Court Opinion

ID: 9884650
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-06 03:05:09.245221+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:48:40.077791
License: Public Domain

CRIPPEN, Judge,
dissenting.
Where the operator is injured after beginning to enter the vehicle in the course of reaching to start it, the vehicle is “something more” than the mere situs of his injury; the injuries are a reasonable consequence of using the vehicle. Tlougan v. Auto-Owners Insurance Co., 310 N.W.2d 116, 117 (Minn.1981). There is a sufficient nexus here between the operator’s gunshot injuries and his effort to use the vehicle.
Appellant engaged in the use or maintenance of his vehicle for transportation purposes. This is undoubtedly true because he was engaged in recharging a battery which was part of the same unit. See Hedlund v. Milwaukee Mutual Insurance Co., 373 N.W.2d 823, 826 (Minn.Ct.App.1985), pet. for rev. denied (Minn. Oct. 24, 1985) (injuries during attempt to jump start tractor). It is particularly significant that the maintenance related to an integrated camper unit which was designed for transportation of passengers.
I respectfully dissent.