I-15 Multi-Vehicle Collision

The Incident

On a clear morning in October, our client was driving southbound on I-15 near the Las Vegas Strip when a commercial semi-truck failed to maintain its lane. The truck driver, who had been on the road for over 14 hours in violation of federal Hours of Service regulations, drifted into our client's lane, causing a chain-reaction collision involving four vehicles.

Our client suffered catastrophic spinal injuries, including multiple herniated discs and nerve damage that would require extensive surgery and leave him with permanent limitations.

The Challenge

The trucking company's insurance carrier moved quickly to minimize exposure. Within days of the accident, they made an initial settlement offer of $85,000—a fraction of what our client's injuries warranted. They argued that our client had pre-existing back problems and that the accident merely aggravated a condition that would have required treatment anyway.

The trucking company also attempted to destroy evidence, including the truck's electronic logging device (ELD) data. Our team filed an emergency motion to preserve evidence, which the court granted.

Our Approach

We immediately began building a case for trial. Our investigation revealed:

• •The truck driver had been on duty for over 14 hours, in violation of FMCSA Hours of Service regulations
• •The trucking company had a pattern of pressuring drivers to exceed legal driving limits
• •The driver had three previous accidents in the past two years
• •The company's safety protocols were inadequate and routinely ignored

We retained 12 expert witnesses, including accident reconstruction specialists, trucking industry safety experts, and medical professionals who could testify to the full extent of our client's injuries and future care needs.

The Resolution

As trial approached, the strength of our preparation became clear to the defense. We had deposed the trucking company's safety director, who admitted under oath that the company did not adequately monitor driver compliance with Hours of Service regulations.

The insurance company refused to settle until the week before trial. When they finally made a reasonable offer, we advised our client that while he could likely win at trial, the guaranteed outcome was worth considering. However, our client wanted his day in court.

The jury returned a verdict of $4.2 million, including compensation for past and future medical expenses, lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering.

Key Takeaways