Atlanta & Savannah Truck Accident
Verdicts and Settlements
$27 Million
Fielder v. Latium USA Trading LLC
(2023)
Serious Injuries – Trucking Wreck
Harris Lowry Manton LLP recently secured a $27 million verdict from a federal jury against Latium USA Trading LLC (“Latium”) and its driver, Michael Turner. Our client was awarded more than $4.5 million in compensatory damages and another $20 million in punitive damages, along with attorneys’ fees of $1.8 million.
Partner Jed Manton served as lead attorney for the plaintiff, 81-year-old Judith Fielder of Eatonton, Georgia. Mrs. Fielder suffered multiple catastrophic injuries. She had multiple surgeries during her 45 days in various hospitals.
Mr. Manton issued the following statement after the jury verdict was returned:
It is an honor to represent Judy and her husband, Bill. This verdict sends a clear and undeniable message that truck drivers and their employers must take safety seriously. In this day and age, it is unacceptable to operate a fleet of heavy trucks and trailers and provide no safety training, have zero safety policies for your drivers, and provide no training or instruction on the federal law applicable to truckers.
Partners Jeff Harris and Molly McNeeley were on the Fielders’ trial team; Steven McNeel, partner at Buzzell, Welsh and Hill, LLP, served as co-counsel.
Ms. McNeeley added:
Judy Fielder is a wonderful woman who led a very active life before this wreck happened. She loved swimming with her grandchildren and performing volunteer work, and she was deeply involved in her church and community. These injuries have permanently affected every aspect of her life. We are deeply gratified that, with this award, she will be able to receive the care and assistance she needs, and she and Bill will be able to make the modifications that will let them stay in their home for as long as possible.
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$11.5 Million
Bilbrey v. United States of America
(2010)
TBI Injury - Commercial Vehicle Wreck
Judge Clay D. Land ordered the United States of America to pay Mary Bilbrey and her profoundly injured son, Anthony Bilbrey, more than $11.5 million after a United States Postal Service (USPS) employee was found negligent in the operation of his mail delivery truck. Steve Lowry, of Harris Lowry Manton LLP, served as lead counsel for Mary and Anthony.
On December 22, 2006, after an early morning of Christmas shopping at Wal-Mart and a breakfast stop at Hardees, Mary Bilbrey – who was eight and a half months pregnant at the time – and her fiancé, Jason Murray, were driving to their Monroe, Georgia home.
Traveling south on Highway 11 Murray and Bilbrey both testified that the USPS employee suddenly pulled into their lane from his position off the right-hand side of the road. A commercially licensed, experienced driver, Murray swerved to avoid colliding with the USPS truck yet ultimately lost control of his vehicle. The car ran off the road into a fence where a wooden fence rail impaled the vehicle, forcefully striking Mary’s pregnant abdomen. She went into premature labor suffered serious injury and the impact severely brain-damaged her son.
The United States denied that the postal driver was responsible for causing the wreck. Steve Lowry explained, “Even though there were no independent eye witnesses to the wreck, we were able to prove that the postal driver was at fault through an extensive investigation that focused on recreating the wreck using forensic evidence to show the postal driver was at fault. The substantial recovery will allow for Anthony to receive the best available medical care going forward.”
HLM worked tirelessly to see justice done in this very tragic case.
$6.1 Million
Wrongful Death Heavy Truck Accident
$3 Million
Wrongful Death Trucking Accident
$2 Million
Tractor trailer wreck resulting in serious injuries
$4,950,000
Wrongful Death Tractor Trailer Wreck
SETTLEMENTS
$21,000,000
Burn fatalities - commercial vehicle fire
$6,100,000
Wrongful death - heavy truck accident
$4,950,000
Wrongful death - tractor trailer wreck
$4,600,000
Loss of use of arm - farm tractor accident
$3,000,000
Wrongful death - trucking accident
$2,500,000+
Wrongful death - commercial/military vehicle wreck
$2,500,000
Burn injuries - commercial vehicle accident
$2,300,000
Wrongful death - defective farm equipment
$2,050,000
Back injury – trucking accident
$2,000,000
Serious injuries – trucking accident
$1,925,000
Fractured tibia – trucking accident
$1,800,000
Serious injury – trucking accident
$1,500,000
Serious injury - trucking accident
$1,500,000
Serious injury - commercial trucking
$1,500,000
Serious injury - trucking accident
$1,500,000
Serious injury - commercial trucking
$1,125,000
Wrongful death - trucking accident
$1,100,000
Rib and wrist fractures - trucking accident
$1,050,000
Brain injury - trucking accident
$1,000,000
Wrongful death pedestrian - tractor trailer wreck
$1,000,000
Leg injuries - trucking accident
$1,000,000
Back injury - trucking accident
Confidential
Settlement for injuries sustained in rear-end trucking collision
Confidential
Settlement for neck injury caused by trucking collision
Confidential
Settlement for injuries caused by tractor-trailer rear-end collision
Confidential
Settlement for death of elderly couple caused by negligent truck driver