Minnesota Inks Deal With Bridge Victims
State lawmakers said Friday they reached a $38 million agreement to compensate victims of the Minneapolis bridge collapse that killed 13 people and injured 145 others.
Rep. Ryan Winkler and Sen. Ron Latz told The Associated Press that a House and Senate conference committee agreed to the deal overnight. State lawmakers expected to approve the compromise Monday and send it to the governor, who supports it.
"It provides needed relief and support for victims and family members directly impacted by the I-35W bridge tragedy," Gov. Tim Pawlenty said.
Chris Messerly, an attorney for many victims of the Aug. 1 collapse, said the plan addresses a key sticking point in committee negotiations - whether to recognize the state's liability limit by capping awards to individual victims.
Messerly said the deal would allow victims to get up to $400,000 each - and there's a supplemental $12.6 million fund for the worst injured.
"For many people, this will be closure for them and that is so critically important," Messerly said.
The bridge buckled and collapsed into the Mississippi River during the evening rush hour, sending cars and construction equipment into the water and leaving a yellow school bus and other vehicles clinging precariously to tilting pavement. It took divers almost three weeks to recover all the bodies.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the collapse. Officials have focused on a design flaw involving beam-connecting steel plates and the weight of construction materials at vulnerable points in the bridge. Victim lawsuits are on hold until a final determination is made.
"It's nine months after the bridge collapse," Winkler said. "The Legislature has finally acted and done something for these people to feel like they're not being forgotten."
© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Rep. Ryan Winkler and Sen. Ron Latz told The Associated Press that a House and Senate conference committee agreed to the deal overnight. State lawmakers expected to approve the compromise Monday and send it to the governor, who supports it.
"It provides needed relief and support for victims and family members directly impacted by the I-35W bridge tragedy," Gov. Tim Pawlenty said.
Chris Messerly, an attorney for many victims of the Aug. 1 collapse, said the plan addresses a key sticking point in committee negotiations - whether to recognize the state's liability limit by capping awards to individual victims.
Messerly said the deal would allow victims to get up to $400,000 each - and there's a supplemental $12.6 million fund for the worst injured.
"For many people, this will be closure for them and that is so critically important," Messerly said.
The bridge buckled and collapsed into the Mississippi River during the evening rush hour, sending cars and construction equipment into the water and leaving a yellow school bus and other vehicles clinging precariously to tilting pavement. It took divers almost three weeks to recover all the bodies.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the collapse. Officials have focused on a design flaw involving beam-connecting steel plates and the weight of construction materials at vulnerable points in the bridge. Victim lawsuits are on hold until a final determination is made.
"It's nine months after the bridge collapse," Winkler said. "The Legislature has finally acted and done something for these people to feel like they're not being forgotten."
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[Posted by galaxiana at 10:30 AM : May 02, 2008]
were there any attorneys representing the taxpayers at the proceedings? (psst ... it''s a trick question)
Posted by galaxiana at 10:30 AM : May 02, 2008"
Because the state postponed maintenance time after time, even though there were signs of inadequacy, and because the state was responsible for oversight of the contractors it hired. The state may choose to sue the contractors to get some of the money back, but the contractors could just as easily put the blame right back on the state for not acting when they first knew there was a problem.
Not that Minnesota is the only state gambling with the lives of its citizens, mind you - almost all of them postpone maintenance to fund other projects. If you don''t take care of something, sooner or later it breaks whether it''s a bridge, a building, a car, etc.
That said, this is so egregious that the state limit on liability shouldn''t be observed. Pitiful.
"Victims'' attorney Chris Messerly says the $38 million plan addresses a key sticking point in the negotiations. That''s whether to recognize the state''s liability limit by capping awards to individual victims."
The government screw up people die and we get the bill. No firings, no jail time, not even a major repremand and apology. Just several years pay from the government (tax payer) for never being able to work again, or do all the things in life you might have wanted to do.
All you can handle from lastdance117!!!
Hosted by CBSNEWS.COM.
NOBODY CARES lastdance. People can say what they want. Your one person crusade makes you look like a total a.s.s
These people should be held liable along with the Minnesota Department of Transportation Building Inspectors who allowed the installation.
This is a "CRIMINAL" offense and should be prosecuted.
The Governer should push for justice for the victoms, not just a token payment.
How many people are going to be murdered before this type of neglegence is NOT tolorated any more?
What was fatal was the incompetance of the crew that accepted 191 tons of construction material and piled it on the weakest parts of bridge. They are the ones that should be held liable.