Dearden v. Anskis, Inc.
Case Background:
Mr. Langsam represented the family of Ned and Theresa Dearden who were killed on May 12, 2014, when their SUV was rear-ended in a chain reaction crash started by a tractor-trailer. The Deardens were stopped in traffic on a I-78 in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The traffic was caused by an ongoing bridge construction project. The case required concurrent detailed investigations into the roadwork and traffic control, truck driver and trucking company operations and the cause and origin of the fire. Regarding the roadwork, the contractor should have – (1) had a supervisor monitor the traffic, (2) set additional signage before the worksite, and (3) asked for the Pennsylvania State Police to position a patrol car in the area to alert drivers to the upcoming stoppage. The truck driver and the company that owned/operated the commercial vehicle did not operate safely or satisfy the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations. The fire investigation determined that the fire was directly tied to the crash and forces associated with the chain reaction.
Case Result:
On behalf of their clients, the plaintiffs team tried the case after having resolved several claims against some of the defendants in the case. Attorneys obtained a $19.1 million jury verdict in Philadelphia on behalf of the three crash victims. The $19.1 million verdict included $12.1 million for the Dearden family and $7 million verdict for the other crash victim. The Legal Intelligencer recognized the verdict as the largest verdict in Pennsylvania in 2021.
Contact our team today if you or a loved one has suffered because of a roadwork, trucking or fire-related accident.
