Defense Verdict for Truck Driver Hauling Fracking Equipment

Obtained a defense verdict in an automobile liability trial on behalf of an international oilfield services company and its employee.  The employee was operating a semi-trailer truck while hauling 40,000 pounds of hydraulic fracturing drilling equipment.  The plaintiff alleged that she was rear-ended by the truck while attempting to merge onto the highway at a cloverleaf intersection.  The plaintiff's passenger vehicle was pushed off the highway and rolled multiple times. Through the testimony of an accident reconstruction expert, the defense effectively established that the plaintiff had come to a complete stop on the side of the highway while attempting to merge and had pulled out in front of the truck just seconds prior to impact, obtaining a maximum speed of only 25 mph. After two hours, the jury returned a verdict finding the plaintiff 85% at fault for the accident.