The truck accident lawyers at Munley Law were able to obtain a $1.8 million jury verdict for the family of a driver who was fatally injured when he collided with an unsafely operated tractor trailer.
During the evening hours of April 10, 2013, the defendant was operating a tractor pulling a loaded intermodal trailer when one or more of the trailer’s tires went flat. At the same time, the tractor-trailer’s electrical lighting system failed. The defendant exited the highway and turned around to proceed in the opposite direction, driving at 12-18 miles per hour—well below the minimum speed limit—with flat tires. The trailer also lacked illumination, including marker, brake, and tail lights, emergency flashers, and conspicuity tape.
The victim could not see the trailer and struck the vehicle, causing fatal injuries to his head, face, chest, and abdomen. The victim also suffered a cardiac arrest during the accident.
How Our Truck Accident Lawyers Helped
Munley Law brought the case against the truck driver, owner, and delivery company that employed him on behalf of the victim’s estate. The case asserted that the truck driver was acting negligently and recklessly and failed to obey laws and regulations governing public safety, such as driving at a safe speed, operating a vehicle in a state of disrepair, and failing to inspect the vehicle properly.
In addition, the defendant was found to have tampered with physical evidence from the wreck. Discovery revealed that the driver was well aware of the vehicle’s defects and that the company that contracted him failed in its duty to ensure he was driving safely. Indeed, the company had no uniform maintenance system to inspect and repair truck defects.
“Our evidence clearly demonstrated that the truck driver’s behavior was not only negligent and reckless but that his attempt to tamper with evidence suggested that he knew he had acted unlawfully and was trying to cover it up,” says Bob Munley.
The verdict recognized the pain, suffering, loss, and financial damages imposed on the victim’s family in the wake of the accident.
