MINNESOTA BURN INJURY LAWYERS DISCUSS WACONIA PROPANE FIRE

As reported in the Minneapolis Star Tribune and several other media outlets, a teenager was killed and another was injured when a propane tank exploded Wednesday at Waconia Farm Supply store in Waconia, Minnesota.

All of us at Champion Law send out our deepest condolences. I'm sure the family of these young men is wondering why this happened. Right now, nobody knows. There are, however, a few ways that propane fires typically happen.

Some propane fires are caused by negligent handling of propane. In this case, a routine safety inspection of Waconia Farm Supply on Feb. 17 found two violations related to the handling and storage of compressed gases, according to reports on the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration website. One violation was described as having the potential to result in death or serious harm. Waconia Farm Supply was initially fined $600 for the serious violation and $150 for the secondary offense. The case was closed on April 7 after the firm paid a total of $525 and reportedly fixed the problems.

Another possiblity relates to a defective product that lead to the explosion. Many propane explosions result from leaks in the propane tank or distribution system caused by negligent propane gas providers and tank manufacturers. If there are problems with the distribution system or the tank, there may be a product liability claim for the resulting burn injuries.

To get to the bottom of this and help assure fair compensation for these horrific losses, I would recommend the families of these two young men contact an experienced Minnesota burn injury attorney immediately. It is critical that a burn injury lawyer get to work right away to arrange for an investigation before critical evidence is destroyed when the company rebuilds the site.

At Champion Law, we are always willing to answer questions about burn injuries, product liability, or any other kind of personal injury, free of charge. If you have questions, visit our web-site or call us at 651.766.5886.

FORD PINTO FIRE BURNS MAN IN ST. CLOUD MINNESOTA

Last weekend, a defect in a 1979 Ford Pinto caused a fire that severely burned an 18 year old man. The St. Cloud Times reported that Jeffrey Paul Hinkemeyer was westbound on County Road 51 when he was rear-ended by a 1991 Ford Taurus as he slowed to make a left turn. His car, a 1979 Ford Pinto, caught fire at the time of impact, according to a Stearns County sheriff’s report.

The Ford Pinto is one of the most notorious examples of corporate greed and puttingt profits over safety. The photograph above shows another Pinto that was burned after a crash. Ford knew the Pinto's fuel tank was in a dangerous postion - behind the rear axle - that left the tank virtually unprotected if the Pinto was involved in foreseeable rear-end accidents. In fact, Ford wrote a "cost-benefit" memo that discussed the cost of fixing the problem versus the cost of paying off claims and lawsuits brought by people who were hurt or killed by this deadly defect. This is the epitome of corporate greed and a case that certainly gives rise to an automotive product liability suit against Ford for its reckless choices.

My advice to Mr. Hinkemeyer and his family would be to make sure the vehicle is preserved and stored in a safe place and to immediately contact an experienced automotive product liability attorney to take the steps needed to investigate the accident and allow him to focus on his recovery.

If you or anyone you know has questions about automotive defects, crashworthiness or other product liability claims, I would be happy to answer your questions. Just call me at 651.766.5886 or visit our firm's web-site.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO REQUIRE SEATBELTS ON COMMERCIAL BUSES

The federal government had some good news for product liability and safety advocates like attorney Nate Bjerke and Champion Law last week when it told Congress that it will require commercial motor coaches to have safety belts for their passengers. This is a move that product liability lawyers and the National Transportation Safety Board have been advocating for years.


Unfortunately, it took several deaths and needless injuries to bring about this change. After analyzing the events surrounding a 2008 Utah bus rollover in which nine people died and 43 were injured (pictured above), the NTSB concluded that federal regulations just don't protect bus passengers like they should. The American Association for Justice then got involved and called for new rules.

Safety advocates, including the NTSB and the AAJ, reproached the NHTSA for acting too slowly in making much needed safety improvements on commercial buses. “The finding from the NTSB shows how the public is endangered when federal agencies drag their feet,” said Gerie Voss, the AAJ Director of Regulatory Affairs. “The Obama Administration must make updating transportation safety standards a priority.”

According to Ron Medford, the NHTSA’s acting administrator, commercial bus safety has become one of the agency’s top priorities. “I think it is true that the NHTSA was slow to act,” he told the Detroit News. Although nearly as many Americans travel on commercial buses as they do airplanes, buses are the least regulated motor vehicles under the NHTSA’s jurisdiction.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a commercial bus crash or just has questions about product liability or product safety. call attorney Nate Bjerke of Champion Law at 651.766.5886, or visit the firm's web-site.