Verdictly
Verdict-Plaintiff
Harris County • 2025

Houston Jury Awards $184,893 in Commercial Truck Collision

One driver crashed into another driver's parked truck at a rest stop. The driver of the parked truck was thrown from his sleeper berth and sustained severe injuries to his neck, back, and head. The driver who caused the crash was operating a commercial truck and was working at the time. The injured driver filed a lawsuit alleging negligence. The jury returned a verdict in favor of the injured driver.

Case Information Updated: October 2025

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Neck Injury (Whiplash)
Truck/Commercial

Case Outcome

Outcome
Verdict-Plaintiff
Amount
$184,893
County
Harris County, TX
Resolved
2025

Injury & Accident Details

Injury Type
Neck Injury (Whiplash)
Accident Type
Truck/Commercial
Case Type
Motor Vehicle Accident

Case Overview

In September 2019, a commercial truck crashed into a parked tractor-trailer at a rest stop in Houston, Texas. The plaintiff, who was in the sleeper berth of the parked truck, was thrown from his bunk and sustained severe injuries to his neck, back, and head. The defendant driver was operating a commercial truck owned by the defendant trucking company and was acting within the scope of his employment at the time of the collision.

The plaintiff filed a lawsuit in January 2020, alleging the defendant driver was negligent and grossly negligent for failing to yield right of way, maintain attention, keep a safe speed and distance, and violating traffic laws. The plaintiff also claimed the defendant trucking company was liable under respondeat superior and was negligent in hiring, training, supervising, and entrusting a vehicle to the defendant driver.

The defendants initially denied all allegations. However, in April 2023, they stipulated that the defendant driver was an employee acting within the scope of employment and admitted his negligence. They continued to deny other matters, asserting the plaintiff failed to mitigate damages and challenging the constitutionality of punitive damages. The defendants also filed special exceptions to the plaintiff's claims regarding negligence per se and attorney's fees, and submitted controverting affidavits about medical records.

A jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff in April 2025. In June 2025, the court rendered judgment, awarding the plaintiff $62,000 in actual damages and $100,000 in exemplary damages against the defendant trucking company. The judgment also included $22,893.78 in prejudgment interest, post-judgment interest at 7.50% per annum, and taxable court costs. The case concluded with a final judgment totaling $184,893.78 in the plaintiff's favor.

VerdictlyTM Score

48
/100
Questionable

This outcome differs from typical similar cases

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