Press Release

July 31, 2009
For Immediate Release

Clarkson woman wins $455,000 verdict

A Falls County jury awarded a Clarkson widow a $455,000 verdict as a result of an 18-wheeler accident in 2007 that injured her husband.

The jury of eight men and four women took less than five hours to reach the verdict in Judge Robert Stem’s 82 Judicial District Court in Marlin Friday afternoon.

Leola Dodd brought the suit after her husband was struck by an 18-wheeler on Hwy 77 south of Rosebud. The suit was filed against Tornado Trucking of Victoria and its driver, Juan Leal.

“This trucking company played fast and loose with public safety,” said lead attorney Craig Brown of the Cappolino Dodd Kerbs law firm in Cameron. “I am very pleased with this verdict.”

The case centered around a January 2007 rear end collision in which an 18-wheeler driven by Leal and owned by Tornado Trucking plowed into the rear of George Dodd’s Grand Marquis, pushing him off the road.

Mark Stratton of the Shannon Gracy law firm in Austin handled the defense. The trial took two weeks and involved over 20 witnesses.

For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Richard Stone, communications at rstone@asbestoslaw.com | 512-760-5748.