In the largest jury award in New Mexico history, a judge agreed to uphold a jury’s decision to grant $165 million in a wrongful death suit against FedEx. FedEx said it plans on appealing the decision.
The lawsuit stemmed from a 2011 crash involving a FedEx truck in which a mother and her four-year-old daughter were both killed.
In a statement, FedEx agreed that the accident was tragic and expressed their condolences, but remained vehemently opposed to the judge’s decision to uphold the record-breaking verdict. According to the family’s attorney, FedEx has yet to pay anything for the accident that occurred more than four year ago, and by appealing the decision, they are prolonging the process and preventing the family from getting the justice they deserve.
According to reports, the FedEx truck ran into a pickup truck carrying the mother and daughter. It was about an hour and a half after midnight, and the pickup truck was traveling slowly (or not at all – that point is uncertain) with its hazard lights flashing. Reports also indicate that the pickup was at least partially in a lane of traffic on Interstate 10.
According to the family’s lawyer, the FedEx truck driver had emotional problems and was also on prescription drugs for sleeping problems. The lawyer claimed that FedEx was negligent in contracting its truck drivers.
The judge who was originally assigned to the case took herself off the case after she spoke with the family’s lawyers on the phone after trial had concluded. The defense claimed that the new judge did not have enough experience with the case to make a meaningful decision. Although FedEx motioned for a new trial, the judge rejected the motion and let the $165 million verdict stand.
The Wyatt Law Firm applauds this victory for the civil justice system and for the family that had to grieve the loss of two of their loved ones. Much like this case, the San Antonio truck accident lawyers at our law firm are passionate about representing victims of negligence, liability, and wrongdoing. If you or someone you love was involved in a serious or catastrophic accident like this one, we invite you to contact our law firm today for a free review of your case.