Tractor-Trailer Lane Change on I-95 Kills Retired Veteran; Family Settles for $10 Million

During the summer of 2023, a tractor-trailer was traveling in the middle lane of Interstate 95 North in Virginia. The driver moved into the right lane without seeing the car that was already there. The truck struck that vehicle and a second one, and the man driving the car died at the scene.

He had served in the military for more than 20 years and had recently retired. After retirement he took a civilian job with the Department of Defense and kept supporting his family. He left behind a wife, two adult sons, and a young daughter. He was the sole financial provider for his wife and his minor child.

Marks & Harrison represented the family. Ryan T. Walker and Mike J. Braggs handled the case from the firm's Richmond office, with Bryan L. Meadows working from Fredericksburg. The defense asked for mediation before any suit was filed.

To measure what the family had lost, the attorneys retained economist Dr. Robert W. Cook to calculate the income the veteran would have earned over the rest of his working years. They also commissioned a video from Juris Production Inc. that showed who the man was to his wife, his children, and his friends. That gave the defense both the financial figures and a clear picture of the family at the same table.

The parties reached a $10 million settlement. Because the matter resolved at pre-suit mediation, there was no trial and no verdict, and the amount was not reduced on appeal.

Virginia Lawyers Weekly later listed the recovery among the state's million-dollar-plus settlements of 2024. It was one of five Marks & Harrison results on that year's list, and the firm reported that it ranked as the second-largest personal injury settlement in Virginia for 2024.