A construction worker was exposed to asbestos for many years.  He breathed asbestos dust while working on construction sites and developed lung cancer that took his life.

Cory Whalen represented the heirs and next-of-kin of a 47 year old woman with downs syndrome who was killed in a car crash.  She worked at a licensed daycare training and rehabilitation program that served adults with intellectual disabilities or related conditions such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism or traumatic brain injuries.  She used their transportation bus to get around. At the time of the accident she was riding the bus home from work.  There were 7 other passengers on the bus that afternoon.

We represented the family of a female detainee for various claims against the Waseca County Jail.  The female detainee was taken into custody following a probation violation whereupon she was taken to the jail.  She was placed in a “holding room” and simply held there until she could be transferred to a female facility.  She was not booked, screened or evaluated by jail staff or jail medical staff at any time, nor did they take her shoe laces. 

Our client was driving a semi-truck on a Minnesota highway when he was rear-ended by another semi carrying a 33-ton load. The impact severely wrenched our client's right shoulder which resulted in permanent damage. Our client returned to work but was eventually forced to quit because he could not help load or unload his truck. While he eventually found another truck driving position, he suffered a cut in pay because his injuries restrict what he can do.

Our client was a young woman who was a passenger in a car involved in a single-vehicle accident. Her primary injury was a skull fracture. While she was being treated in the hospital, she became light and noise sensitive and began complaining of severe headaches which worsened. Two days later she became comatose and died. The autopsy determined that her death was the result of meningitis which was never diagnosed by her treating physicians.

Our client was a passenger in a vehicle pulling a trailer and was rear-ended at night on the Interstate. Although our client’s vehicle was traveling at highway speed, the vehicle approaching from the rear was traveling 6 mph over the speed limit, too fast for the dark conditions, and was not paying attention. That driver slammed into the back of the trailer, caused the trailer to separate from the truck pulling it.

A minor child sustained pelvic injuries while a passenger on her friend's go-cart. The driver lost control of the go-cart and struck a tree on the side of the go-cart that our client was sitting on.

Our client was out for a nice Sunday drive on his motorcycle when an elderly gentleman made an illegal u-turn, striking the motorcycle and knocking the rider to the ground. Our client suffered a broken hip, knee and ankle that resulted in two orthopedic surgeries, a week in the hospital and a lifetime of pain and disability.

Our client was 18 years old and went hunting with a friend in northern Minnesota. While walking through the woods, the friend shot our client with a .20 gauge shot gun in the left lower extremity, causing a severe wound to the foot and ankle that ultimately required multiple surgeries. The friend claimed the weapon accidentally discharged, but through the use of ballistics experts and firearm safety experts, Jeffrey Montpetit proved that the friend used the weapon improperly and not according to accepted safe hunting standards.

The day after her 85th birthday, our client's independent mother met with tragedy. She was talking with her son and his children in a parking lot; her granddaughter's car was running. Unexpectedly, the vehicle's engine began to rev. As the driver ran to the driver's seat to turn off her vehicle, it suddenly lurched forward. The driver was thrown from the car and her grandmother--who was unfortunately standing in front of the vehicle--was pinned between the vehicle and the car parked in front of it. She crumpled to the ground as they called 911.