On Sept. 30, a driver and his passenger netted a total of $1,456,874 for injuries they sustained in a collision with a tractor-trailer.
In 2006, Ronny Martinez, then 35, was traveling with Kenneth O’Neal, then 48, when an 18-wheeler owned by Celadon Trucking Services veered into their lane. Martinez swerved, but gravel off the roadway caused him to lose control and drive back onto the interstate.
He collided with the truck, causing his car to flip and roll several times. Martinez, a restaurant manager, sustained a fractured vertebra and was unable to work for two months.
O’Neal, a retail store manager, suffered a minor brain injury and torn ligaments in his knee. He underwent a knee replacement and has not worked since the accident.
Celadon acknowledged that its driver contributed to the accident but argued that Martinez overreacted. The jury found Celadon 80 percent liable and Martinez 20 percent liable.
Martinez v. Celadon Trucking Services Inc., No. 72596
Court: 40th District Court, Ellis County