Verdictly
Settlement
Galveston County • 2019

Galveston County Motor Vehicle Wrongful Death Settles for $52,460

A driver left his vehicle in motion while pumping gas, and it rolled forward. The driver re-entered the vehicle and accidentally accelerated, hitting a person who was loading items into a parked car. The injured person sustained severe injuries, including the amputation of a leg and the need for a colostomy bag, and later died from sepsis.

Case Information Updated: October 2025

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Catastrophic Injury
Pedestrian
Motor Vehicle Negligence

Case Outcome

Outcome
Settlement
Amount
$52,460
County
Galveston County, TX
Resolved
2019

Injury & Accident Details

Injury Type
Catastrophic Injury
Accident Type
Pedestrian
Case Type
Motor Vehicle Negligence, Auto/Pedestrian collision

Settlement Context

This settlement of $52,460 is below the median of $1,000,000 for catastrophic injury cases resolved by settlement. The typical range is $52,460 to $15,025,000, based on 8 cases in our database.

Case Overview

On May 20, 2017, a pedestrian was loading items into a parked car in the parking lot of a convenience store and gasoline station in an unincorporated area of Galveston County. A driver, who had exited his 2016 Jeep Wrangler while leaving it in drive to pump fuel, re-entered the vehicle as it began to roll forward. The driver then mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake, causing the Jeep to strike the pedestrian and her vehicle. The pedestrian sustained multiple severe injuries, including a leg amputation, the need for a permanent colostomy bag, and pressure sores from limited mobility.

The decedent developed severe sepsis from her injuries and passed away on April 28, 2018, at age 21. Her mother, the plaintiff, subsequently filed a wrongful death action, alleging the defendant driver was negligent and breached his duty of care, which proximately caused the decedent's death. The defendant generally denied all allegations of negligence.

The parties ultimately resolved the case through a settlement, with the plaintiff receiving $52,460.

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 Galveston 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

88
/100
Highly Fair

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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