Colorado Jury Awards $297,000 in Semi-Truck Negligence
One driver's vehicle collided with a stalled semi-truck that was blocking an exit ramp. The driver swerved to avoid the truck, hit a guard rail, and rolled their vehicle. The driver sued the truck operator and owner, alleging negligence. A jury found in favor of the driver.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $410,000
- County
- Dallas County, CO
- Resolved
- 2015
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Other
- Accident Type
- Truck/Commercial
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Accident
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $410,000 is above the median of $16,464 for other cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $5,000 to $57,712, based on 225 cases in our database.
Case Overview
On February 21, 2014, a vehicle operated by the plaintiff collided with a semi-truck on an Interstate 70 exit ramp in Colorado. The semi-truck, operated by the defendant driver and owned by the corporate defendant, was stalled and blocking the ramp. The plaintiff swerved to avoid the semi-truck, struck a guard rail, and rolled the vehicle.
The plaintiff subsequently filed a complaint on August 25, 2014, in the Colorado District Court, Second Judicial District. The lawsuit alleged negligence, negligence per se, and respondeat superior against the driver and the trucking company, seeking to recover damages, costs, and interest. The defendants filed an answer on September 15, 2014, asserting that any damages were caused by the plaintiff's own fault, which should bar or diminish recovery. They also contended that the plaintiff failed to mitigate damages.
A jury trial was held from May 26 to May 29, 2015, and the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff. On June 10, 2015, the court entered an amended judgment, awarding the plaintiff $297,000, plus costs and prejudgment interest. This amount was a proportional reduction of an initial $410,000 award, which included $21,000 for non-economic damages and $389,000 for economic damages. The reduction occurred because the jury found the plaintiff 30 percent at fault for the incident.
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 Dallas County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2015, 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 aligns very well with similar cases
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