Harris County Wrongful Death Truck Accident Settles for $851K
A driver was killed when their vehicle collided with the side of a tractor-trailer. The estate claimed the truck driver made an improper left turn, causing the crash. The defense argued the decedent was speeding. The parties reached a settlement.
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
- Settlement
- Amount
- $851,223
- County
- Harris County, TX
- Resolved
- 2019
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Wrongful Death
- Accident Type
- Truck/Commercial
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence, Auto/Truck Collision
Settlement Context
This settlement of $851,223 is near the median of $2,000,000 for wrongful death cases resolved by settlement. The typical range is $504,000 to $5,000,000, based on 20 cases in our database.
Case Overview
On August 1, 2017, in Harris County, Texas, a 37-year-old female driver was traveling southbound on S. Houston Avenue. At the same time, a defendant truck driver was operating a tractor-trailer northbound on the same road. While attempting a left-hand turn into a private driveway, the defendant driver turned in front of the southbound vehicle. The decedent’s vehicle struck the side of the trailer, resulting in her death. The defendant transportation company owned and operated the tractor-trailer.
The estate of the decedent filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of her beneficiaries, including her mother and three children. The plaintiff alleged that the defendant driver’s negligence caused the fatality, citing failure to yield the right-of-way, failure to maintain a proper lookout, making a negligent left turn, and failing to control the vehicle. The plaintiff claimed the transportation company was vicariously liable for its driver's actions.
The defendants denied negligence, asserting that the accident was caused by the decedent’s speeding. They argued that the left turn was safe to initiate, but the decedent approached at a rapid rate of speed and collided with the side of the tractor-trailer.
The parties ultimately reached a settlement in the amount of $851,222.96.
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 Harris 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 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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