A Sarasota Circuit Judge on Monday upheld a jury verdict to award each of the two young children of a man struck and killed by a trucker $1 million for his wrongful death.
The father of the 6-year-old boy and 5-year-old girl was hit by a Landstar Ranger Inc. truck driver as he crossed I-75 in Sarasota County around 6 a.m. on March 28, 2007. His car had broken down and it is believed he was crossing the highway to find water for his overheated radiator.
Each child was awarded $1 million for mental pain and suffering, in addition to $7500 for funeral costs. The judge agreed with the defense that the children's father was comparatively negligent in crossing the highway but still upheld the verdict, as the only witness to the accident was the truck driver.
Discrepancies in the trucker's story contributed to the decision to award the settlement. Despite the fact that the children's father was wearing dark clothes and crossing the street at night, experts for the prosecution were able to show that the truck driver was speeding, didn't apply his brakes, didnt' keep a proper lookout to avoid accidents, and failed to move over into the inside left-hand lane.
While this settlement cannot bring the children's father back, it at least provides the children some measure of financial security after losing him at such a young age. If you or someone you know has been the victim of a negligent truck drive or you are looking for advice in the area of wrongful death law, call the
St. Petersburg truck accident attorneys of Beltz & Ruth, P.A., at 800-931-8106.