Scott Rankin, 37, was riding his bicycle on a two-lane rural, nonresidential road when he collided with the back of a United Parcel Service truck parked partially on the road. Rankin suffered serious injuries, the worst of which resulted in incomplete quadriplegia. He had been a band director earning about $60,000 a year, but now is unable to work.
Rankin filed suit against UPS claiming negligence per se for its driver’s violation of the Texas Transportation Code. The statute prohibits trucks such as a UPS vehicle in nonresidential districts from leaving their vehicles on the main part of the highway unless it is impractical to do so.
Rankin alleged that UPS endangered others on the road by choosing not to train its drivers on applicable parking laws in an effort to promote driver efficiency and safety.
UPS maintained that Rankin should have avoided the truck as he proceeded on his bike.
The jury entered a verdict of $9,360,000 finding that Rankin was 50% at fault for his own injuries. The case has been appealed by UPS and is awaiting further disposition by the Texas Appellate Court.
The attorneys representing Scott Rankin were Doug Perrin, Mark Perrin and Pete D. Marketos.
At the jury trial, the Rankin attorneys engaged experts in parking, life-care planning and economics.
Rankin v. United Parcel Service, No. 2011 CI-07922 (Tex., Bexar Co. Jud. Dist, April 16, 2014).
Kreisman Law Offices has been handling bicycle accident cases, automobile crash cases, truck accident cases and motorcycle accident cases for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 38 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Bedford Park, Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park, Calumet Park, Riverdale, Alsip, Hickory Hills, Burr Ridge, Blue Island, South Holland, Harvey, Calumet City, Des Plaines, Niles, Rolling Meadows, Buffalo Grove, Highland Park, Wilmette, Chicago (Garfield Park, Humboldt Park, Pilsen, Greek Town, Goose Island, Old Town, Roscoe Village, Sauganash, Pulaski Park, West Ridge, Rogers Park), Evanston and Morton Grove, Ill.
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