A jury in Alabama has handed down a $160 million verdict against Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) in a case involving a catastrophic spinal injury suffered by a former trucker, Leonard Wiley Streets. The case centered on claims that the truck manufacturer failed to include crucial safety features in its vehicles, which could have prevented the injury.

Daimler Truck $160M Award : Major Verdict in Truck Rollover Case

The Alabama state jury awarded $160 million on Friday, with Leonard Wiley Streets receiving $75 million in compensatory damages and another $75 million in punitive damages. His wife, Tracy Streets, was awarded $10 million for loss of consortium, according to court documents provided by Streets’ legal team.

The lawsuit stems from a June 22, 2022, incident where Streets was transporting wood products on Highway 84 in Clarke County, Alabama. A pickup truck veered into his lane, causing Streets to lose control of his 2023 Western Star truck, which rolled over. The crash fractured Streets' neck, leaving him with incomplete quadriplegia, his attorney said.

Failure to Implement Rollover Safety Features

Ben Baker of the Beasley Allen Law Firm, who represented the Streets family, argued that DTNA could have prevented the severe injury by installing rollover safety technology in its trucks. Baker noted that although the Western Star truck model was designed in 1995, it lacked essential updates, such as an automatic pull-down seat, which could have mitigated Streets' injuries.

"This case highlights DTNA's failure to increase cab strength for nearly 30 years despite knowing that rollovers are the most dangerous event for truck drivers," said Baker. "DTNA had an automatic pull-down seat for rollover safety but refused to make it a standard feature. We hope this verdict will change the way DTNA views driver safety."

Jury Sends Strong Message with $160M Award

The $160 million judgment against Daimler Truck North America sends a clear message to the trucking industry about the importance of prioritizing driver safety. The punitive damages portion of the award reflects the jury's belief that DTNA acted with disregard for the safety of drivers by not incorporating available safety technology into its vehicles.