Roberts & Roberts Law Firm Obtains Record Judgment in Railroad Negligence Case

TYLER, Texas, May 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 23, 2017, a Hopkins County, TX, jury awarded a verdict of almost $8.5 million to a truck driver injured in a railroad accident, a record verdict for Hopkins County and much of East Texas. Plaintiff Charles Knighton was represented by Randy Roberts and Mike Ace of the Roberts & Roberts Law Firm in Tyler, Texas and by local counsel John C. Ginn of Smith, McDowell, Ginn.

Knighton was unloading a feed truck into a hopper train car at The Blackland Railroad trans-loading facility in Mount Vernon, Texas, when he was injured. Evidence showed that The Blackland's conductor gave Knighton permission to get on top of the train car and then moved the train without notifying Knighton. This caused Knighton to fall over 15 feet and forcibly land on the train coupling between the cars. He suffered serious injuries, including a pelvic fracture that caused permanently disabling nerve damage and physical impairment.

Local counsel John C. Ginn praised the lead attorneys and the jury. He noted, "First the jury was very attentive and conscientious and second, Mr. Roberts and Mr. Ace did a superb job of presenting what amounted to overwhelming evidence."

A vital discovery during the trial was that The Blackland's conductor may have given erroneous testimony. On the first day of trial, the jury heard from The Blackland's engineer. He stated that the conductor did in fact tell him that Knighton had permission to be on top of the train car. This statement directly contradicted the previous testimony.

This proved to be a pivotal moment within the trial. "Juries are interested in the truth and when witnesses are less than honest with them, a jury will exact appropriate justice," said Ginn.

Randy Roberts believes that the verdict will finally offer some much-deserved peace for the Knightons and said, "Roberts & Roberts is proud to have had a role in obtaining a measure of justice for Charles and Misti Knighton. The jury's verdict will allow them to move past Charles' injuries and begin a long-delayed process of healing."

The case is Knighton v. The Blackland Railroad, Case No. CV42641, in the 62^nd District Court, Hopkins County, TX.

The East Texas personal injury attorneys at Roberts & Roberts Law Firm have a history of helping people injured by unsafe practices and products as well as by unfair insurance practices.

The firm has received national recognition for obtaining notable verdicts and settlements in personal injury and defective products cases, including Nemon v. Manchester Tank & Equipment Co. (No. 02-310-B, 87th Dist. Ct., Freestone County, Texas); Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Morgan, (No. 12-98-00093-CV, 1999 WL 33312264, Tex. App.–Tyler); and Taylor v. Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc., (No. 25,537-B, 87th Dist. Ct., Limestone County, Texas).

Contact:
Randy Roberts[email protected]
903-597-6655

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SOURCE Roberts & Roberts Law Firm