Mora, Minnesota, has lost one of its citizens in a wrongful death accident on Highway 65, just north of Braham. Robert T. Palmen was at the wheel of a Chrysler minivan in the middle of the afternoon on January 6 when an oncoming pickup truck crossed over into his lane and crashed head-on. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the 28-year-old driver of the Toyota Tundra pickup was arrested at the scene and jailed in Isanti County. The State Patrol said the arrested man was being held on potential charges of criminal vehicular homicide and possession of drug paraphernalia. A 69-year-old passenger in the Chrysler was treated for injuries at the hospital, but she survived. Two other people who were hit in a third car, also survived.
The State Patrol, Kanabec County Sheriffs Department and the Isanti County Sheriffs Department, along with paramedics and other agencies, responded to the crash. They were lauded by a relative of one of the women who walked away. “Your services are greatly appreciated by most citizens of this nation. Not everyone can do these jobs and you all did yours very well last night… Thank You Very Much,” the relative said on Facebook.
What Constitutes a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
Minnesota criminal laws punish drivers who kill others by their negligence, including charges of driving while drunk or drugged and driving while texting someone on a cell phone. The state’s civil laws are separate and they provide grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit to help next of kin recover financially from the loss of a loved one. These lawsuits hold wrongdoers accountable for their actions. So-called punitive damages can be awarded in some lawsuits where negligence was flagrant or unreasonable. Those punitive awards exceed the amounts recovered for medical bills, other expenses, lost income, lost companionship and other factors.
In most states, the person who brings a wrongful death lawsuit is called a “trustee.” He or she is appointed by a judge to bring the claim on behalf of the spouse and blood relatives of the person who died.
Anyone in your family can contact our law firm for a free consultation. You can call 612-338-0202 or click here now to get your free case review with a Minnesota wrongful death lawyer at our law firm. If we agree to take your case, you owe us nothing until the matter is resolved and you have made a recovery. We are based in Minneapolis. Our history of wrongful death litigation has included many multi-million dollar compensation awards and settlements, including $6,000,000 on behalf of a family that suffered the loss of three loved ones in a motor vehicle collision.
