved in all of the schools building projects.

The driver of the car who caused the tragic collision plead guilty to criminal vehicular homicide. Initial testing showed his blood-alcohol level to be 0.194. As a result he was sentenced to more than four years in prison.

The tragedy of the case is clear. As I have written in other cases like this, it really has such a large affect on everyone involved. Multiple families are affected and are forever changed with a senseless death. Hopefully, all students will learn one last time from this educator's loss, although it is so sad that it had to be such a tough teaching moment.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Separate St Cloud Collisions Send A 77 and A 88 Year Old To The Hospital

Mike Bryant — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:54:18 GMT

The St Cloud Times had two intersection collision stories in the paper today:

A 77 year old woman was making a left turn onto southbound 33rd Avenue when a eastbound vehicle on 12th Street hit her car. A third car was then hit by the careening vehicles.
A 88 year old woman was attempting a left turn from 33rd Avenue to First Street South when a northbound vehicle on 33rd Avenue hit her.

The police are still looking at the cause of each accident. Hopefully, all involved will heal quickly. Turning vehicles are required to yield the right away, although early investigation does look at the speed of each vehicle.

If you are in an accident, make sure to get the names of anyone who indicates they saw what happened. If you witness an accident, check to see if everyone is OK and stay around or at least give the drivers your contact information. If you are injured, seek the advice of an attorney who does that kind of work and who can explain your coverages and rights.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Semi and Jeep Collision Sends Elk River Woman To The Hospital

Mike Bryant — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 05:51:00 GMT

Friday evening, a Elk River woman was sent to the hospital after the Jeep she was was hit by a Semi truck along Highway 10 in Becker. Both vehicles were traveling westbound near Hancock St which is very close to downtown Becker.

I travel this area often, I suspect that speed played a role in this collision. It seems like too many people disregard the reality that they are traveling through a town. Two teens in the Jeep were also hurt, hopefully everyone will heal quickly.

If you are in an accident, make sure to get the names of anyone who indicates they saw what happened. If you witness an accident, check to see if everyone is OK and stay around or at least give the drivers your contact information. If you are injured, get care immediately and later seek the advice of an attorney who does that kind of work and who can explain your coverages and rights.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Brockway Township Collision Injures Four

Mike Bryant — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:11:00 GMT

Saturday afternoon, a rural Stearns County intersection collision sent four to the hospital. Police are still investigating the cause.

The impact took place along Stearns County Road 5. Speed and failure to heed the right away, are thought to have played a role.

If you are in an accident, make sure to get the names of anyone who indicates they saw what happened. If you witness an accident, check to see if everyone is OK and stay around or at least give the drivers your contact information. If you are injured, get care immediately and later seek the advice of an attorney who does that kind of work and who can explain your coverages and rights.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Recent Drunk Driver Caused Deaths Need To Be A Warning

Mike Bryant — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:49:00 GMT

While highway deaths continue to be reduced, the number of deaths caused by drunk drivers continues to rise. This just isn't acceptable and needs to be addressed.

Last year, 190 people in Minnesota died in accidents where someone had been drinking. That's up from the year before and the year before that.
Most alcohol-related crashes happen Saturday between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.
More than 75 percent of those drivers are men and 56 percent are between the ages of 20 and 34.
About 40 percent have drunk driving records and their average blood alcohol level is 0.15.
About 12 percent of Minnesotans have been arrested for drunken driving.

This past week, two separate deaths will hopefully increase the attention to this issue.

On Tuesday, Christopher Iverson's family took him off life support. Prosecutors say a drunken driver hit him early Sunday morning while he stood at a Minneapolis bus stop.

That same morning in Champlin, police say a drunken driver hit and killed Heather Solberg and then took off. She had been walking home with friends from a fireworks display.

The numbers suggest problems that law enforcement and maybe the legislature will have to further address. It may require another look at the joint and several laws. When the recent law was revised, bars were granted reduced liability when they serve a drunk and the drunk causes a tragedy. It's time that the law change be revisited.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Friday St Cloud Car Collision Has St Cloud Police Calling For Holiday Safety

Mike Bryant — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:17:13 GMT

Friday morning, two people were taken to the hospital after the car they were in was hit by another car that ran a red light. Their car had been entering the intersection of Clearwater Road and 16th, when the collision took place. The police are still investigating the incident.

