$26 Million Settlement For Fatal Rear-End Truck Accident

For Death Caused by Impaired Trucker

Joe had an infectious, goofy personality with a full body laugh. His younger brother and sister looked up to him; his baby sister adored him; and his parents depended on him and considered him their best friend. He studied hard in school, donated a portion of his wages to his church, and loved playing video games and taking trips to Disney with his close-knit family. But on a mundane Monday, the high school senior was suddenly, violently, and unexpectedly taken from their lives due to a fatal truck accident.

He was heading home from school to watch his favorite YouTube show with his dad before heading off to work at Walmart. As he slowed to turn into his neighborhood west of Starke, a tractor trailer slammed into the rear of his PT Cruiser.

His father started to worry when he had not shown up and drove toward his school. He didn’t even get to the end of his street when law enforcement stopped him. He was told there was a crash. It was a black PT Cruiser. “We can’t identify who was in it. You don’t want to see the car. Go on home. We will be there shortly.” A parent’s worst nightmare had come true. Their 18-year-old son was dead.

Initially, the family signed up online with another law firm. But when the owner of a local trucking company, where a relative worked, recommended Pajcic & Pajcic, they invited a Pajcic attorney to meet with them in their home. It was the first time they had spoken with a lawyer.

When law enforcement lacked the technology to download the semi-truck’s black box, Pajcic & Pajcic brought in an expert to complete the download and preserve this critical evidence. The firm also found multiple layers of insurance coverage, and, shockingly, discovered that the truck driver had alcohol in his system at a level that violated federal law. Pajcic & Pajcic also produced a poignant video detailing Joe’s virtuous life to give the defense a better understanding of the deep loss.

The Pajcics made a pre-suit demand for the $26 million policy limits and the insurance companies asked to mediate. On behalf of the family, Pajcic & Pajcic declined a mediation and instead shared jury verdicts from recent Pajcic trials. That’s when the policy limits were promptly tendered.

Now, his family is honoring his legacy-his love for his church and community. Just as he always tithed a portion of his wages, his family made significant contributions to the institutions he valued. They have established scholarships for missions and trade schools. As a result, their son’s life will touch many, and he will live on through them.