Commercial Truck Collision

Our client, a Central Oregon driver, was traveling on an Oregon highway and slowed to make a left-hand turn onto a rural road. At the same time, a commercial truck driver came up behind a line of vehicles and attempted to pass in a no-passing zone.

The truck struck the left side of our client's vehicle. The force of impact slammed our client's head against the driver-side door and window.

From the beginning, this case was about more than vehicle damage and reckless driving by the defendant. The central issue was whether the crash caused the long-term neurological symptoms our client continued to experience afterward — seizures, migraines, dizziness, memory problems, fatigue, and other life disruptions that did not simply clear up with time.

The defense also pushed for broad medical history and examinations, including questions about preexisting conditions and mental health issues. That created a second, practical problem: keeping the case focused on what changed after the collision, without letting the story get lost in unrelated history.

• The defense disputed how much of the ongoing neurological and psychological symptoms were caused by the crash.
• The case involved serious brain-injury allegations, which meant the evidence had to be specific, consistent, and medically grounded.
• The defense sought wide-ranging discovery and examinations, including exploration of pre-crash medical history and alternative explanations for symptoms.
• Even with strong liability facts, the value of the harm was heavily contested.

The case moved forward as a litigated trucking-collision case, with the parties preparing for trial and developing the evidence needed to explain the crash and the injuries in a clear, credible way. That included work on liability proof tied to the passing maneuver, and medical proof tied to the brain injury and its day-to-day consequences.

Before the trial date, the case resolved through an extended mediation with Defendants ultimately making a payment that acknowledged the injuries suffered by our client. The settlement also preserved our client's ability to pursue his own UIM coverage afterward.

The case resolved for a total recovery of $900,000:

• $800,000 paid by the defendants to settle the claims arising from the collision; and
• $100,000 paid under our client's underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage.

The resolution brought the litigation to a close without a trial verdict, while still securing meaningful compensation in a case where the injuries and their cause were actively disputed.

This outcome mattered because it gave our client real financial breathing room after a crash that changed daily life — treatment decisions, work capacity, and the routines that used to be simple. It also meant the case ended with answers and support, instead of years of uncertainty hanging over the family.