Sunday, August 26, 2007

Minnesota Lawyers To Provide Free Representation to Bridge Collapse Victims

Minnesota Lawyer Blog has been following this story:


Several local plaintiffs' lawyers recently set the bar buzzing when they made a highly unusual offer -- they would handle the cases of victims from 35W bridge collapse without taking a fee.

...Minneapolis-based Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, which, ironically, pocketed one of the biggest fees in state history a few years back when it got $440 million for handling the state's $6 billion tobacco settlement. The Robins firm has already signed up several several bridge victims as clients, none of whom it is charging a fee.

Another post from Minnesota Lawyer Blog discusses the legal issues expected to arise in anticipated bridge collapse litigation:

The Star Tribune has an interesting story today on the liability questions and potential lawsuits arising out of the collapse of the 35W bridge. (See "Question of liability rises.")

Given the limitations on state and municipal liability and the fact that the bridge was constructed 40 years ago, attorneys pursuing liability claims will likely have to focus on the private entities involved in the bridge's maintenance, the article correctly points out.And there will, of course, also be a bevy of legal issues relating to insurance coverage that will crop up.

- Garry J. Wise, Toronto

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