Minnesota will pay millions to help survivors of bridge collapse

ST. PAUL -- Governor Pawlenty says he's looking forward to signing into a law a compromise deal to compensate victims of the Interstate 35W bridge collapse.

Pawlenty says the deal reached overnight by House and Senate negotiators provides relief and support to the victims and family members of those hurt by the collapse.

The I-35W bridge collapsed during the evening rush hour August first, killing 13 people and injuring 145.

Chris Messerly is an attorney for many bridge victims. He says the deal would allow victims to get up to $400,000 each -- and there's a supplemental $12.6 million fund to pay the bills for the worst injured.

Assistant Senate Majority Leader Tarryl Clark of St. Cloud says she expects both houses of the Legislature to approve the bill on Monday. Then it goes to Pawlenty's desk.

Under the compromise, an appointed panel could make settlement offers by the end of February. Victims would have 45 days to decide whether to take them. If they did, they would have to sign away the right to sue the state and other government bodies in Minnesota.

"We believe this will be an offer which the survivors would be well advised to accept," Latz said at a Capitol news conference.

Jennifer Holmes, who lost her husband, Patrick, in the collapse, thanked lawmakers and said she plans to take the settlement to avoid the waiting and uncertainty she would face if she sued the state.

"There is no way possible that we can get that day back," Holmes said. "Or get back what we have been through in losing our loved ones or going through numerous surgeries that people are still doing. But this does help in making sure that we have a safe future."

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."

Chris Messerly, an attorney for many victims of the Aug. 1 collapse, said the deal will help them move on.

"For many people, this will be closure for them and that is so critically important," Messerly said.

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