$300,000 Jury Verdict in Alabama Truck Accident Trial

How Our Alabama Truck Accident Lawyers Beat a Contributory Negligence Defense Using Human Factors Science

When you’ve done nothing wrong and still get blamed, it’s more than frustrating—it’s infuriating. That’s exactly what happened in this Mobile, Alabama, truck accident case.

A young passenger suffered a serious facial injury when a commercial box truck failed to yield and turned left across traffic. Despite clear fault, the insurance company tried to dodge responsibility by accusing the victim of not paying attention.

At Dean Waite & Associates, LLC, we don’t let insurance companies twist the facts. Our Alabama truck accident lawyers took this case all the way to a jury trial—and secured a $300,000 verdict. Here’s how we exposed a flawed defense and proved our client did everything a reasonable person would in the same situation.

The Crash: A Common Scenario With High Stakes

This case involved a classic type of collision: a T-bone crash at a four-way intersection controlled by traffic lights. Our client was a passenger in a vehicle heading northbound with a solid green light.

At the same time, the defendant, driving a commercial box truck, attempted a left turn across our client’s lanes of travel from the southbound side—also with a solid green light (no arrow).

This moment, so common in Alabama intersections, turned tragic in seconds. The box truck cut across traffic and was struck near the rear of the passenger side by our client’s vehicle. The collision caused serious injuries, including a deep facial laceration that led to permanent scarring.

Despite the crash report clearly placing fault on the truck driver for failing to yield the right of way, the insurance company denied the claim. Their reasoning? They argued our client must have been speeding and should have avoided the crash. In Alabama—a contributory negligence state—that defense, if successful, could have barred any recovery.

Understanding Alabama’s Contributory Negligence Law

In most states, a person can still recover compensation even if they were partially at fault for an accident. Not so in Alabama. Under Alabama’s contributory negligence rule, if a plaintiff is found even 1% responsible for their injuries, they are legally barred from receiving compensation.

Insurance companies know this—and they exploit it. That’s why, in this case, they zeroed in on the point of impact: the rear half of the box truck. They claimed that the vehicle had already "cleared most of the intersection" and that the plaintiff had a duty to see and avoid it. They also suggested the plaintiff was speeding—without credible evidence—and should have reacted in time.

It was a calculated attempt to shift blame. But we had the truth on our side—and the tools to prove it.

Breaking Down the Defense With Human Factors Evidence

To discredit the insurance company’s argument, our legal team called on a human factors expert—a specialist in how people perceive and respond to hazards.

The defense claimed that the box truck was in the intersection for over seven seconds before the crash. Their reconstructionist, using data from a Geotab GO9 tracking device in the truck, claimed this gave our client ample time to perceive danger and avoid the collision.

But that’s not how real-world perception works. The human brain doesn’t instantly identify every moving object as a threat.

Our human factors expert explained that drivers only react to hazards when they are immediate and apparent. And in this intersection—featuring an unusually wide protected median (see yellow box in image)—the box truck was not perceived as a threat until it moved past the median and directly into our client’s path.

By the time the truck became an immediate hazard, only 2.3 seconds and 151 feet remained before impact. That’s well within the normal range of perception and reaction time, especially considering the crash occurred at full speed and there was no shoulder to swerve onto.

In short, our client reacted like any reasonable driver would. And the jury agreed.

What the Data Really Showed

The defense reconstruction relied heavily on GPS-based speed and location data from the truck (see log data image).

But we knew how to read between the lines. Here’s what the Geotab data actually showed:

• The box truck waited 46 seconds at the intersection before beginning its turn.
• It took over 7 seconds to make the turn—during which it gradually accelerated to 17 mph.
• The collision occurred more than 7 seconds into the turn.

The defense claimed this proved the truck was visible and avoidable. But what they didn’t factor in was the psychology of driving—how and when a vehicle becomes a recognizable threat based on location, speed, and the layout of the road.

As our human factors expert explained, that 2.3-second window was the only time when the truck’s path created an unavoidable risk. The rest of the turn happened in a visually shielded zone where turning vehicles are commonly expected to yield.

Vehicle Damage Told Its Own Story

Photos from the crash site (see images below) supported our version of events. The box truck sustained damage just behind the rear wheel, while the plaintiff’s vehicle showed uniform override damage to the right front.

That pattern reinforced the claim that the truck turned too late and the plaintiff had no room to maneuver. There was no significant damage to the plaintiff’s right front wheel, ruling out any meaningful last-second swerve—further evidence that there simply wasn’t enough time or space to avoid the crash.

Jury Trial and Verdict: Justice Delivered

With all evidence presented, including expert testimony and crash data, the case went before a jury in Mobile County Circuit Court. After a three-day trial and seven hours of deliberation, the jury returned a $300,000 verdict in favor of the plaintiff.

The verdict fully compensated our client for his medical treatment, permanent facial scarring, and the trauma he endured.

More importantly, it sent a message: insurance companies can’t hide behind contributory negligence claims when the facts—and the science—prove otherwise.

What This Case Means for Future Victims

If you or a loved one is injured in a left-turn truck accident, don’t assume the facts will speak for themselves. Insurance carriers know how to exploit gray areas in Alabama law. You need a legal team that’s ready to investigate every angle and bring in the right experts to strengthen your case.

At Dean Waite & Associates, we don’t accept blame-shifting or weak defenses. We go to trial when we have to. We use cutting-edge technology and credible experts to win cases—even in the face of tough contributory negligence arguments.

Injured in a Left-Turn Truck Accident in Alabama? Call Dean Waite.

Don’t let the insurance company spin the story. If you or someone you care about has been hurt in a crash involving a commercial vehicle, let us fight for the truth—and your future.

We serve injury victims across Mobile and the Gulf Coast with one goal: results. We don’t back down from trial, and we don’t settle for less than what our clients deserve. If you’ve been injured, don’t hesitate…call Dean Waite! Schedule your free consultation today.

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