Four years ago, a big-rig trucker parked his 18-wheeler in an emergency lane on a southern California highway. A driver in an SUV crashed into the truck, killing three people. Though the accident took place years ago, the case is only making its way through the courts now.
At trial, the plaintiff alleged that the trucker was not permitted to pull over into an emergency lane for a sleep break, as the lanes are designated only for use in emergency situations. Additionally, he failed to set up any flares or other emergency reflectors to outline the presence of the semi.
The defendant’s attorney claimed that the trucker had pulled over to take medication for a severe headache, which qualified as an emergency.
The jury did not agree with the defendant’s reasoning and handed down a $150 million award for the 13-year-old plaintiff and her brother. Their entire family died in the fire that engulfed the SUV after it hit the parked truck.
Collisions with tractor-trailers often end in tragedy. If you have been involved in a wreck with a semi, do not wait to contact a trucking personal injury lawyer. The scene of the accident needs to be secured immediately to preserve evidence.
About The Author
Kenneth "Tray" Gober III, J.D., is the Managing Partner of Lee, Gober & Reyna, PLLC in Austin, Texas. A 2005 magna cum laude graduate of Texas A&M University and an honors graduate of Baylor Law School, Tray is admitted to the State Bars of Texas (Bar No. 300408), Colorado, and Pennsylvania, and to the Bar of the United States Supreme Court. He represents personal injury clients across Texas in car accidents, truck accidents, autonomous vehicle claims, wrongful death, drunk driving collisions, premises liability, and product liability matters. He is one of Texas's most frequently quoted legal voices on the law surrounding autonomous vehicles and AI-driven transportation. Tray also serves as an adjunct professor of Paralegal Studies at the University of Texas School of Law.