Houston, Texas- Owner and Founder, Sam A. Maida, Jr., Litigation Managing Attorney, Bernard G. Johnson III, and Senior Associate Attorney Gabriel de Vega of Maida Law Firm secured a $1,500,000 settlement for a high school teacher whose car was hit by a tractor-trailer in Harris County.
Our client was driving westbound in the right lane of the Katy Freeway frontage road. An 18-wheeler tractor-trailer from an interstate freight carrier was in the middle lane. Its driver wanted to turn right and changed lanes without checking for her. The truck struck the driver’s side of her car, which was declared a total loss. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputy found the truck driver was the sole cause of the crash. The driver was also cited for driving without a license.
What Made the Case Unique
Discovery conducted by Maida Law Firm exposed serious problems with the driver:
Phone use. His phone records showed he was on the phone at the time of the crash and had been making and taking calls all morning.
- Prior discipline. He testified under oath that he had no prior suspensions. His personnel records showed two.
- Blind spot. He admitted our client was in his blind spot and he never saw her.
That record supported both direct liability and claims that the carrier negligently hired, retained, and supervised him.
Our client’s injuries were extensive. After the crash she had abdominal and pelvic pain with abnormal bleeding and was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. MRIs showed cervical disc herniations contacting her spinal cord, with severe nerve narrowing at C4–C5, and an L5–S1 herniation pressing on a nerve root. Lumbar and cervical injections gave temporary relief. In August 2022, she underwent a two-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion at C4–C6. Her surgeon also recommended a future L5–S1 discectomy.
Liability and Legal Strategy
We filed suit in Harris County district court against the driver and the carrier. We deposed the driver and used his phone records and personnel file to challenge his testimony. With her treatment documented, we served a formal settlement demand.
Client Outcome
The case resolved for $1,500,000, supporting her ongoing recovery and the lumbar surgery her doctor has recommended.
Hit by a commercial truck in Houston? Call Maida Law Firm at (713) 785-9484.
About the authors
Sam A. Maida, Jr.
Owner and Managing Attorney
Sam A. Maida, Jr. has represented injured Texans in the greater Houston area since the firm opened in 1993.
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Bernard G. Johnson III
Litigation Managing Attorney
Bernard G. Johnson III is a board certified trial lawyer licensed in Texas since 1996 and a graduate of South Texas College of Law.
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and depends on its own facts.