Verdictly
Verdict-Plaintiff
Dallas County • 2020

Pecos Jury Awards $210,350 in DWI Parking Lot Collision

A parked car was struck by a pickup truck driven by an unlicensed driver. The driver fled the scene but was later apprehended. The owner of the pickup truck was also sued for negligence in hiring and supervising the driver. The case involved claims of negligence and gross negligence against both the driver and the company.

Case Information Updated: October 2025

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Other Injury
Other Accident
Motor Vehicle Negligence

Case Outcome

Outcome
Verdict-Plaintiff
Amount
$210,350
County
Dallas County, TX
Resolved
2020

Injury & Accident Details

Injury Type
Other
Accident Type
Other
Case Type
Motor Vehicle Negligence

Settlement Context

This verdict-plaintiff of $210,350 is above the median of $22,000 for other cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $8,200 to $102,285, based on 304 cases in our database.

Case Overview

In February 2017, the plaintiff's Chevrolet Camaro was struck by a pickup truck in a hotel parking lot in Pecos, Texas. The driver of the truck, who was unlicensed and later arrested for driving while intoxicated after fleeing the scene, was at the hotel for business on behalf of his employer, American Tank Co., which owned the vehicle. The Camaro sustained damage, prompting the plaintiff to seek repairs.

The plaintiff and her daughter initially sued the driver and American Tank Co., alleging negligence and gross negligence in the operation of the vehicle and in the company's hiring, retention, management, and supervision of the driver. The daughter's claim was later dropped. The driver did not attend the trial but had previously invoked Fifth Amendment rights during deposition, though he claimed a co-worker had given him the keys to return the truck.

American Tank Co. did not dispute the driver's negligence but denied gross negligence and direct negligence against the company, asserting the driver was not authorized to use the vehicle. The company acknowledged awareness of the driver's prior DWI conviction but argued it was irrelevant because he was not hired as a driver. However, the company owner inadvertently disclosed the prior DWI during trial despite a court ruling, and evidence showed the company did not reprimand the driver.

Following a two-day trial, the jury found both defendants negligent and grossly negligent. The jury assigned 70 percent comparative responsibility to American Tank Co. and 30 percent to the driver. The plaintiff was awarded $210,350, including $10,000 for repair costs, $4,500 for diminution in value, $9,000 for loss of use, $6,500 for towing, $350 for storage, and punitive damages of $80,000 against American Tank Co. and $100,000 against the driver.

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 2020, 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

47
/100
Questionable

This outcome differs from typical 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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