Arizona Wrongful Death Suit Over Truck Accident Ends in $13.2M Verdict

The parents of a man who died when he struck a crashed tractor-trailer have won a $13.2 million award from an Arizona jury. 

The wrongful death lawsuit was brought by the parents of Matthew Bachrach, who died at the age of 31 on September 7, 2008, in Ahwatukee, Arizona, when he struck an overturned Covenant Transport truck on interstate 10 in the middle of the night.

Bachrach was killed instantly in the truck accident, and the lawsuit alleged that Covenant was responsible for the death.

A claim brought by Bachrach’s wife and children was resolved three years ago against the company, and an attempt was made to settle the lawsuit brought by the parents for $625,000 before trial. However, according to a press release issued by the parents’ attorneys, the offer was refused and the case was taken to trial.

On March 13, after a day and a half trial and three hours of deliberation, the jury agreed that the company’s negligence cost Randolph and Carrie Bachrach their son. Damages of $9.5 million were awarded to the mother, because of the close relationship she maintained with her son, and an additional $3.718 million was awarded to the father, whose relationship was more distant.

One of the arguments made during the case was that Matthew Bachrach’s death robbed his father of the chance of rebuilding a relationship with his son, whom he had not seen for nine months.