Bexar County Jury Awards $82 Million in DWI Wrongful Death Crash
One driver drove the wrong way on a freeway exit ramp while intoxicated, causing a head-on collision. The other driver suffered severe head and neck injuries, fell into a coma, and passed away two weeks later. The jury found the intoxicated driver negligent and awarded damages.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
About Head/Brain Injury Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) range from mild concussions to severe brain damage. Car accidents are a leading cause of TBI, with effects ranging from temporary symptoms to permanent cognitive impairment.
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $82,000,000
- County
- Bexar County, TX
- Resolved
- 2020
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Head/Brain Injury
- Accident Type
- Head-on
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Accident
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $82,000,000 is above the median of $1,893,000 for head/brain injury cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $93,169 to $9,140,000, based on 45 cases in our database.
Case Overview
On January 31, 2020, a former deputy U.S. Marshal drove a vehicle the wrong way on a freeway exit ramp in Bexar County, Texas. The vehicle collided head-on with another car, critically injuring a 23-year-old nursing student. The wrong-way driver's blood alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit. The injured student suffered severe head and neck injuries, fell into a coma, and died two weeks later.
The decedent's family subsequently filed a lawsuit in the 408th Judicial District Court of Bexar County, Texas, against the driver and a local establishment, The Block SA LLC. The complaint alleged the driver became severely intoxicated at the establishment, which served him despite his obvious intoxication, before he caused the fatal collision. The plaintiffs brought claims for dram shop violations, negligence, gross negligence, wrongful death, and survival statute violations, seeking damages exceeding $100 million.
During the trial, evidence was presented that the driver did not provide medical assistance to the injured student, who remained conscious and trapped in her vehicle for 40 minutes after the crash. On April 22, 2024, a jury found that the driver negligently operated his vehicle while intoxicated, causing the crash that resulted in the student's death. The jury awarded $82 million to the estate of the decedent.
Understanding This Case
- Most mild TBIs resolve within weeks to months. Moderate to severe TBI often results in permanent impairment affecting cognition, behavior, and physical function.
- 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 Bexar County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2020, 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
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