Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

In this case, a tractor-trailer driver, high on methamphetamines, tried to pass a van that was making a left turn. The driver of the rig slammed into the left side of the van. The driver had been driving for many hours, as he was on his way back from a run to California. One of the passengers in the van was a 14 year old cheerleader on her way to a national cheerleading competition. The trucking company blamed the driver of the van (!) for not keeping a proper look-out for the tractor-trailer approaching from the rear.

The young lady in this collision was flown by helicopter to the hospital after sustaining closed head injuries. She spent nine days in the hospital, six of those in ICU. CT and PET scans revealed brain damage after she was released. She required 4 ½ months of physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Her personality changed and she suffered from mood swings and depression (a common occurrence after such injuries).

At trial, the defendant truck company and driver argued that the young lady had made a full recovery, and that she was exaggerating her injuries. The jury rejected these arguments and awarded her 5 million dollars: $1.6 million for her past damages, $214,000 in future medical expenses, and $3.4 million in punitive damages.