Wrongful Death - Commercial Truck Accident

Case Background

Our client's husband was driving home from work on a Friday evening when an 18-wheeler crossed into his lane on the I-405 freeway. The truck driver had been on the road for over 14 hours, violating federal regulations limiting driving hours. The collision was immediately fatal. The victim left behind a wife and two young children, ages 7 and 10.

Challenges We Overcame

• The trucking company attempted to destroy electronic logging data
• Multiple defendants including the trucking company, driver, and cargo loading company
• Defense claimed the victim was partially at fault
• Complex federal trucking regulations needed to be presented to the jury

Our Legal Strategy

We immediately filed a spoliation motion to preserve all electronic evidence. Our team worked with accident reconstruction experts, trucking industry specialists, and economists to build an airtight case. We demonstrated a pattern of the trucking company pressuring drivers to exceed hours-of-service limits.

The Outcome

After an intensive 3-week trial, the jury returned a verdict of $12.5 million, finding the trucking company 85% liable and the driver 15% liable. The verdict included $5 million for loss of consortium and companionship, $4.5 million for loss of future income, and $3 million in punitive damages.