Bexar County Jury Awards $7 Million in Rear-End Collision
One driver was slowing down in traffic when their car was hit from behind by a pickup truck. The driver who was hit suffered serious injuries to their aorta, back, hip, lungs, neck, and rib cage. The lawsuit alleged the truck driver was speeding and possibly distracted, and the employer was negligent in supervision and vehicle entrustment. The jury found the defendants liable for the accident and awarded damages.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $7,000,000
- County
- Bexar County, TX
- Resolved
- 2021
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Accident Type
- Rear-end
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Case Overview
On August 15, 2019, a floor installer was severely injured when his vehicle was struck from behind by a pickup truck on Interstate 37 in Bexar County. The collision occurred as the plaintiff was decelerating in traffic. The impact resulted in severe injuries, including an aorta pseudoaneurysm, multiple spinal and rib fractures, a hip contusion, and lung collapses. The plaintiff underwent four surgeries, including aortic repair, lung drainage, rib fixation, and spinal fusion, during a 16-day hospitalization, with further medical care and extensive physical therapy required.
The injured driver filed a lawsuit against the pickup truck driver and his employer, Allways Auto Group Ltd. The plaintiff alleged the driver was negligent and grossly negligent, and that the employer was liable through vicarious responsibility because the accident occurred during job duties. The plaintiff also claimed the employer was grossly negligent in its supervision and entrustment of its vehicle to the driver.
Evidence presented included data from the vehicles' airbag control modules, which indicated the truck was traveling at 71 mph and the plaintiff's vehicle at 4 mph at the moment of impact. Witnesses testified the truck driver had been speeding and weaving through traffic, and the plaintiff claimed the driver was watching a video on a cell phone. The defense acknowledged the driver's negligence but denied the employer's responsibility or negligence. The driver claimed he was distracted by traffic and denied watching a video, with a defense expert opining that cell phone data usage did not support the video claim. The defense also argued the plaintiff's non-economic damages were excessive and that he could perform sedentary work.
After a five-day trial in Bexar County, the jury found both the driver and the employer liable for the accident. The jury allocated 80 percent of the liability to the driver and 20 percent to Allways Auto Group based on negligent entrustment and supervision. The jury rejected the claims of gross negligence against both defendants. The plaintiff was awarded $7 million in damages.
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