Travis County Wrongful Death Collision Settles for $2.1 Million
A motorcyclist was killed when he collided with a vehicle exiting a driveway. The motorcyclist's estate and his partner sued the vehicle driver's employer, alleging negligence. The defense argued the motorcyclist was speeding. The case involved a dispute over the common law marriage of the deceased and his partner. Damages were sought for wrongful death and funeral expenses.
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
- $2,100,000
- County
- Travis County, TX
- Resolved
- 2017
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Wrongful Death
- Accident Type
- Motorcycle
- Case Type
- Death
Settlement Context
This settlement of $2,100,000 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 January 4, 2016, a collision occurred on Howard Lane in Travis County, Texas, resulting in two fatalities. A restaurant worker, operating a motorcycle, struck the side of a vehicle driven by an employee of a technology company. Both the motorcycle rider and the company employee died upon impact.
The motorcycle rider's mother, on behalf of his estate, and his common-law wife subsequently filed a lawsuit against the technology company. They alleged the defendant company's employee was negligent, claiming failure to keep a proper lookout, failure to yield the right of way, and failure to brake or turn to avoid the collision. Plaintiffs' counsel presented crash data indicating the defendant's driver did not stop before exiting the driveway. They also noted the motorcycle's bright color, suggesting visibility. The plaintiffs sought damages for wrongful death, including pecuniary losses, loss of companionship, mental anguish, and funeral expenses.
The defendant company contended that the motorcycle rider was contributorily negligent for exceeding the 50-mph speed limit by 10 mph. The plaintiffs conceded that the motorcycle rider was 10 percent responsible for the accident. Early in the case, the court determined the validity of the common-law marriage based on evidence presented, including the couple wearing rings, entering joint contracts, living together, and being recognized as married by friends and family.
The case concluded in mediation with a settlement of $2.1 million. The defendant company held a $1 million primary insurance policy and a $21 million excess policy.
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 Travis County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2017, 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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