The following is the list of recent top ten verdicts involving 18-wheelers.* Obviously, these don't include the cases that settled. Even though the verdicts are high, who knows if the plaintiff's side was demanding much more. Fortunately, only one of the top ten verdicts occurred in Louisiana. Two were out of Illinois and two were out of Texas.
Note: the high verdicts were in SOUTH Louisiana. North Louisiana is still generally conservative. If you need information about the venues, judges or attorneys in North Louisiana, give me a call.
Now for the recent highest verdicts:
1. $41,000,000
verdict (May 2010) (Kings County, NY): Insured's utility truck vs. pedestrian crossing outside of crosswalk; single claimant,
52 year old sustained a moderate traumatic brain injury.
2. $40,800,000
settlement (July 2011) (Portage County, OH): Multi-vehicle accident triggered by insured's tractor trailer; multiple
claimants, including one fatality, a 12 year old who sustained a severe traumatic
brain injury and a 16 year old who sustained severe facial fractures - the three were
mother, son and son / brother and brother.
3. $40,175,000
verdict (September 2011) (Cobb County, GA): Insured's tractor trailer vs. pick-up truck; single claimant, 45 year old
fatality.
4. $29,100,000 verdict (February 2011)
(St. Charles Parish, LA): Insured's pick-up truck vs. tractor
trailer; two claimants - one claimant sustained burns to over 40% of his body surface
and expired 9 days later with approx. 1 to 2 hours of Conscious pain and
suffering, the other claimant sustained only soft tissue Injuries.
5.
$27,700,000 verdict (February 2012) (Cook County, IL): Insured's tractor
trailer vs. passenger vehicle; single claimant, 50 year old was
rendered a quadriplegic and sustained a moderate traumatic brain injury.
