DALLAS – A North Texas man left permanently disabled after heavy equipment fell from a flatbed truck, causing a violent highway collision, will be paid significant recoveries for his continued medical care based on a settlement finalized on February 16, 2017.

“Jake” and wife “Jennifer”** had driven to West Texas the morning of May 14, 2013, to pick up their daughter, who had just completed her college classes for the semester. Jennifer was driving while Jake slept beside her in the front of the family’s Dodge Ram truck.

The driver of a flatbed truck they were following made a sudden U-turn, causing an unsecured 1,200-pound metal fixture known as a “mold” to fall onto the highway directly in the couple’s path. The subsequent investigation showed that the mold had not been strapped onto the truck bed in violation of state and federal safety regulations. Jennifer was unable to avoid hitting the mold and slammed into it, catapulting their truck into the air before crashing to the ground. Jake was transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation.

Initial police reports indicated Jake was not wearing a seatbelt, but attorneys from the Dallas office of Simon Greenstone Panatier, PC, who represented the family, showed through depositions and accident re-creations that both Jake and Jennifer were in fact wearing seatbelts at the time of impact.

Despite treatment, Jake’s back and neck pain worsened, requiring a series of surgeries. As a result, he has limited mobility and is unable to continue working at the carpentry business he owned.

“Before this accident Jake loved to be outdoors and on the lake, skiing and spending time with his family. He loved dancing with his daughter,” said the representatrive attorney of Simon Greenstone. “But the failure of the equipment hauler to adhere to the most basic safety precautions has irreparably altered his life. Money is no substitute for walking your daughter down the aisle at her wedding or teaching your grandchild to swim. But at least the family will not have to struggle to pay for ongoing medical care.”

For more information, contact at Rhonda Reddick at 800-559-4534 or rhonda@androvett.com.

** Names changed to protect client privacy and confidentiality.