Dallas County Wrongful Death Car Crash Settles for $265,000
One driver lost control of a vehicle while trying to pass another in bad weather. The vehicle flipped, and a passenger was ejected and died. The driver argued the accident was due to weather and the passenger not wearing a seatbelt. The other driver claimed the first driver was negligent in passing, controlling speed, and maintaining a lookout.
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
- $265,000
- County
- Dallas County, TX
- Resolved
- 2019
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Wrongful Death
- Accident Type
- Rear-end
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence, Rear End Collision
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $265,000 is below 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 October 22, 2015, in Dallas County, Texas, a vehicle driven by the defendant was involved in a fatal accident on Interstate Highway 635 near the Miller Road exit. The defendant reportedly lost control of the vehicle while attempting to pass another car in the right-hand lane during inclement weather. The defendant's vehicle collided with the rear of the other vehicle, causing it to flip over and come to rest upside down. A passenger was ejected from the defendant's vehicle, sustained fatal injuries, and died the same day.
The minor plaintiff, through a next friend, subsequently filed a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging the defendant's negligence caused the mother's death. The plaintiff claimed the defendant failed to exercise proper care and caution, maintain a proper lookout, control the vehicle, and manage speed. The defendant denied liability, arguing the accident was solely due to inclement weather and that the decedent's fatal injuries were a result of not wearing a seatbelt.
The parties ultimately settled the dispute for $265,000.
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 2019, 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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