COURT UPHOLDS DECISION IN TRUCKER'S DEATH, BUT REDUCES DAMAGE AWARD
May 31, 2013
The Associated Press
Montgomery, AL
The Alabama Supreme Court has ruled that a company that manufactures trucks
was liable in a driver's death but reduced a jury's punitive damage
award for his survivors from $25 million to $6 million.
Tonnie Ray Witherspoon died in a Nov. 6, 1995 accident when a Mack Trucks
Inc. truck Witherspoon was driving ran off the road, rolled over and burned.
Witherspoon was hauling a load of logs on an attached trailer.
Mary Witherspoon sued Mack, alleging the truck was defective. A jury awarded
her $50 million in punitive damages but the trial court reduced the penalty
to $25 million.
Mack appealed both the verdict and the penalty.
In its ruling Friday, state Supreme Court justices voted 7-2 to uphold
the lower court's ruling that Mack was liable for the driver's
death. But they ruled that the punitive damage award was excessive and
reduced the penalty to $6 million.
Mary Witherspoon has three weeks to accept the new penalty amount. If
not, the case will be sent back for a new trial.