Jaguar Recall Due to Fuel Starvation Risk
Jaguar is recalling 2131 units of its Jaguar/XF 2010 model, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced Wednesday. The fuel transfer pipe in the vehicle’s fuel tank may be kinked. This can restrict the flow of fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel pump, which can cause fuel starvation at low fuel levels. As a result, the engine can unexpectedly stall and potentially cause a crash. Owners may contact Jaguar at 1-800-452-4827 and dealers will have fuel tank assembly repaired for free.
To contact a car accident lawyer for a free consultation about a Jaguar recall lawsuit, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free), email Attorney Fred Pritzker or submit our online consultation form. If you retain our law firm, you will have no up-front costs, and we will not be paid unless you win.
We are a Minnesota law firm with a national practice.
Nissan Sentra Recall Due to Possible Brake Failure
Certain 2009 Nissan Sentras equipped with Bosch master cylinders are being recalled, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced Wednesday. On these 10,586 models, if enough brake fluid leaks from the master cylinder the brake system warning indicator will light up. But if the light is ignored long enough one of the vehicle’s brake circuits could fail, therefore increasing stopping distances and the risk of a crash.
If you or a family member has been involved in an accident involving a Nissan Sentra, contact our law firm for a free consultation by calling 1-888-377-8900 (toll free), emailing Attorney Fred Pritzker or submitting our online consultation form. If you retain our law firm, you will have no up-front costs, and we will not be paid unless you win.
We are a Minnesota law firm with a national practice.
Toyota and Lexus Floor Mats Pose Crash Risk Says NHTSA
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today alerted Lexus and Toyota owners about conditions that could cause the accelerator to get stuck open under certain conditions. The agency strongly recommends taking out removable floor mats on the driver’s side in certain models and not to replace them with any other mat, either from Toyota or any other brand.
“This is an urgent matter,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “For everyone’s sake, we strongly urge owners of these vehicles to remove mats or other obstacles that could lead to unintended acceleration.”
NHTSA notes that there continue to be reports of accelerator pedal clearance issues which provide the potential for an accelerator pedal to get stuck in the full open position. A stuck accelerator may result in very high vehicle speeds and a crash, which could cause serious injury or death.
NHTSA said that Toyota has announced that it will soon launch a safety recall of various model year vehicles to redress the problem. However the safety agency warned owners to remove all driver-side floor mats from the models listed below immediately as an interim safety measure in advance of the recall.
Toyota and Lexus vehicles affected by this consumer alert are:
- 2007-2010 Camry
- 2005-2010 Avalon
- 2004-2009 Prius
- 2005-2010 Tacoma
- 2007-2010 Tundra
- 2007-2010 ES 350
- 2006-2010 IS 250 and IS350
Today’s advisory was precipitated by continued reports of vehicles accelerating rapidly after release of the accelerator pedal. The incidents appear to be related to factors including the use of a variety of unsecured mats, the particular configuration of the accelerator pedals in these vehicles, and the unique steps needed to shut off the engines in some of these vehicles with keyless ignition.
For a free consultation with one of our car accident lawyers regarding a Toyota or Lexus lawsuit, please call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our online form. Attorney Fred Pritzker has recovered multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts in product liability cases. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America.
Fatal Minnesota Car Accident on Highway 8
On August 12, a Minnesota car accident near Center City resulted in the death of at least one person. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, a Plymouth Voyager was heading northbound on Pleasant Valley and ran the stop sign on the corner of Pleasant Valley and Highway 8. The Plymouth crossed Highway 8 and struck a westbound Honda Road Street on the rear bumper.
Both the driver and passenger were ejected from the Honda on impact, and at least one of them died. The Minnesota State Patrol has listed this accident as fatal and has not yet provided more information. Our law firm is representing families who lost loved ones in accidents, and in almost every case, the death was caused by an inattentive driver.
The Minnesota State Patrol report indicating that the driver of the Plymouth ran a stop sign and was at fault for the accident can be used as evidence in a lawsuit seeking compensation for injuries or wrongful death.
The primary issue in this case will be the amount of compensation.
If you would like to discuss how our law firm will fight for justice for you and your family by working to obtain the best possible compensation package for you, please call Attorney Fred Pritzker at 612-338-0202 or 1-888-377-8900 (toll free). You may also submit our free consultation form. We are not paid unless you win.
Attorneys Fred Pritzker, Elliot Olsen and Eric Hageman have once again been named “Super Lawyers” by Law & Politics magazine, a Minnesota legal journal.
Drunk Driver Liability in MN: DWI NightCAP Arrests Up in July
If the driver’s alcohol concentration is .08 or more, the driver is in violation of Minnesota Statute, Section 169A. If someone violates this law, it is prima facie evidence of negligence in a civil case (Minnesota Statutes, Section 169.96 (2006)). When a drunk driver is involved in an accident, people injured in the accident and the families of persons killed in the accident can file suit against the driver seeking compensation from the driver, his insurance company and a dram shop (bar, restaurant or other place that serves alcohol) if one is involved.
