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There are several parties who can potentially be held liable in the event of a trucking accident. One of the first people that may be held liable is the driver of the truck. If the driver of the truck became distracted or broke another law, the driver of the truck may be held liable. In some instances, the trucking company itself may be deemed liable for the damages and injuries sustained in an accident. The company may cut corners designed to promote safety, or they may promote unsafe practices or unrealistic expectations about deadlines. They may hire a driver with a history of traffic violations. Any of these may make either the driver or the trucking company liable.
Freight Waves reports that a jury has slapped a Georgia Trucking Company with an $8 million verdict in a motorcycle crash.
41-year-old Ronnie Stevens was riding his Harley Davidson Street Glide on October 12, 2015, heading south on Interstate 75. A dump truck being driven by Donald Parks attempted to move into a closed travel lane to enter a construction site. The truck hit an orange construction barrel.
The barrel was flung into the path of Stevens, causing him to lose control of his motorcycle. Stevens suffered from a fractured wrist and a shattered ankle.
Stevens was a chief petty officer in the U.S. Navy at the time of the crash. Because of his injuries sustained in the crash, he was unable to continue with his career. The shattered ankle left him unable to complete the 1.5-mile run required of a naval officer.
The dump truck fled the scene of the accident. Attorneys had to pour over all the general contractors working on the construction project to narrow down the driver and the trucking company.
JRK trucking has never conceded responsibility for the crash. Still, a Clayton County jury deliberated for less than two hours before handing down the $8 million verdict.
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