College Station Jury Awards $17 Million in Motorcycle Negligence
A motorcyclist was traveling on a highway when a U-Haul truck allegedly entered his lane, forcing him off the road. The motorcyclist was thrown from his bike and sustained a head injury. The driver of the U-Haul truck stated he did not see the motorcycle and had panicked after losing sight of other U-Haul trucks. The defense argued that the motorcyclist drifted off the road and that the U-Haul was not involved. The jury found the U-Haul company and its driver negligent.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $17,000,000
- County
- Brazos County, TX
- Resolved
- 2018
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Head/Brain Injury
- Accident Type
- Motorcycle
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Case Overview
On August 3, 2015, a motorcyclist was riding south on State Highway 6 in College Station when a U-Haul box truck, towing a trailer, allegedly forced the motorcycle off the road. The motorcyclist, who was not wearing a helmet, was thrown from the vehicle and sustained a severe head injury. The injured motorcyclist sued the U-Haul employee for negligence and U-Haul Co. of Texas for negligence, alleging inadequate training. The employee was later nonsuited.
The plaintiff argued U-Haul was negligent in training its 20-year-old employee, who was on his first day and inexperienced with large truck-and-trailer combinations. An eyewitness reportedly saw the U-Haul truck force the motorcycle off the road, and the employee admitted changing lanes to find his supervisor. The plaintiff sought damages for permanent cognitive deficits resulting from a diffuse axonal brain injury that required hospitalization and rehabilitation.
U-Haul denied its employee caused the accident or that its training was inadequate. The defense argued the plaintiff's eyewitness account was unreliable and presented testimony from three other motorists who saw the motorcycle drift off the road without a U-Haul vehicle. The defense also noted four 911 calls that did not mention a U-Haul truck. U-Haul contended its employee was qualified and adequately instructed. The defense also argued the plaintiff was contributorily negligent for not wearing a helmet, though a plaintiff's expert testified a helmet would not have prevented the rotational injuries.
After an eight-day trial, a College Station jury found U-Haul Co. of Texas and its employee negligent, but not grossly negligent. The jury determined the plaintiff was not negligent and awarded $17 million in damages.
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