Harris County Jury Awards $90 Million in Commercial Truck Negligence

On August 14, 2014, a vehicular collision occurred in Houston, Texas, when the defendant's vehicle struck the rear of the plaintiff's vehicle. The plaintiff alleged the defendant, operating a company vehicle within the scope of employment, was traveling at an excessive rate of speed, failed to maintain a proper lookout, and did not keep a safe distance, causing severe injuries to the plaintiff's cervical and lumbar spine. The plaintiff filed a negligence lawsuit, claiming the defendant's actions led to significant neck and back disc injuries. The defendant failed to answer the complaint, resulting in a default judgment entered by the court. The court awarded the plaintiff $364,305 in damages. This included $200,000 for pain and suffering, $14,305 for past medical expenses, and $150,000 for future medical expenses. The judgment was granted due to the defendant's failure to respond to the legal complaint.

On January 4, 2013, a pick-up truck towing a trailer was involved in a rear-end collision with an armored vehicle on a highway. The plaintiff, driving the pick-up, sustained injuries to their back and knee. The armored vehicle was operated by a defendant driver and owned by a defendant employer. The plaintiff filed a petition against the defendants in the District Court for Harris County, Texas, on September 27, 2015. The lawsuit alleged that the defendant driver's negligence caused the accident and the plaintiff's injuries. The defendants countered, claiming the plaintiff was negligent by veering into the armored vehicle's lane of travel. Following a trial, a jury on December 9, 2015, found the defendant driver negligent and determined that the plaintiff was not negligent. A judgment was entered on December 30, 2015, awarding the plaintiff $92,000 for past medical expenses, $40,000 for past lost earnings, and $160,000 for past pain and suffering, totaling $292,000. An appellate court later affirmed the trial court's decision.

On November 7, 2012, a plaintiff alleged that a defendant operator negligently drove a tractor-trailer, causing it to rear-end the plaintiff's stopped vehicle. The plaintiff claimed he sustained personal injuries as a result of the defendant operator's negligence. In October 2014, the plaintiff, along with his wife and minor child, filed a negligence lawsuit against the defendant operator and his employer in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Waco. A jury trial followed. In October 2015, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, awarding him $146,231.28 for personal injuries. The jury also awarded $20,000 in loss of consortium damages to the plaintiff's wife and minor child, bringing the total award to $166,231.28.

On June 6, 2013, a rear-end collision occurred in Houston, TX, involving two vehicles traveling northbound. The plaintiff driver alleged that the defendant driver, operating a vehicle owned by the defendant owner, negligently collided into the rear of the plaintiff's vehicle. As a result, the plaintiff claimed to have suffered neck, back, and shoulder injuries, with the shoulder injuries requiring acromionectomy surgery. The plaintiff filed a lawsuit against the defendants, alleging negligence. The defendants admitted liability for the collision itself but disputed the nature, extent, and causation of the plaintiff's claimed injuries and damages. Specifically, the defense argued that the plaintiff had a pre-existing shoulder injury and that the shoulder issues were not causally related to the crash. The matter proceeded to a bench trial. The court found in favor of the plaintiff and awarded total damages of $130,842. This amount included $103,842 for medical expenses, $2,500 for past impairment, and $20,000 for future medical expenses.

On October 10, 2012, a vehicular collision occurred on West 34th Street in Houston, Texas. The plaintiff was driving eastbound when she slowed for traffic, and her vehicle was struck from the rear by a defendant's vehicle. The force of the impact pushed the plaintiff's car into the automobile in front of hers. The plaintiff filed a negligence lawsuit, asserting the defendant failed to maintain a proper lookout, apply brakes in a timely manner, and manage an assured clear distance. As a result of the accident, the plaintiff claimed to have suffered a blow to the head, lost consciousness, and was diagnosed with a concussion, a hematoma of the head, broken ribs, a collarbone, and a pelvis. She further alleged permanent brain injury affecting memory, balance, and causing tremors, in addition to depression. The defendant denied all allegations of negligence, contending the plaintiff caused the accident by making a right turn from a driveway into traffic and then suddenly braking. The defendant also disputed the extent of the plaintiff's injuries, maintaining that some were unrelated to the collision and resulted from pre-existing illness, disease, or another accident. After hearing the arguments, a jury found the defendant 100% liable for the accident. The plaintiff was awarded $70,000 in past damages.