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Jury Awards $23.5 Million for Injuries from Collision of Semis

In what is one of the largest traffic accident lawsuit settlements in the history of Kansas, a jury awards over $23 million for injuries sustained during a collision of semi-trucks. The accident actually occurred in New Mexico in 2006 and the lawsuit has finally been settled over two years later. The United States District Judge assigned to the trial, Monti Belot, lowered the reward to $15.3 million for Terry and Donna Frederick, who were in the other truck that struck the one operated by Robyn Getchel.

The jury found that Getchel was 65 percent at fault for the accident. She was backing her truck onto the highway from a rest stop when the truck driven by Dennis Bottorff struck her truck, killing Bottorff instantly. Investigators also found that Getchel failed her driver’s exam repeatedly and has a previous history of drug use. She failed a post-accident drug test and tested positive for methamphetamine. Frederick accrued over $5 million in medical bills and the verdict should help him cover those bills, future bills, loss of wages and pain and suffering incurred by the accident. Frederick suffered a spinal cord injury as a result of the accident. Getchel still claims that she was rear ended while trying to exit the highway but she was backing onto the highway instead. For any individuals involved in a case with spinal cord injuries, contact the law offices of Michael Fattal today for expert legal counsel.