Jurisdiction: Atascosa County, Texas

Issue/Disposition: This case was tried against one of the most well-known and aggressive plaintiff’s attorneys in the state who has been very successful at scaring defendants into settling on the eve of trial. The case resulted from an 18-wheeler being moved from one part of a truck yard to another by a mechanic who did not have a commercial drivers’ license. The driver admitted to hitting a parked truck occupied by the plaintiff who was sleeping. Plaintiff’s attorney was seeking $5,000,000 for medical expenses of the Plaintiff and future earnings since he could no longer work. Despite the fact that the defendant’s liability for causing the accident was not in question, after a seven-day trial, a complete defense verdict was returned.