The Texas Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in the Werner Enterprises case, a legal battle that could redefine trucking liability. At the heart of the case is a $90 million jury verdict handed down in 2018, now exceeding $100 million with interest. The case revolves around a devastating 2014 crash on Interstate 20 near Odessa, Texas, which claimed the life of a 7-year-old boy, left his sister with catastrophic brain injuries, and severely injured other family members.
The Crash and Verdict
The incident occurred when a car driven by Zaragoza Salinas spun out of control on icy roads, crossed the median, and collided with a Werner truck driven by Shiraz Ali. A Harris County jury found Werner 70% liable, Ali 14% liable, and Salinas responsible for the remaining 16%. The jury concluded that Ali was traveling too fast for the icy conditions and that Werner failed to provide adequate training, including not equipping Ali’s truck with a CB radio to monitor road conditions.
The central question before the Texas Supreme Court is whether Ali, and by extension Werner, breached a legal duty of care. Werner’s attorneys argue that the crash was an unforeseeable accident and that the liability imposed by the lower courts created a new and overly broad legal duty for drivers.
The Arguments for Werner Enterprises
Thomas Wright, lead appellate attorney for Werner, argued that the liability imposed on the carrier was unjustified under established legal principles. Citing a century-old precedent from Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad Co., Wright contended that liability should only apply when harm is reasonably foreseeable. According to Wright, the icy road conditions and Salinas’ loss of control were beyond what a professional driver like Ali could reasonably anticipate.
“The idea that drivers must continually anticipate vehicles leaving their lanes and entering their path undermines the purpose of highways,” Wright stated. He emphasized that Ali was driving within the speed limit and could not have reasonably avoided the collision given the circumstances.
Wright also criticized the appellate court’s decision for creating a new “duty” for drivers, arguing that it imposes unrealistic expectations on professional truck drivers, especially in unpredictable weather conditions.
The Plaintiffs’ Counterarguments
Representing the Blake family, Darrin Walker argued that Ali failed to exercise reasonable care given the road conditions. Walker emphasized that Ali had been driving through icy weather for over an hour and had witnessed other accidents caused by the conditions. This awareness, Walker argued, should have prompted greater caution, such as reducing speed or stopping altogether.
Walker further argued that Werner’s inadequate training contributed to the crash. He noted that Ali was a rookie driver, just one month into his job, and lacked key tools like a CB radio to gather information about road conditions. According to Walker, Werner’s failure to adequately prepare Ali for hazardous conditions made the carrier partially responsible for the tragedy.
The Role of the Admission Rule
A significant legal point in the case is the “admission rule,” which limits a company’s liability once it acknowledges that an employee was acting within the scope of their employment during an incident. Werner invoked this rule, but Walker argued that it disincentivizes companies from properly training employees. He maintained that juries should be allowed to assess a company’s broader responsibility when negligence in training contributes to harm.
Walker also contended that hiding evidence of inadequate training or supervision from juries creates unfair protections for employers. He argued that such protections undermine public safety by allowing companies to avoid full accountability for breaches of duty.
Implications for the Trucking Industry
The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for trucking companies and their liability in future accidents. Werner’s defense hinges on limiting liability for unforeseeable events, while the plaintiffs argue that the carrier’s systemic failures contributed to the crash.
With damages exceeding $100 million, the Werner case highlights the stakes involved in trucking-related litigation and raises critical questions about training, safety, and the legal responsibilities of carriers and drivers on the road.
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