College Station Jury Awards $17 Million in Motorcycle Negligence
A motorcyclist was traveling on a highway when a U-Haul truck allegedly entered his lane, forcing him off the road. The motorcyclist was thrown from his bike and sustained a head injury. The driver of the U-Haul truck stated he did not see the motorcycle and had panicked after losing sight of other U-Haul trucks. The defense argued that the motorcyclist drifted off the road and that the U-Haul was not involved. The jury found the U-Haul company and its driver negligent.
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
- $17,000,000
- County
- Brazos County, TX
- Resolved
- 2018
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Head/Brain Injury
- Accident Type
- Motorcycle
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $17,000,000 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 August 3, 2015, a motorcyclist was riding south on State Highway 6 in College Station when a U-Haul box truck, towing a trailer, allegedly forced the motorcycle off the road. The motorcyclist, who was not wearing a helmet, was thrown from the vehicle and sustained a severe head injury. The injured motorcyclist sued the U-Haul employee for negligence and U-Haul Co. of Texas for negligence, alleging inadequate training. The employee was later nonsuited.
The plaintiff argued U-Haul was negligent in training its 20-year-old employee, who was on his first day and inexperienced with large truck-and-trailer combinations. An eyewitness reportedly saw the U-Haul truck force the motorcycle off the road, and the employee admitted changing lanes to find his supervisor. The plaintiff sought damages for permanent cognitive deficits resulting from a diffuse axonal brain injury that required hospitalization and rehabilitation.
U-Haul denied its employee caused the accident or that its training was inadequate. The defense argued the plaintiff's eyewitness account was unreliable and presented testimony from three other motorists who saw the motorcycle drift off the road without a U-Haul vehicle. The defense also noted four 911 calls that did not mention a U-Haul truck. U-Haul contended its employee was qualified and adequately instructed. The defense also argued the plaintiff was contributorily negligent for not wearing a helmet, though a plaintiff's expert testified a helmet would not have prevented the rotational injuries.
After an eight-day trial, a College Station jury found U-Haul Co. of Texas and its employee negligent, but not grossly negligent. The jury determined the plaintiff was not negligent and awarded $17 million in damages.
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 Brazos County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2018, 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 is within expected ranges
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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