$728,218 Jury Verdict After Jackknifed Tractor-Trailer Hits Cargo Van on Gene Snyder Freeway

Rush-hour traffic on Louisville's Gene Snyder Freeway came to a violent halt when a tractor-trailer jackknifed, sending its empty trailer swinging into adjacent lanes. The plaintiff, driving a cargo van, had no time to avoid the collision. The impact knocked the van across multiple lanes of traffic.

The plaintiff suffered cervical, lumbar, and hip injuries. Chronic pain complaints followed, requiring ongoing treatment. The case turned on the severity and permanence of those injuries, along with the liability picture presented by a jackknifing big rig in heavy commuter traffic.

Jonathan Hollan of Sam Aguiar Injury Lawyers, Louisville, handled the case for the plaintiff. The defense was led by Daniel C. Mack and R. Craig Reinhardt of Reinhardt and Associates, Lexington. Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Susan Gibson presided.

The jury returned a verdict of $728,218 in November 2023. The parties had entered a confidential Hi-Lo agreement, meaning the actual recovery was bounded within a pre-set range regardless of the jury's number, with the verdict falling within those limits.