Dallas Jury Awards $860M in Crane Collapse Wrongful Death
A tower crane collapsed during severe weather, falling onto an apartment complex and killing one resident. The plaintiffs alleged negligence in crane maintenance and operation, while the defendants blamed operator error and equipment issues. The jury found for the plaintiff after a two-week trial.
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
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $860,000,000
- County
- Dallas County, TX
- Resolved
- 2023
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Wrongful Death
- Accident Type
- Truck/Commercial
- Case Type
- Crane Collapse
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $860,000,000 is above the median of $2,500,000 for wrongful death cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $640,000 to $10,900,000, based on 54 cases in our database.
Case Overview
A wrongful death lawsuit was filed in November 2023 following a tower crane collapse in June 2019 in Old East Dallas. The incident occurred during severe weather conditions, when a crane crashed into the Elan City Lights apartment complex, resulting in the death of a 29-year-old resident and injuries to five others. The estate of the deceased woman and her mother filed the action against the developer, Greystar Development & Construction, LP, and Bigge Crane & Rigging company, which owned and leased the crane.
The plaintiffs alleged negligence in crane maintenance and operation, contending the crane was not properly positioned to weathervane, or move with wind direction, to withstand the predicted severe weather. Defendants countered that operator error caused the collapse, with the developer's crane operator testifying that the crane had been set in weathervane mode. Bigge Crane & Rigging company argued it should not be held liable due to its agreement with the developer.
After a two-week trial, a jury deliberated for seven hours before returning a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs. The jury awarded a gross verdict of $860,000,000. This included damages to the deceased woman's estate and her family for loss of companionship and mental anguish.
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 2023, 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 significantly deviates from 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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