PRESS RELEASE
March 31, 2023 –Deborah Hensley Loewe of Hensley Law Firm secures a $5,646,000.00 verdict for the injured driver against trucking company Marten Transport.
Austin, Texas – On March 31, 2023, a Travis County jury awarded Hensley Law Firm’s client James Combs a $5,646,000.00 verdict for his serious personal injuries sustained in a rear-end crash with an 18-wheeler on I-35.
The case was styled CAUSE NO. C-1-CV-16-009841; JAMES COMBS, Plaintiff, vs.JOLENA AGNES NUSSELL, MARTEN TRANSPORT LTD., and MICHAEL ANDREW ESCAMILLA,
The plaintiff filed suit in the Travis County Court at Law No. 1. Judge Todd Wong presided over the trial that lasted five days.
The Plaintiff suffered permanent, painful neck injuries as a result of the collision. The defense argued that Mr.Combs was injured as a result of a second wreck that happened twenty days later, suffered from pre-existing degenerative neck disease unrelated to the accident, and challenged causation.
The Plaintiff led with testimony from a biomechanical expert regarding the relative force of the two collisions. Damage experts included an avocational expert analyzing Mr. Combs’ loss of earning capacity, his pain management doctor, his therapist, his surgeon, and a life care planner concerning future medical expenses for Mr. Combs.
Additionally, Plaintiff highlighted that Maten Transport fired Ms. Nussell, their driver, for failing to follow the rules of the road but failed to take responsibility for their driver’s actions for over 8 years.
“The jury’s award was a message to all trucking companies that in Austin Texas this community wants Trucking companies to take responsibility for their employee driver’s actions” Plaintiffs’ Lead Counsel Deborah Hensley Loewe advised. “I hope this verdict will lead trucking companies to better train and supervise their drivers so that we have safer 18-wheeler driving in Travis County.” “This was a team effort, we along with our co-counsel Luke Dow and associate Jack Holtzman, want to thank the jury for their service to this community by listening to the testimony and sending a strong message to trucking companies with a full and fair verdict, the message was if you violate the safety rules of the road and hurt someone, you are responsible for the harm that you caused and must pay accordingly,” Deborah Hensley Loewe concluded.
For additional details about the case, please call or email Deborah Hensley Loewe atDeborah@hensleylawfirm.com.