Brazos County Jury Awards $27M in Negligent Security
Two teenagers died in separate incidents. One died after being assaulted in a restaurant parking lot. The other died in a car crash while trying to take the first victim to the hospital. The families sued the restaurant, alleging negligent security. The case was settled after a jury verdict.
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
- Settlement
- Amount
- $27,000,000
- County
- Brazos County, TX
- Resolved
- 2017
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Wrongful Death
- Accident Type
- Other
- Case Type
- Negligent Security, Security negligence, Negligent security, Negligent parking
Settlement Context
This settlement of $27,000,000 is above the median of $2,000,000 for wrongful death cases resolved by settlement. The typical range is $504,000 to $5,000,000, based on 20 cases in our database.
Case Overview
In the early morning of February 18, 2012, an 18-year-old male was assaulted by a group of attackers in the parking lot of a restaurant in College Station, Texas. His 19-year-old girlfriend, with the assistance of friends, transported him in an SUV to a nearby hospital. En route, the driver of the SUV ran a red light, colliding with a pickup truck. The collision resulted in the death of the female decedent. The estate of the male decedent later asserted he died in the parking lot during the initial assault.
The families of both decedents subsequently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against The McDonald's Corporation in Brazos County District Court. The plaintiffs alleged the company was liable due to negligent security at the restaurant. They asserted the defendant failed to provide adequate protection for customers, citing a lack of security personnel and cameras despite a history of incidents.
The defendant denied liability for the deaths, maintaining that the male decedent died in the car wreck that followed the assault, not in the parking lot, and asserted it was not responsible for the teens' safety. During the six-day trial, College Station police officers testified about regular calls to the location for fights and to disperse large, unsupervised crowds on weekend mornings. Two former managers working that night testified they were unaware of any problems.
The jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs, awarding $27,000,000 in actual damages. The case, originally filed in the 361st District Court of Brazos County, later saw its appeal resolved through a settlement.
Understanding This Case
- This case was resolved through a settlement, avoiding the uncertainty and expense of a trial. Settlements typically resolve faster and provide guaranteed compensation.
- This case was resolved in Brazos County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2017, 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 significantly deviates from similar cases
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