Family of Killed Minnesota Maintenance Worker Sues City’s Insurer

August 24, 2009

The family of a Sauk Rapids, Minn., maintenance worker who was killed by a car when he emerged from a manhole is suing the city’s insurance provider.

John Ehlinger died in 2006 while working for the city.

The lawsuit alleges the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust is breaching its contract by not paying his family underinsured-motorist benefits.

The suit says the driver was underinsured, and her insurance provider has already paid its policy limit of $100,000 to settle a wrongful-death claim filed by Ehlinger’s family.

A message left with the insurance provider was not immediately returned.

The driver was convicted of inattentive driving. A 90-day jail sentence was stayed and she was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service.

Information from: St. Cloud Times, www.sctimes.com