The family of a\n16-year-old boy who was killed in 2015 when the car he was driving was struck\nby a tractor-trailer which lacked safety devices that prevent cars from getting\nstuck underneath in the event of a crash has been awarded an $18.9 million\nverdict by a New Mexico jury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The teen, Riley Hein of\nTijeras, New Mexico, died in November 2015 when his Honda Civic was struck by a\ntractor-trailer that veered\nover the centerline of Interstate 40 in Tijeras Canyon east of Albuquerque as\nHein was driving to band practice at Manzano High School, according to an Aug.\n23 story by The Albuquerque Journal<\/em>. Hein’s Civic was trapped under the truck’s\ntrailer by the impact and dragged for about a half mile along a concrete\nbarrier, causing the car to burst into flames, the story reported. The teen was\nburned over 75% of his body and died at the scene of the crash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a defective product\nlawsuit filed against the manufacturer of the trailer, the boy’s family alleged\nthat the trailer company, Utility Trailer Manufacturing Inc., did not include\n“underride guards” or bars on their trailers that can help prevent\ncars from being trapped underneath them in the event of a crash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The trailer company was\naccused in the lawsuit of manufacturing and selling a dangerous and defective\nproduct that contributed to Hein\u2019s death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After two weeks of\ntestimony, the jury found the trailer company and the driver of the truck were\nnegligent in the teen’s death, the story reported. The truck driver, however,\nhad not been sued by the teen’s estate or by his family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The jury’s verdict\nassessed damages of $42 million in connection with the teen’s death, including $38\nmillion to his estate and $2 million for each of his parents Eric and Wendy\nHein for loss of consortium. The jury found the truck driver to be 55%\nresponsible for the crash and the trailer company was determined to be 45%\nresponsible, so the $42 million verdict was reduced to the 45% responsibility assessed\nto the trailer company, for a total of $18.9 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The family did not want a\nconfidential settlement in the case because they wanted the public to hear about\nthe dangers of truck trailers that lack underride guards, the story reported.\nHad the trailer that struck their son’s car had the guards, he might be alive\ntoday, the report continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Legal\ncases like this one occur around the nation every day and are examples of\nsimilar kinds of truck and car crash cases that MyPhillyLawyer<\/em> attorneys\nregularly work on tirelessly for our own clients. Often, we are not able to\ndiscuss the cases we are actively working on due to confidentiality\nrequirements, so we discuss other relevant cases in the news such as this one\nto illustrate the legal situations people find themselves in every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\nneed a truck or car accident injury attorney<\/a>, we here at MyPhillyLawyer<\/em> stand\nready to assist you with your legal case if you or a loved one is ever\nseriously injured in any kind of car crash, slip and fall, pedestrian\ninjury, workplace injury or wrongful death in Philadelphia or anywhere in the\nUnited States. We pledge to make sure that you and your family get the\ncompassionate, dogged and experienced legal representation that you deserve and\nexpect from a professional legal team which works hard to uncover every fact to\nbolster your case and maximize your damage award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\nrepresent the families of victims who die in such tragedies as well, to ensure\nthat their families receive every penny of damages that they are eligible to\nreceive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Talk to a\nPhiladelphia car crash attorney at MyPhillyLawyer<\/em><\/a> by calling 215-227-2727 or toll-free\nat 1-866-907-2231 anytime and our experienced, compassionate,\naggressive team of attorneys and support staff will be there for you and your\nfamily every step of the way as we manage your case through the legal system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n