$34 Million
Verdict · Wrongful Death · 2023
Catastrophic collision claims a family's primary provider
Los Angeles County, CA
Case summary
A commercial operator ignored internal safety protocols and caused a high-speed collision that killed a father of three. The defense contested liability through trial. Accident reconstruction, corporate policy discovery, and testimony from former employees established a pattern of disregard for known hazards. The jury returned one of the year's largest wrongful death awards in the venue.
Case at a glance
Injuries: Fatal blunt-force trauma; surviving spouse and three minor children.
- Defendant
- Regional commercial fleet operator
- Liability
- Contested through verdict
- Insurance layers
- Primary plus two excess policies
- Time to resolution
- 31 months
The challenge
The carrier admitted the collision but blamed a third vehicle that was never identified, and argued the decedent's own lane position caused the impact.
How we built it
- Reconstructed the collision from ECM speed data and roadway scarring
- Subpoenaed internal safety-audit findings the carrier had never disclosed
- Located two former employees who testified to routine schedule pressure
- Presented a household-services and lost-support model for three minors
The outcome
The jury rejected the phantom-vehicle defense and returned one of the venue's largest wrongful death awards that year, with the majority of fault assigned to the carrier.
How the case moved
Retained
Family contacted the firm nine days after the collision
Filed
Complaint filed within four months
Discovery
18 depositions, including corporate safety designees
Verdict
Six-week jury trial
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is decided on its own facts, venue, and available insurance coverage.
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