The injured party can ask for punitive damages, which, depending on the circumstances, can be significant. For example, our Minnesota car accident lawyers won $6,000,000 on behalf of a 26 year-old female passenger whose right leg was amputated when the motorcycle on which she was a passenger was struck by a drunk driver. Contact Attorney Fred Pritzker about this and other settlements and verdicts for victims of drunk driving accidents.
Even though there are severe criminal and civil consequences, drunk driving continues to be a problem in Minnesota.
According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, July Operation NightCAP (nighttime concentrated alcohol patrol) DWI enforcement campaigns resulted in 196 DWI arrests — the highest monthly total for DWI arrests in 2009. NightCAP is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and is coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
NightCAP targets the 13 deadliest counties for impaired driving: Anoka, Blue Earth, Crow Wing, Dakota, Hennepin, Itasca, Ramsey, Rice, St. Louis, Sherburne, Stearns, Washington and Wright. During 2005–2007, these counties accounted for more than half of the state’s alcohol-related deaths (272) and serious injuries (663).
NightCAP efforts have generated 1,284 DWI arrests since enhanced DWI patrols began in fall 2008: Anoka (372), Blue Earth (89), Crow Wing (26), Dakota (61), Hennepin (270), Itasca (36), Ramsey (165), Rice (43), St. Louis (61), Sherburne (66), Stearns (36), Washington (36) and Wright (23).
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Fifth Person Dies In Crash Caused By Drunk
A fifth person has died from injuries suffered in a Minnesota fatal car accident caused by a drunken driver.
Carter Newell, 2, of Rochester, died Friday. He was the son of 19-year-old Heidi Newell, who died in the crash last Saturday, May 23. That leaves only one survivor from the mini-van that was broadsided in an intersection by a vehicle driven by Steven Frisch, 25, of Winona. The survivor is Heidi’s mother, Rita Seha, who remained hospitalized Friday in Rochester.
Police have said Frisch had a blood-alcohol content of 1.9 percent, more than twice the legal limit. Frisch told investigators that he had fallen asleep when he drove through a stop sign at the intersection of highways 30 and 63 in Olmsted County. He has been charged with 16 counts of criminal vehicular homicide and 8 counts of criminal vehicular operation and is being held in the Olmsted County Jail under $250,000 bail.
A touching story in the Star Tribune written by reporter Abby Simmons says Heidi Newell had achieved a joyful milestone on the day she died: the director of her alternative high school in Rochester had presented her with her graduation diploma. It was much later that day — 11:36 p.m. — when the crash occurred.
Minnesota is a no-fault insurance state, but when a tragic accident like this results from the horrible negligence of drunkenness – special laws apply that make large recoveries possible. There is Minnesota’s wrongful death law and provisions for punitive damages when the accident is caused by a drunk driver.
The Minnesota fatal car accident lawyers at Pritzker Olsen Attorneys have years of experience representing victims and survivors of serious motor vehicle crashes. When alcohol is involved in a crash, the firm investigates for possible dram shop claims against bars and other retailers who may have supplied alcohol to the drunken driver. Our lawyers know how to fight for fair compensation from all responsible parties, including money to cover a client’s pain and suffering. Over the years, Pritzker Olsen has collected tens of millions of dollars for crash victims and their next of kin.
For more information, contact the firm by calling 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or write to us online for a free case consultation.
School Bus Accident Kills Minneapolis Pedestrian
The Minneapolis City Attorney’s Office is reviewing police reports for possible charges against a school bus driver who ran into and killed a pedestrian who was in a crosswalk and had a walk sign.
The victim of Tuesday’s school bus accident near downtown Minneapolis has been identified as Theodore Q. Larson, 81, of Coon Rapids.
According to police reports quoted in the Star Tribune newspaper, the Minnesota bus-pedestrian accident happened about 2:20 p.m. when the bus was turning left from E. 15th Street onto Park Avenue.
The driver reportedly told police he didn’t see the man.
It was the second fatal motor vehicle accident to happen near downtown Minneapolis in daylight hours in two weeks. Last week, a bicyclist was killed at E. 14th Street and Park Avenue when he was struck by a semitractor trailer that was turning left. Reports stated that bicyclist Dennis Dumm, 31, was struck when the truck driver took a wide left turn.
Both accidents involve legal principles that are best understood by lawyers who have years of experience representing victims and their next of kin in wrongful death actions. The attorneys at Minnesota-based Pritzker Olsen, P.A., specialize in motor vehicle accidents — including motor vehicle-bicycle collisions — and have collected tens of millions of dollars for victims and survivors of serious crashes.
Accidents involvings school buses, for instance, involve state and federal laws because the buses are classified as common carriers and are obligated to operate with a higher level of safety. Pritzker Olsen understands the liabilities of bus companies in bus accident lawsuits.
To contact a Minnesota fatal accident lawyer at Pritzker Olsen, call 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or write to us online for a free case consultation.