With this collision, the police are reminding drivers that the holidays will mean more cars on the road and that each driver should be careful and wear their steat belts. They also pointed out that there will be additional patrols out on the road.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Spring: Warmer Weather And Higher Speeds

Mike Bryant — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 21:19:00 GMT

It's real nice to see the 70's back for temperatures in Minnesota. It's great to see the grass greening up and no more mounds of snow taking up parking spaces. The problem is that better roads often means faster driving. It's probably not a coincidence, that the first week of snow and the first week of sunny sky's means an unfortunate increased number of deaths on Minnesota roads.

This past week saw seven deaths which included:

A two car Wednesday in Wilmar at the intersection of Business Highway 71 and County Road 24 which killed one.
The Saturday evening death of a woman that was hit in St Paul by a car that was fleeing the police.
A Highway 30 crash of large trucks that killed both a Minnesota man and Iowa man in central Iowa.
A St. Paul man died when he rolled his car while exiting Interstate 35W just south of downtown Minneapolis trying to enter eastbound Interstate 94 shortly after midnight Tuesday.
Four were critically injured when a pick up truck in Blaine crossed the center line and hit an on coming car last Sunday night.
A Buffalo man lost control of his motorcycle and was killed last Saturday night.

As with bed weather, it's important that everyone SLOW DOWN. At a time when the number of overall road deaths is decreasing these sudden rises in horrible loses should be heeded.

As with any death in a Minnesota motor vehicle collision, there are a number of issues that will need to be reviewed. My partner, Joe Crumley, addressed this topic in a recent article for the Minnesota Lawyers Trial magazine. I was interviewed last year on the same topic. In this case, sorrow for the families of those involved goes out.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Spee Dee Delivery Truck's Illegal I- 94 U-turn Causes Collision

Mike Bryant — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:38:13 GMT

This morning, the first southern exit to St Cloud off of 94, was almost completely shut down after a Spee Dee Delivery truck caused a major collision. The truck was in the process of making a U-Turn on the highway. Due to this maneuver a truck and a second van hit each other and the Spee Dee truck.

Three people were taking to the hospital. The police are still investigating the reason for the attempted turn. As a regular driver of that area, it seems crazy that someone was trying the U-turn. The traffic speeds alone would make that a very dangerous maneuver.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

Minnesota Dram Shop Law - Dealing With the Illegal Drink

Mike Bryant — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 09:52:00 GMT

In many wrongful death car accidents, the issue of drinking by the at fault driver can come into play. In those cases it's vital that early investigation be done on where the person was drinking, how much they drank and what their blood alcohol content was. Law enforcement will do some of this work, but they aren't looking at the same issues that a civil case does. The biggest difference being the need to look into the conduct of the at fault driver at the time the drinks were sold. Were there signs of intoxication at the time?

Bars in Minnesota are not supposed to sell alcohol to obviously intoxicated people. That's the law. Because of this, witnesses need to be interviewed and all the evidence needs to be collected quickly. The insurance companies will be out there as soon as they can.

For the family of the injured person, it can be difficult to deal with legal issues on top of the shock and sorrow they are dealing with. It is here that an early consultation with an experienced law firm can make a difference to make sure what needs to get done, is done and that important evidence isn't lost. It's also important that all coverages be looked at.

As with any death in a Minnesota motor vehicle collision, there are a number of issues that will need to be reviewed. My partner, Joe Crumley, addressed this topic in a recent article for the Minnesota Trial Lawyer Magazine. I was interviewed last year on the same topic.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant

St Cloud Collision Injures Two

Mike Bryant — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 09:04:00 GMT

Tuesday afternoon, a St Cloud intersection collision sent two to the hospital. Police are still investigating the cause.

The impact took place at the intersection of 33rd Avenue and 12th Street North. Speed and failure to head signals are thought to have played a role.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Mike Bryant