A university student in Georgia was recently awarded $15 million in compensatory damages for her injuries arising from a catastrophic truck crash in 2015. The incident also killed 5 of the plaintiff’s classmates who were riding in two sedans when a tractor trailer struck both vehicles that had been stopped in traffic. The plaintiff was only one of two who survived the fatal incident.

Truck Driver Negligence

In her lawsuit, the plaintiff alleged that the truck driver lacked sleep when he was traveling at the time of the crash. The lawsuit also alleged that the driver had been transferring data on his cell phone for more than 40 minutes before the wreck. The truck driver pleaded guilty to criminal charges for homicide stemming from the catastrophic crash and was sentenced to five years in prison.

Truck Wreck Injury

The plaintiff was a nursing student who was on her way to a hospital where she worked on clinical rotation together with her other car companions. She presented her doctor who testified on her traumatic brain injury and the severity of her injuries. The trucking company who was the driver’s co-defendant tried to downplay the plaintiff’s injuries, citing her recent graduation with honors and the pending offer for her to work as a nurse after finishing her studies. The trucking company also tried to prove that the driver was sufficiently rested at the time of the incident.

The jury found in favor of the plaintiff and awarded her $15 million in compensatory damages. The other student who also survived the crash initially filed a lawsuit against the defendants and reportedly received a $5 million settlement.

Challenges in Claiming Truck Crash Compensation

Incidents involving huge trucks are often severe, with other motorists usually suffering severe to fatal injuries. Several factors can cause such a behemoth vehicle to crash or collide with other vehicles on the road.

While an injured party may be entitled to compensation for their injuries, the challenge is often in proving:

The negligence or fault of the truck driver and the trucking firm
The type and extent of injury suffered
The causal connection between the crash and the injury of the claimant

These matters are best left in the hands of an experienced personal injury attorney.

At the law firm of Redkey Gordon in Northern California, our skilled personal injury attorneys have over 25 years of combined experience in truck accidents. We have helped injured clients recover the maximum value of compensation that they deserve, enabling them to move forward from the pain and difficulty of their injuries.

We welcome your call today at (209) 267-1685 to arrange for a free consultation with one of our trusted attorneys.