Dallas County Jury Awards $10.9 Million in Fatal Bus Crash
A bus carrying senior citizens crashed and overturned on a highway in Dallas County, Texas. The crash resulted in multiple fatalities and numerous injuries. The case involved claims of driver error and the responsibility of the bus company and the entity that organized the trip. A jury found multiple parties responsible for the crash and awarded damages to the estates of those who died.
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
- $10,900,000
- County
- Dallas County, TX
- Resolved
- 2016
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Wrongful Death
- Accident Type
- Truck/Commercial
- Case Type
- Wrongful Death
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $10,900,000 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
On April 11, 2013, a bus transporting 45 senior citizens to a casino in Durant, Oklahoma, struck a concrete wall and flipped onto its side while traveling on the President George Bush Turnpike in Dallas County, Texas. The incident, allegedly caused by driver error, resulted in the deaths of three passengers and injuries to numerous others.
The estates of two deceased passengers subsequently filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Choctaw Nation. The plaintiffs contended that the bus company and its driver were operating under the tribe's control and on a mission for the tribe at the time of the crash. They argued that the Choctaw Nation paid for the bus trip and dictated the pick-up locations, drop-off points, and the route.
During the trial, the Choctaw Nation sought a directed verdict, asserting that the bus company, a commercial motor carrier, was solely responsible for the trip. The court denied this motion. On May 2, 2016, a jury returned a verdict finding the Choctaw Nation 25% responsible, the driver 58% responsible, and the bus company 17% responsible. The jury awarded $4,900,000 to one passenger's estate and $6,000,000 to the other, totaling $10,900,000.
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 2016, 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
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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