Phone: 619-432-5145
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![TRUCKING ACCIDENTS I PERSONAL INJURY I CASE STUDY: Tractor-Trailer with Bald Tires Loses Traction and Jackknifes on Wet Pavement Resulting in Wrongful Death – SETTLEMENT: $6,040,000.00 December 29, 2020 Case Study: $6.04 Million Settlement in favor of Deceased Truck Driver that Died in a Head-On Collision with Semi-Truck and Trailer that Jackknifed after Low Tread Tires lost Traction on Wet Pavement On June 28, 2011 the decedent Mathis operating a garbage truck, while in the course and scope of his employment as a garbage truck driver; was driving his garbage truck in light rain when a semi-truck driver pulling two tractors jackknifed on the wet pavement and crossed over into decedent Mathis’ lane of travel. Once the tractor-trailer struck the cab of the garbage truck, decedent Mathis was killed instantly in the head-on collision. During discovery it became apparent that the defendant’s trailers had not been inspected in 14-months, when the trucking company as well as the tractor-trailer driver was required to complete trailer inspections every 90-days. In addition to failing to inspect and service the tractor-trailer, the owner of the semi-truck had no system in place to monitor the inspection, maintenance, and service of the trailers. Per the deceased garbage truck driver, the cause of this trucking accident was three-fold. First the driver of the freightliner tractor-trailer was travelling at a speed greater than reasonable in light of the weather conditions. Secondly the driver of the semi-truck knew and ignored that the tires on the second axle trailer were bald and below acceptable tread depths. Lastly the driver of the freightliner tractor-trailer knew and ignored that the brakes on the second trailer were in disrepair and required immediate replacement. The estate of the deceased garbage truck driver, which included his 11-year old daughter, sought out compensatory damages for the wrongful death consisting of economic and non-economic damages. This case settled on the first day of trial, right after jury selection and prior to plaintiff’s opening statements in the amount of $6.04 million and conditioned upon: (1) a written apology to the decedent’s family, and (2) defendant changing its safety practices regarding inspections. - Case Name: Orval Mathis as Guardian ad Litem for Pheona S. Mathis, a Minor v. Reliable Trucking, Inc., Jasbir Singh Sangha dba JS Trucking, and Ernest Coublucq; Cause of Action: PERSONAL INJURY – STRICT LIABILITY – NEGLIGENCE – FAILURE TO INSPECT – BREACH OF CONTRACT - Motor Vehicle – Negligence – Vicarious Liability - Tractor-Trailer - Motor Vehicle - Dangerous Condition - Wrongful Death - Survival Damages (Superior Court of Yuba County, State of California Case No: CV-PM-11-0001105) As discussed previously, truck accidents often result in catastrophic injuries and wrongful death claims in light of their immense size and weight. Given the severity of damage which may result in a truck accident, truck drivers and trucking companies whom operate and own large commercial trucks must implement safety practices and routine inspection polices to confirm that their equipment is well maintained with a heightened level of care and caution. Types of Truck Accidents There are various types of truck accidents that results in catastrophic injuries and fatalities, such truck accidents including: • Tire blowouts • Amazon trucking accidents • Delivery truck accidents • Garbage truck accidents • Dump truck accidents • Brake failure • Bus Accidents • Cement truck accidents • Construction truck accidents • Box truck accidents or cube truck accidents • Flatbed truck accidents • Underride accident • Override accident • Overloaded trailer • Equipment malfunction • Defective maintenance • Jackknifes • Wide-turn trucking accidents • Runaway trailers • Blindspot truck accident • Rollover truck accident • Lost load truck accidents • Head-on collision truck accidents • Rear-end truck accidents • Truck driver fatigue • Lack of proper truck driver training • Construction zone trucking accidents • Truck driver inattentiveness • Truck driver negligence Our other articles discussing Trucking Accidents are linked below: • TRUCKING ACCIDENTS I CAR ACCIDENT I PERSONAL INJURY – BOX TRUCK ACCIDENTS ON THE RISE WITH THE INCREASE OF ONLINE ORDERS AND DELIVERIES • TRUCKING ACCIDENTS I CAR ACCIDENT I PERSONAL INJURY – TYPES OF TRUCKING ACCIDENTS • BIKE ACCIDENTS I BICYCLE ACCIDENTS I CYCLIST INJURIES I TRUCK ACCIDENTS I CAR ACCIDENTS I WRONGFUL DEATH I CASE STUDY – CYCLIST DIES FROM INJURIES FOLLOWING COLLISION WITH A TRUCK – VERDICT FOR PLAINTIFF: $11.5 MILLION Additional articles discussing what types of damages are available in a wrongful death claim or in trucking accident links are included below: • PERSONAL INJURY / DAMAGES – Compensatory Damages For Personal Injuries • PERSONAL INJURY – Personal Injury Damages – Compensatory Damages • What are Compensatory Damages? • Compensatory Damages in a Personal Injury Action • A discussion on the differences between punitive damages and