Believe it or not, the government is not above the law. It doesn't matter what the old adage says or small you are, you can fight city hall. You will face a formidable foe! And the government will use our tax dollar to pay an army of lawyers who are usually already on their payroll. But does that mean you should give up your rights? No, not without talking to an attorney to find out how to proceed.

Ordinary citizens suffer both financial and personal injury when our government agencies do not exercise due diligence or fail to fulfill the public trust. If you have suffered an injury or loss as result of the malfunction of your government, you should never give up your right to recover without a fight. Of course, you will find an almost insurmountable mountain of red tape. And often, unless you are part of a sizable group of injured persons, you may feel that your cause is hopeless.

Many people ask themselves, "What can one person accomplish, against the powers that be"? You may even think that your injuries seem minor, compared to the great weight of responsibilities of the elected and appointed government officials and employees. But consider the potential for future injury to others when a government mistake that caused you injury isn't corrected. 

Less than five years ago, more than one hundred souls were lost in Minnesota when a bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed during rush hour. The news shot around the world. We sat glued to our televisions, as live-on-the-scene reports brought the tragedy into our living rooms. We prayed for the victims and for recovery of the bodies of those whose cars had fallen through the gaping hole. The sight of that bridge's twisted metal rebar, the buckled concrete and steel supports left millions of Americans in fear and dismay.

Fortunately, government malfunctions like this one do not happen frequently. However, someone is responsible for inspecting and repairing our bridges, roadways, water supplies and other systems. Finger pointing by an overworked inspector, an underfunded state legislature, a Congress focused on reelection or a battery of federal, state and local agencies will not relieve the suffering of the victims and their families. Personal injury attorneys are the only hope for the victims of the Mississippi River bridge in Minnesota and their families.