Pennsylvania Products Liability Crash Settles for $9,750,000
One driver was towing a rented trailer when it jack-knifed due to a defect. His vehicle was then struck by a tractor-trailer. The driver suffered severe injuries, including a traumatic brain injury. The case involved claims against the trailer rental company, the trailer manufacturer, and the trucking company. The parties settled the matter before a jury trial concluded.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Settlement
- Amount
- $9,750,000
- County
- Dallas County, PA
- Resolved
- 2017
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Head/Brain Injury
- Accident Type
- Truck/Commercial
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Case Overview
On March 2, 2012, a driver was operating a 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer, towing a rented U-Haul box trailer, on Interstate 80 in Illinois. The vehicle and trailer reportedly jack-knifed due to a defective condition of the trailer, leading to a collision with a tractor-trailer owned by K&B Transportation, Inc. Both vehicles came to rest in the center grassy median. The driver of the Trailblazer suffered severe injuries, including a traumatic brain injury.
In November 2014, the injured driver and their spouse filed an amended complaint in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, against U-Haul International, Inc., U-Haul Co. of California, Colusa Quick Service Market, and K&B Transportation, Inc. The lawsuit alleged claims of strict products liability, negligence, and reckless conduct. The driver also sought damages for personal injuries, while the spouse claimed loss of consortium. The case was later removed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and consolidated with another action.
An amended complaint was filed in June 2016, adding General Motors, LLC as a defendant with claims for strict products liability and negligence. The plaintiffs settled their claims against all defendants except K&B Transportation, Inc. A jury trial against K&B Transportation, Inc. began in June 2017. During the trial, the parties reached a settlement, and the court dismissed the action with prejudice. The case concluded with a reported settlement of $9,750,000.
VerdictlyTM Score
This outcome aligns very well with 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 results like this 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.
A truck driver filed a negligence claim against another driver and a logistics company following a motor vehicle accident that occurred on August 12, 2019. The defendant driver was an employee of the defendant logistics company and was acting within the scope of his employment at the time of the incident, making the company vicariously liable for his actions. The plaintiff sought compensation for injuries sustained in the collision. The plaintiff presented evidence of past and future medical expenses resulting from the injuries. The defendants contested the negligence claim and disputed the extent of damages sought by the plaintiff. The Court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, finding that the defendants were negligent in causing the motor vehicle accident. The plaintiff was awarded a total of $535,392.41 in compensatory damages, which included $164,484.00 for past medical expenses and $370,908.41 for future medical expenses. The judgment was entered against both the defendant driver and the defendant company.
A collision involving a tractor-trailer resulted in a lawsuit filed by the plaintiff. The plaintiff alleged the incident caused significant injuries, seeking damages for medical expenses, rehabilitation needs, and economic losses. During the proceedings, the plaintiff presented expert testimony from specialists in truck accident investigation and reconstruction, rehabilitation nursing, life care planning, physical medicine and rehabilitation (focusing on brain and spinal cord injuries), and forensic economics. The defendant countered with experts in neuropsychology, orthopedic surgery, trucking operations, and forensic economics, likely disputing the extent of injuries, causation, or the valuation of damages. The case concluded with an award of $15,579,429 to the plaintiff. The substantial award suggests the court or jury found the defendant liable for the collision and determined the plaintiff sustained extensive and costly injuries as a result.
A legal dispute arose following a motor vehicle accident involving a tractor-trailer and a pickup truck. The plaintiff alleged damages and presented expert testimony in fields such as truck accident investigation, neuropsychology, rehabilitation nursing, and forensic economics. The defendant countered these claims with their own experts, who specialized in areas including accident reconstruction, injury biomechanics, transportation safety, and human factors analysis. The case concluded on June 3, 2019, when the parties reached a settlement agreement.
A lawsuit was filed following a tractor-trailer collision. The plaintiff engaged experts in truck accident reconstruction, forensic investigations, neuropsychology, actuarial services, and transportation safety. The defendant presented experts in injury biomechanics, occupant kinematics, mechanical engineering, and accident reconstruction. Other experts in forensic pathology, automotive engineering, and transportation logistics also provided testimony. The record does not detail the specific allegations, arguments, or the final resolution of the case.
A motor vehicle accident occurred due to a defective tire retread, resulting in severe injuries to the occupants. One plaintiff sustained an arm amputation, and an infant involved in the incident suffered the loss of a leg. The plaintiffs subsequently filed a lawsuit, alleging that the defective tire component caused the collision and their resulting injuries. During the proceedings, the plaintiffs presented testimony from numerous experts, including specialists in accident reconstruction, economics, vocational counseling, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopedic surgery, and prosthetics. These experts likely provided evidence concerning the incident's cause, the extent of the plaintiffs' injuries, and the associated damages. The case concluded with an award of $11,700,000 to the plaintiffs, reflecting the severity of the injuries and the evidence presented.