Dallas County Jury Awards $3.6M in Trucking Negligence Death
A jury found a trucking company and its driver mostly at fault in a wrongful death case. The accident occurred when a truck driver stopped in a traffic lane after an object damaged her truck's brake line. The deceased driver collided with the stopped truck. The jury determined the trucking company and driver were negligent, as was the deceased driver to a lesser extent.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $4,000,000
- County
- Dallas County, TX
- Resolved
- 2024
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Wrongful Death
- Accident Type
- Truck/Commercial
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence, other, death
Case Overview
A wrongful death lawsuit was filed in Dallas County following a fatal collision on Interstate 635 in September 2021. The parents of a 24-year-old man, who died from blunt force trauma, sued a Houston-based trucking company, its driver, and the owner of the tractor-trailer, alleging negligence. Prior to trial, the parents dismissed the claims against the tractor-trailer owner, which had been named as a third-party defendant by the trucking company, after it was determined the brake line severance was due to road debris.
The plaintiffs contended that the defendant driver stopped the tractor-trailer in a traffic lane on the interstate at night for at least five minutes after a brake line was severed. They argued the driver failed to pull the vehicle to the shoulder, exit the highway, or deploy warning devices such as flares or hazard lights. Plaintiff experts testified the driver could have moved the truck despite the severed brake line, and a trucking industry expert explained the company's obligation to train drivers for such situations.
The trucking company and its driver maintained the deceased was solely responsible for the accident, asserting he failed to swerve or brake. An initial investigation by the Grapevine Police Department also faulted the deceased. However, a defense expert later agreed with the plaintiffs' experts that the driver could have safely moved the truck off the road after the brake line incident.
After a trial, a Dallas County jury found the trucking company 50 percent negligent, the driver 40 percent negligent, and the deceased 10 percent negligent. The jury awarded $4 million in compensatory damages for the parents' loss of companionship and mental anguish. After deducting for the deceased's comparative negligence, the net award to the parents totaled $3.6 million.
VerdictlyTM Score
This outcome differs from typical similar cases
This score is calculated by analyzing injury type, accident details, geographic location, temporal trends, and comparing against 2,000+ similar cases in our database.
Need better results for your case?
Share your situation and we'll connect you with experienced motor vehicle accident attorneys who have handled cases like this in Dallas County.
Similar cases you may find useful
Handpicked by matching injury type, accident details, and outcome to this case.
One driver was traveling on a tollway when their vehicle ran out of gas and became disabled. The other driver, who was following behind, struck the disabled vehicle. The first driver claimed injuries to their neck and back. The jury found the second driver 80% liable and the first driver 20% liable.
A driver alleged that a tractor-trailer driver was negligent in causing a rear-end collision. The plaintiff suffered neck and spinal injuries requiring surgery. The defendants disputed causation and the extent of the injuries. The plaintiff claimed the truck driver was under the influence of drugs. The jury found in favor of the plaintiff.
One driver stopped in traffic due to construction. The other driver rear-ended the stopped vehicle. The injured driver claimed ankle and back injuries. The defense argued the accident was unavoidable or that the driver acted as an ordinary and prudent driver. The jury found the second driver liable but awarded no damages.
One driver was traveling in Beaumont when their vehicle struck the rear end of a pickup truck. The occupants of the car claimed they suffered injuries. The driver of the pickup truck fled the scene and was never identified. The occupants sued their own insurer for underinsured-motorist benefits. The case proceeded to trial regarding one occupant's claim, with the defense arguing inconsistencies in her account of the accident.
One driver was stopped at an intersection preparing to turn left when their vehicle was struck from behind by another vehicle. The driver claimed neck injuries. The other driver's insurer offered its policy limit. The injured driver sued their own insurer for underinsured motorist benefits, alleging the other driver was negligent. The defense questioned the extent of injuries and suggested they were pre-existing.