Family of a Payson man who died from injuries suffered in car crash recovered a $4.4 million District Court jury verdict. Utah Department of Transportation and Staker & Parsons Cos. found responsible by jury in wrongful death of driver from I-15 auto accident injuries.
Utah personal injury lawyers recovered $4.4 million jury verdict for an Interstate 15 car crash fatality wrongful death lawsuit.
Salt Lake City, UT–Utah personal injury lawyers representing the widow and children of a Payson man who died after suffering traumatic injuries in an I-15 automobile accident recovered a $4.4 million jury verdict. The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and Staker/Parsons Companies, a subcontractor with locals in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Arizona, claiming their negligence managing the construction on Interstate 15 near Spanish Fork led to the death of Richard Kunzler. The Utah bridge reconstruction project caused serious traffic delays and back up of motor vehicles without sufficient warning to unsuspecting drivers. Mr. Kunzler was one of those innocent drivers.
On July 18, 2006, traffic from the bridge reconstruction project near Spanish Fork backed up to Benjamin with no signage warning drivers of the upcoming construction zone. Richard Kunzler a 38 year-old married father of three was driving on Interstate 15, came over a hill and encountered a driver in his line of traffic who suddenly slammed on his brakes because of the unknown stopped construction zone traffic. Kunzler swerved to avoid rear ending the driver and crashed. He died 13 days later from the traumatic injuries he suffered in the automobile accident.
The Utah 4th District Court jury returned a unanimous verdict on Friday, August 21, 2009 finding for damages totaling $4,396,268 and economic damages of $2,896,268 plus $375,000 each for Kunzler’s widow and three children for loss of care, comfort, and companionship. The eight member panel found Kunzler was 20 percent negligent in the events which caused his death. The UDOT was held 35 percent negligent and Staker/Parson Companies was 45 percent negligent. Utah law reduces the UDOT’s share of the $4.4 million jury verdict to $500,000 based on a legislative damages cap for state agencies.
Legal news reporter, Heather L. Ryan for Utah personal injury lawyers.
