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$13 Million Trucking Accident Case

Case:  BALTZELL V. R.R. TRUCKING, ET AL., 02-cv-4058-GPM
Venue:  Southern District of Illinois
Verdict:  $13.232 million
Date:  August 9, 2011

Our client was crushed and catastrophically injured at a loading dock by a tractor trailer which was not equipped with a backup alarm.  At the time, the industry did not require them.  We sued (1) the owners of the tractor trailer, RR Trucking Company; (2) the manufacturer of the tractor, Freightliner Corporation; and (3) the manufacturer of the trailer, Lufkin Industries, Inc.  Our client’s employer, Ensign-Bickford was sued as a third party defendant.  Under the law, we could not file suit against them directly.
 
On April 21, 2005, the jury returned a verdict in excess of $13.9 million dollars, including $2,000,000 for our client’s spouse.  Our client was found 0% at fault. The jury determined that even though the industry did not require back-up alarms, the defendants were nonetheless negligent for failing to equip this vehicle with one.
 
After a lengthy appeals process, we finally settled for a total of $13.232 million dollars.