(October 28, 2020) Trammell Piazza Partner and trucking trial lawyer Melody Piazza led the legal team in obtaining a large confidential dollar settlement resulting from a case involving two commercial tractor-trailers. The Plaintiffs were co-drivers of the tractor-trailer who sustained severe injuries when the Defendant tractor-trailer collided into the rear of Plaintiff under icy road conditions.
According to the complaint, the Defendant driver was traveling at too great a speed for the conditions and was following too close to the tractor-trailer operated by Plaintiff, causing the truck to strike the rear end of the vehicle.
The claim cited the defendant’s failure to ensure the trailer’s safe operating condition; failure to properly load and secure the trailer’s cargo; failure to yield the right of way to the vehicle in front; and failure to apply brakes, stop, swerve or apply other reasonable evasive emergency maneuvers. The lawsuit also claimed negligence due to the driver’s violation of Federal Motor Carrier safety regulations mandating proper inspection and immobilization of cargo and requiring the driver operate the vehicle with extreme caution and reduced speed when hazardous conditions exist as well as regulations pertaining to drivers’ hours-of-service and duty status.