compensatory damages Contact Us for Advice on Trucking Accidents or Fatal Accidents: If you were involved in a fatal car accident or a trucking accident and have questions regarding your personal injury case, call us today at 619-432-5145 for a free consultation with one of our experienced Personal Injury Lawyers and Trucking Accident Attorneys. [contact-form-7 id="1201" title="Wrongful Termination"] TAGS: Box Truck Accident, Box Truck Accidents, Box Truck attorneys, Box Truck Crash, Brake Failure Accidents, Bus Accidents, California Accident Attorney, California Box Truck Injury Lawyer, California Trucking Accident Attorneys, Cement Truck Accidents, Commercial Drivers held to a Higher Standard of Care, Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act, Driver inattentiveness injuries, Dump Truck Accidents, Flatbed truck accidents, Garbage truck accidents, Head-Collisions, Jackknife Accidents, Lost loads, MVA involving commercial truck, Rear-End Accidents, San Diego Accident Attorney, San Diego Box Truck Injury Attorneys, T-Bone Accidents, tire blowouts, Truck accident lawyer, Truck Rollovers, Trucking Accident Attorneys, Trucking Accident catastrophic injuries, Trucking Accident fatalities, Trucking Accident Lawyer, Trucks Speeding in Construction Zones, Underride Accidents, Wide-Turn Accidents, Wrongful death, Trucking accident Settlement, Trucking accident resulting in Wrongful death, tractor-trailer loses traction, bald tire causes truck to lose control,](https://dianalegal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/TRUCKING-ACCIDENTS-I-PERSONAL-INJURY-I-CASE-STUDY-Tractor-Trailer-with-Bald-Tires-Losing-Traction-and-Jackknifing-on-Wet-Pavement-Resulting-in-Wrongful-Death-SETTLEMENT-6.04-million.png)
TRUCKING ACCIDENTS I PERSONAL INJURY I CASE STUDY: Tractor-Trailer with Bald Tire Loses Traction and Jackknifes on Wet Pavement Resulting in Wrongful Death – SETTLEMENT: $6,040,000.00
December 29, 2020
Case Study: $6.04 Million Settlement in favor of Deceased Truck Driver that Died in a Head-On Collision with Semi-Truck and Trailer that Jackknifed after Low Tread Tires lost Traction on Wet Pavement
On June 28, 2011 the decedent Mathis operating a garbage truck, while in the course and scope of his employment as a garbage truck driver; was driving his garbage truck in light rain when a semi-truck driver pulling two tractors jackknifed on the wet pavement and crossed over into decedent Mathis’ lane of travel. Once the tractor-trailer struck the cab of the garbage truck, decedent Mathis was killed instantly in the head-on collision.
During discovery it became apparent that the defendant’s trailers had not been inspected in 14-months, when the trucking company as well as the tractor-trailer driver was required to complete trailer inspections every 90-days. In addition to failing to inspect and service the tractor-trailer, the owner of the semi-truck had no system in place to monitor the inspection, maintenance, and service of the trailers.
Per the deceased garbage truck driver, the cause of this trucking accident was three-fold. First the driver of the freightliner tractor-trailer was travelling at a speed greater than reasonable in light of the weather conditions. Secondly the driver of the semi-truck knew and ignored that the tires on the second axle trailer were bald and below acceptable tread depths. Lastly the driver of the freightliner tractor-trailer knew and ignored that the brakes on the second trailer were in disrepair and required immediate replacement.
The estate of the deceased garbage truck driver, which included his 11-year old daughter, sought out compensatory damages for the wrongful death consisting of economic and non-economic damages. This case settled on the first day of trial, right after jury selection and prior to plaintiff’s opening statements in the amount of $6.04 million and conditioned upon: (1) a written apology to the decedent’s family, and (2) defendant changing its safety practices regarding inspections.
As discussed previously, truck accidents often result in catastrophic injuries and wrongful death claims in light of their immense size and weight. Given the severity of damage which may result in a truck accident, truck drivers and trucking companies whom operate and own large commercial trucks must implement safety practices and routine inspection polices to confirm that their equipment is well maintained with a heightened level of care and caution.
There are various types of truck accidents that results in catastrophic injuries and fatalities, such truck accidents including:
Our other articles discussing Trucking Accidents are linked below:
Additional articles discussing what types of damages are available in a wrongful death claim or in trucking accident links are included below:
Contact Us for Advice on Trucking Accidents or Fatal Accidents:
If you were involved in a fatal car accident or a trucking accident and have questions regarding your personal injury case, call us today at 619-432-5145 for a free consultation with one of our experienced Personal Injury Lawyers and Trucking Accident Attorneys.