Arizona Jury Awards $7,800,000 in Fatal Head-On Collision
One driver was traveling with her husband and children when another driver, attempting to pass a semi-truck, lost control of her vehicle. The other driver's vehicle crossed the median and collided head-on with the first driver's vehicle. The first driver's husband and one child were killed, and she sustained serious injuries. She sued the State, alleging negligence for failing to install a median barrier.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
About Wrongful Death Injuries
Wrongful death claims arise when a car accident fatality is caused by another party's negligence. These cases compensate surviving family members for their losses and the decedent's pain and suffering.
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $7,800,000
- County
- Maricopa County, AZ
- Resolved
- 2012
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Wrongful Death
- Accident Type
- Multi-vehicle
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $7,800,000 is near the median of $6,500,000 for wrongful death cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $800,000 to $15,000,000, based on 34 cases in our database.
Case Overview
A family traveling in a van on an interstate in Maricopa County, Arizona, was involved in a fatal head-on collision. The incident occurred when another driver, operating a separate vehicle, swerved to avoid a semi-truck moving into her lane, lost control, crossed a dirt median, and collided with the family's van. The plaintiff's husband and one child were killed, and the plaintiff sustained serious injuries.
On January 14, 2009, the plaintiff, acting on her own behalf and as a trustee for her surviving children and deceased child, sued the State of Arizona and the Arizona Department of Transportation in the Arizona Superior Court, Maricopa County. The plaintiff alleged the State was negligent for failing to install a median barrier in the area where the accident occurred, contending that its presence would have prevented the collision.
The case proceeded to a jury trial. On February 9, 2012, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, awarding $7,800,000 in damages. The jury apportioned 100% of the fault to the State, assigning no fault to the driver of the other vehicle or the unknown truck driver involved in the initial maneuver. The State subsequently moved for a new trial, arguing the verdict was excessive and unsupported by the evidence, but the motion was denied. The judgment was later affirmed on appeal.
Understanding This Case
- This case went to trial and resulted in a jury verdict. Verdicts can yield higher awards but carry the risk of receiving nothing if the jury rules against the plaintiff.
- This case was resolved in Maricopa County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2012, this case reflects the legal and economic conditions of that period, including medical costs, insurance practices, and jury award trends at the time.
VerdictlyTM Score
This outcome differs from typical similar cases
This score is calculated by analyzing injury type, accident details, geographic location, temporal trends, and comparing against 2,000+ similar cases in our database.
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