Rhoads & Rhoads Injury Lawyers Secure $2.6 Million Recovery For Survivors of Catastrophic Truck Collision

OWENSBORO, Ky., July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rhoads & Rhoads, P.S.C. is proud to announce the successful resolution of a federal personal injury lawsuit, two (2) citizens of our Owensboro, Kentucky community whose lives were devastated when a commercial tractor-trailer struck the vehicle in which they were riding on an interstate highway in northern Kentucky. The total recovery for our clients was $2,645,500.00.

The Collision

In the spring of 2016, early in the morning before sunrise, our clients were back-seat passengers in a compact automobile traveling southbound on the interstate. Our client's driver had activated his emergency flashers and was applying the brakes to pull to the shoulder when a tractor-trailer violently crashed into the rear of the vehicle at its governed speed of 63 mph. Both of our clients were life-flighted to the University of Louisville Hospital.

Corporate Negligence Exposed

The Kentucky State Police collision report identified the Defendant truck driver as not keeping his vehicle under "proper control." Further investigation and discovery taken by Rhoads & Rhoads attorneys revealed a troubling pattern of corporate negligence. The truck driver had misrepresented his employment application, omitting prior accidents and citations; the trucking company failed to complete a proper background check before hiring him; the vehicle's Mobileye collision-avoidance system had been reported as not working numerous times prior to the crash and was not working on the day of the collision; and the truck driver had been reinstated by the company after a prior at-fault DOT-reportable accident soon after the subject crash. While the trucking company and its lawyers tried to point the finger at our clients' driver, Plaintiffs' expert witness concluded that the trucking company was negligent in its hiring and training of its driver, and had the trucking company properly maintained the Mobileye collision avoidance system installed in the tractor, the accident would have been avoided.

Client's Catastrophic Injuries

Our client was found unconscious and folded up in the back seat of the car. Once extracted, he was non-verbal. He was intubated, sedated, and flown to the University of Louisville Hospital, where CT scans confirmed a traumatic brain injury ("TBI") diffuse cerebral swelling, scattered bleeding, and diffuse axonal injury. He underwent a tracheotomy, placement of a gastronomy tube, and oral and maxillofacial surgery to repair fractures of his right superior orbital rim, right orbital roof, and anterior table frontal sinus, involving the placement of a metal plate and screws.

Our client's treating neurologist determined that he had suffered atrophy to his brain and had lost approximately 30% of the volume of his brain since the injury, with enlarged ventricles showing rapid deterioration. The neurologist concluded that our client will never be able to live independently, will need assistance taking care of himself, will only deteriorate with time, and will never work again. Before the crash, our client was described by his factory work supervisors as an excellent employee. Today, he cannot be left alone, gets lost when leaving his home, walks into the street without looking, and suffers from debilitating headaches, memory loss, depression, and seizures. In all, Rhoads & Rhoads utilized twelve (12) expert witnesses in proving this case and maximizing damages, including an accident reconstructionist, a trucking safety expert, two (2) neurologists, a neurosurgeon, a neuropsychiatrist, a neuro-radiologist, a vocational/ occupational expert, and a certified life care planner.

Protecting Client's Future

The settlement proceeds were structured to ensure our client's long-term security by utilizing a structured settlement and a Settlement Preservation Trust designed to provide for his care, comfort, and wellbeing for the rest of his life while preserving his eligibility for ongoing medical care and benefits. Part of the money was also used for construction of a home for our client to meet his needs and disabilities

Statement of Counsel

"Our client came to this community with nothing but his determination and his character, and the people who knew him described him as one of the hardest-working men they had ever met," said Christopher L. Rhoads of Rhoads & Rhoads Injury Lawyers, P.S.C. "A corporate trucking company's negligence took all of that from him. We are proud to have fought for our client, and we are grateful that this resolution will provide him with the care and security our client needs and deserves for the rest of his life."

About Rhoads & Rhoads Injury Lawyers

Rhoads & Rhoads Injury Lawyers is a Kentucky-based personal injury law firm dedicated to representing individuals and families who have been seriously injured due to no fault of their own. With deep roots in Owensboro, Madisonville, and surrounding counties,and with decades of courtroom experience, the firm focuses on helping clients navigate complex injury claims involving car accidents, truck accidents, workplace injuries, wrongful death, and disability cases. Rhoads & Rhoads is known for its client-first approach, trial readiness, and commitment to holding insurance companies and negligent parties accountable.

To learn more about Rhoads & Rhoads Injury Lawyers, visit https://www.rhoadsandrhoads.com/.

Media Contact:
Diane Cayce
Rhoads & Rhoads Injury Lawyers
115 East Second Street
Suite 100
Owensboro, KY 42302
Phone: (270) 238-1209
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Rhoads & Rhoads Injury Lawyers