[Pittsburgh, PA] – An Allegheny County jury has awarded a 43-year-old Pittsburgh woman an $858,000 verdict over injuries she suffered in a 2023 crash with a 36-ton dump truck. Represented by Morgan & Morgan attorneys Clancy Boylan, Sean Donoghue, Elizabeth Wiese and Phoebe Gilmore, the plaintiff declined the defense’s highest pre-trial settlement offer of $150,000 before the jury ultimately awarded more than $850,000.
On August 11, 2023, a loaded 72,780-pound dump truck operated by Gaston Hauling LLC plowed into the back of the plaintiff’s car, which was in standstill traffic on Route 366 in Plum, PA. The plaintiff, whose car was totaled when it slammed into the vehicle in front of hers, suffered a facet injury in her back that causes radiating pain from her hip into her foot. She received extensive medical treatment and still suffers from ongoing pain and limitations.
“When you’re operating a vehicle as large and heavy as a loaded dump truck, even a momentary lapse in concentration can have devastating consequences,” said Morgan & Morgan founder John Morgan and attorney Clancy Boylan. “Our client's life before and after this crash are night-and-day. The pain from her injuries impacted every aspect of her home, work and social life. She can no longer take weekly hikes through the mountains with her husband, and can no longer tend to her garden, which was a memorial for her young daughter who passed away. These are just a few examples of how this crash affected her life. We're pleased the jury saw through the defense's attempts to minimize her injuries and delivered a just verdict.”
The case was heard by Judge Patrick Connelly, No. GD-24-006713 in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. The defense was represented by attorney Aaron Weiss of Zimmer Kunz.
This case was handled by Morgan & Morgan’s national trucking practice, which has a strong track record of achieving justice for victims of catastrophic trucking crashes throughout the country, including a $31.8 million verdict in Nashville, a $29 million verdict in Chester County, PA and an $11.9 million verdict in Philadelphia.
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