Nashville Mom Awarded $31.8 Million by Davidson County Jury after Serious Truck Accident
A Nashville woman and mother was awarded $31.8 million by a Davidson County, Tennessee, jury earlier this year in May after she survived a serious and horrific truck-involved car accident with a commercial concrete truck. According to local news reports, WSMV 4, 40-year-old Jennifer Gooch, of Nashville, was involved in a trucking accident in Tennessee in 2020 with a Smyrna Ready Mix Concrete, LLC truck driver. Ms. Gooch is said to have been driving on Eatons Creek Road in Davidson County when the Smyrna Ready Mix Concrete driver failed to stop at a posted stop sign and collided with her vehicle. As a result of the truck accident, Ms. Gooch was left with severe back and ankle injuries that are permanent.
Jury Initially Awards Compensation for Medical Expenses, Assess $30 Million in Punitive Damages
One interesting thing about the result in Ms. Gooch’s truck accident lawsuit is that the jury initially awarded her $1,894,263.15 in medical expenses in the first phase of the trial, but then later, after the second phase of the trial in which punitive damages were considered, the jury tacked on an additional $30 million in compensation. Indeed, Ms. Gooch’s legal team noted that, “In the first phase of the trial, the jury awarded Ms. Gooch $1,894,263.15 for her medical expenses, permanent injury, physical pain, mental suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. After a second phase in which the parties debated punitive damages, the jury deliberated for just 40 minutes before sanctioning Smyrna Ready Mix Concrete with the $30 million penalty.” The assessment of punitive damages against Smyrna Ready Mix is an unusual move by a Tennessee jury under Tennessee’s laws regarding punitive damages. Also of note is the fact that Ms. Gooch was initially offered only $70,000 to settle her lawsuit by Smyrna Ready Mix Concrete, but she rejected that offer in favor of a full-blown trial, where she was ultimately awarded the eight-figure jury award.
Justice for Victims of Truck Accidents in Knoxville
As Ms. Gooch’s case demonstrates, in the state of Tennessee, victims of truck accidents that were negligently or recklessly caused by the truck driver (or other liable party) may be entitled to compensation for their injuries and losses under Tennessee personal injury laws. Importantly, there is a limited time to file a claim for compensation under Tennessee personal injury laws, so it is always best to speak with an experienced Tennessee truck accident lawyer about your rights and options as soon as possible after a serious truck accident occurs.
The experienced Tennessee personal injury truck accident lawyers at the law firm Fox Farley Willis & Burnette, PLLC are here to help victims of serious truck accidents in Tennessee. Do not hesitate to call the experienced lawyers at Fox Farley Willis & Burnette, PLLC today to discuss your rights and options under Tennessee personal injury laws. Contact Fox Farley Willis & Burnette, PLLC today and speak to a lawyer about your case now.
Source:
wsmv.com/2024/05/10/nashville-single-mom-wins-318m-verdict-after-crash-with-concrete-truck/
