Wrongful Death: Truck Crash
Background : Danny Hall and his wife, Laura, owned and operated a canine breeding and brokerage business in LaBelle, Missouri, and routinely transported litters of puppies for shipment across the United States. In order to provide for the health and comfort of the animals, the Halls purchased a 2001 Ford Van with modifications including extension of the cargo base and installation of a generator to provide air temperature regulation for the cargo hold of the van. A second fuel tank, needed to power the generator, was installed in the crush zone in the back of the vehicle.
On August 27, 2007 at approximately 5:30 p.m., Danny Hall was traveling to Kansas City International Airport, carrying a load of puppies for shipment. He was traveling westbound on U.S. 36 in Macon County when he encountered slow traffic, and properly reduced speed on his vehicle. According to the State Highway Patrol, Highway Patrol, it was a clear, sunny day, the roadway was dry, and sight distance was almost a mile.
Traffic had slowed due to an accident, and Mr. Hall obeyed the rules of the road by reducing his speed, as conditions demanded. Tragically, not so for Matt Engen, a truck driver employed by W.W. Transport, who was traveling behind the Hall vehicle. Though he had a clear line of sight ahead, Mr. Engen allowed his attention to lapse, and was traveling too fast for conditions. The semi-tractor violently struck the rear of Mr. Hall’s vehicle, pushing it into a bridge railing, where it overturned. The fuel lines servicing the generator were breached in the impact, and the vehicle caught fire, trapping Danny inside. A medical examiner later determined the cause of death was as a result not of the impact, but of the fire. Danny Hall was fifty-eight years old at the time of his death.
Action : Danny’s wife, Laura, and his children, Ricky, Lorie, and Leeanett sued W.W. Transport and Matt Engen for wrongful death.
Result : In partial return for a financial settlement of $5,000,000.00 with W.W. Transport and Matt Engen prior to trial, the Hall family gave W.W. Transport the right to seek contribution from various parties involved in the modification and installation of the generator, fuel tank, and fuel supply lines in the cargo hold in the van. In addition, W.W. Transport agreed to implement the “Smith System”, a program designed to establish and maintain safety management programs for trucking companies.
What The Hall Family Has To Say About Our Firm : “Our experience with Dollar, Burns and Becker has been the finest example of follow-through we could have asked for. They were extremely professional, showed compassion and above all else, cared about us. Our calls were always promptly returned and any concerns or questions were patiently explained and answered. Tim Dollar’s invaluable expertise and knowledge of the legalities of trucking law provided a positive outcome and makes our highways safer for all our families. They delicately and personally handled our case without ever forgetting the magnitude of our loss at any time. I would highly recommend Dollar Burns & Becker to anyone. They truly set the standards all law firms should be held to, and went unquestionably above and beyond the call of duty.”
