Fred and Anthony were a father and son trucking team who were driving separate 18-wheelers on Highway 1 near Lompoc, California. A box truck came across the double yellow lines, side-swiped Fred’s tractor and collided head-on with Anthony.  The force of the impact into Anthony’s tractor severed the cab of the tractor from the frame rail and violently propelled Anthony and his cab down a 40 foot ravine, where it crashed below.  Anthony suffered a severe laceration to his left arm and a significant nerve stretching injury to his back.

Fred testified in trial that after he was side-swiped, he heard an “explosion” behind him and knew that his son had been likely killed. He kicked open the door of his cab (which was jammed shut), jumped to the ground and ran down the road. Upon seeing his son’s tractor trailer with no cab and his son gone, Fred dropped to his knees and began to pray. Fred significantly aggravated his lumbar spine condition in the process. 

The top pre-trial offer was $20,000.  A Van Nuys Superior Court jury awarded $4,532,444 and the final Judgement after post trial motions was should exceed $6,500,000