The surviving family members of a 39-year-old Fort Worth, TX man who died in a 2004 truck collision have reached a $2.25 million settlement in their lawsuit against Fort Worth-based waste disposal company International Environmental Services Inc. (IESI) and a company truck driver.
Attorneys Steve Laird and John Cummings of Fort Worth's The Law Offices of Steven C. Laird, P.C., represented the wife and daughter of the deceased Jim Jordan, in the case that was set for trial in Fort Worth's 48th Civil District Court.
"The Jordan family is thankful to put this case behind them, and they're looking forward to moving on with their lives," said Laird. "It is their hope that this company and all trucking companies realize that the public's safety is on the line every time they put a heavy truck on the road."
Jordan's wife, Elaine, and daughter, Karen, will receive $2.25 million to resolve the claim filed after the fatal March 5, 2004 collision.
Jordan was driving a dump truck in the eastbound right center lane of I-30W in Fort Worth when he ran into a stalled garbage truck operated by IESI driver Rafael C. Dominguez. Callers to 911 reported the stalled vehicle 20 minutes before the accident. Dominguez said the truck ran out of gas in the middle of the freeway.
According to IESI records, the truck's fuel gauge had not worked since at least December 2003. Other maintenance problems discovered after the collision showed that the truck was not roadworthy under accepted legal standards, according to Laird.
Dominguez' Texas driver’s license was suspended during the time of the collision and he had no significant experience operating a dump truck, Laird added.
