A Dallas County jury has awarded $44 million to the family of a man killed in a rear-end collision involving an 18-wheeler during the devastating February 2021 Texas winter storm.
The verdict orders Prime Inc., a Springfield, Missouri–based trucking company, to pay $24.1 million in compensatory damages and $20 million in punitive damages for the death of Christopher Ray Vardy, according to a statement from the family’s attorney, Frank L. Branson. The decision followed a two-week trial in the 44th District Court.
Vardy, 49, a resident of Boyd, Texas, was stopped on the southbound TEXpress lanes of Interstate 35 due to multiple crashes ahead when his pickup truck was struck from behind by a Prime-operated semi-truck on February 11, 2021.
Jurors found that the Prime driver was traveling too fast for the icy road conditions. Trial evidence showed the driver lacked adequate winter weather driving training and failed to use extreme caution despite hazardous conditions.
Branson emphasized that trucking companies have a responsibility to ensure drivers are properly trained and take extra safety measures during extreme weather, noting that the size and weight of commercial trucks significantly increase the risk of catastrophic harm.
News Source: Law.com
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James David is a researcher focused on Texas transportation safety and consumer rights.
