Case at a glance
- Recovery: $2,500,000 Settlement
- Practice: Truck accident lawyers, Wrongful death lawyers, Distracted truck-driving crashes
- Representation: Vuk Vujasinovic and VB Attorneys.
A fatal rear-end crash on Interstate 10
A Houston real estate agent drove east on Interstate 10 near Columbus, Texas, in the early morning hours of October 7, 2005. He traveled below the speed limit in the right-hand lane. Behind him, a truck driver approached in a Freightliner hauling two loaded trailers.
The truck driver took his eyes off the road while reaching for a drink in a cooler on the passenger side. His truck struck the rear of the realtor’s car and killed him. The impact crushed the car, and the tractor-trailer continued off the roadway before rolling over.
The realtor left behind his wife and four children. They hired Vuk, who led their wrongful death case against the driver and his employer, a national trucking company. He sought compensation for the family’s lost support and companionship, as well as punitive damages based on the company’s conduct.
The company had speeding data
Vuk’s investigation extended beyond the driver’s admission that he had looked away from the road. It examined the information the trucking company already had about his driving.
The company had installed computer monitoring systems in its trucks. Those systems recorded speeding, and the records showed that this driver routinely exceeded speed limits. The company had not reviewed or acted on the data to address that conduct.
The investigation also found deficiencies in the company’s review of the driver’s background before hiring him, along with failures to preserve safety and employment records under federal trucking rules. These findings supported the family’s claims concerning the company’s own safety practices.
The defense blamed the realtor
The trucking company argued that the realtor had failed to take reasonable precautions to avoid the collision. The family challenged that position using the circumstances of the rear-end crash, the driver’s admission and the evidence concerning the company’s safety practices.
Mediation did not initially produce an agreement. Vuk continued preparing the case for trial.
The case settled before trial
Nineteen months after the fatal crash, and shortly before trial was to begin, the trucking company agreed to a $2,500,000 settlement. The agreement resolved the family’s wrongful death case.
Questions about the case
Related legal help
A serious crash can change your work and your family’s plans. Talk with Vuk Vujasinovic and VB Attorneys about what happened. Call 877-724-7800 for a free consultation.
Related case results
Every case is different. Prior results depend on the facts of the individual case and do not guarantee a similar outcome.