Crashes involving trucks are usually severe if not fatal. Fortunately, a man in Dalton, Georgia survived a crash caused by a semi-truck, and he and his wife will collect $21.6 million in damages. The jury sat for a four-day trial in Whitfield County Superior Court, but it needed less than two hours to determine guilt and damages.
The victim hit the back of a semi-truck in 2016 when the loaded vehicle pulled into traffic on to a highway. The wreck forced him to subsequently undergo a below-the-knee amputation of his left leg and treatment for several other hip and leg injuries. The final verdict awards $20 million to the victim and $1.6 million to his wife.
A dispute among the defendants
A trial often focuses on determining the truth. In this case, the truck driver and a spotter were at odds over who caused the crash. The question at the heart of the case was whether the spotter working for a scrap metal company had properly advised the driver who had just loaded his truck to enter the road. The spotter claimed that the driver had improperly pulled out on to the road, without waiting for guidance from the spotter and thus caused the wreck.
The driver’s defense argued that it pulled out onto the road properly and that the truck was sufficient size to be seen by an average motorist. However, the driver changed his story several times during the trial, which means there were credibility issues. This led to the fault placed with the driver instead of the spotter.
Juries awarding large amounts to victims
It is increasingly common for victims to receive large settlements when a negligent trucker or motorist injure them. Victims in a crash or their families are advised to contact an attorney with experience handling catastrophic injuries such as amputation to get the truth of why it happened as well as compensation for the life-changing damages involved.