$50,000,000 Settlement

This catastrophic personal injury case arose from a severe motorcycle collision involving a commercial delivery truck on a rural, two-lane roadway. Our client, the motorcyclist, was traveling home from work when the delivery truck exited a driveway and attempted to make a left turn across the roadway. In doing so, the truck obstructed both lanes of travel.

Our client observed the truck enter the roadway and attempted to stop, however, despite skidding approximately ninety (90) feet, he was unable to avoid impact and skid into the side of the delivery vehicle. The collision caused devastating injuries that permanently altered every aspect of his life. As a result of the crash, he sustained a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), partial hemiparesis, and multiple orthopedic injuries.

Within days of the incident, our firm began an exhaustive investigation. Motorcycle-truck accident reconstruction experts were retained, and the collision scene was inspected, photographed, and digitally preserved using FARO 3D laser scanning technology and overhead drone footage. The reconstruction focused on vehicle positions, line of sight, roadway configuration, skid marks, and the driveway from which the delivery truck emerged. Both the motorcycle and the delivery truck were preserved and inspected, with both vehicles digitally documented. Dash camera footage and telematics data from the delivery truck were obtained and analyzed frame-by-frame.

A wide-ranging factual and legal investigation was conducted by our firm, including interviews with responding law enforcement, review of police and state investigative files, and analysis of roadway design and maintenance records obtained through public records requests. Liability as to governmental entities was thoroughly evaluated and ultimately ruled out, narrowing responsibility to the delivery driver and his employer.

Our research and investigation further included a speed analysis of both vehicles based on dash camera footage and our inspections of the roadway and vehicle crush damage, which led to our conclusion that our client was travelling within the speed limit prior to impact.

In addition, punitive damage claims were pursued based on evidence that the delivery company imposed an unreasonable delivery schedule that incentivized unsafe driving behavior, and that the driver was operating the vehicle recklessly in an effort to meet those demands and avoid penalties.

A comprehensive damages investigation was undertaken. Thousands of pages of medical records were obtained and reviewed from multiple hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and long-term care facilities. Experts were retained in physical medicine and rehabilitation with subspecialty in brain injury, life care planning, and forensic economics to assess future medical needs, lifetime care costs, and lost earnings.

Defendants primarily challenged the claim for punitive damages and venue, requiring extensive motion practice and multiple amended pleadings. Each attempt to narrow or dismiss the claims was defeated. As we approached the 2026 trial date, the parties entered into settlement negotiations and agreed to a full-day in-person mediation.

In preparation for the mediation, our firm developed a comprehensive liability and damages PowerPoint presentation containing over 70 slides, as well as a professionally produced, twenty-minute documentary-style video that detailed our client’s life before the collision and the profound, irreversible impact of his injuries.

Defense representatives at the mediation included in-house counsel, outside defense counsel, high-exposure national counsel, and senior executives in risk management, most of whom flew in from out-of-state. In total, there were fifteen participants at the mediation. Nearing the end of the full-day mediation, this catastrophic case was settled for $50,000,000. This settlement is believed to be one of the largest motorcycle-truck accident settlements ever recorded.

Following the settlement, our firm undertook the complex task of settlement planning to protect our client’s long-term interests. This included negotiating substantial reductions of Medicaid and ERISA liens, coordinating with trusts and estates counsel, and designing comprehensive settlement structures.

As a result of the $50,000,000 cash settlement, our client will have lasting economic security and access to the highest level of medical care for the balance of his life. In addition, this outcome serves as a clear reminder to commercial transportation companies that putting profits over public safety can have devastating human and financial consequences.

Our litigation team was led by Stuart L. Finz and included Todd M. Rubin and Brandon S. Finz