A $28 Million Verdict for a Grieving Family: Ed and Aleshia’s Story

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Ed was a big-hearted man who loved music, his daughter, and his wife Aleshia. On a quiet afternoon, Ed was working on his car, which was parked in front of his Northeast Bexar County home. Aleshia stood by Ed’s side, handing him tools, offering a helping hand, and chatting.

Meanwhile, a pickup truck was driving down their street. Suddenly, the truck veered into the couple. Ed was pinned between the two vehicles and was dragged to his death. Aleshia suffered critical injuries, including a fractured neck.

To make matters worse, the couple’s nine-year-old daughter heard the violent crash and came running outside. The memories of her parents and the crash were seared into her mind.

Ed’s Family Turns to Crosley Law for Help

The loss of Ed hit his family hard. The grieving family wanted accountability and justice. Bexar County’s prosecutors filed criminal charges against the other driver, but jail time for the driver wouldn’t help the financial distress that Ed’s family now faced. Aleshia and Ed’s mother reached out to Crosley Law.

We knew we had to do everything in our power to help the family. Our investigation uncovered many disturbing aspects of the driver’s conduct. First, he had been drinking beer all day and was heavily intoxicated at the time of the crash. Second, the man was en route to pick up his own daughter when he killed Ed and injured Aleshia. Finally, the driver had veered into the couple because he had dropped a lit cigarette on the floor. While attempting to recover it, he took his eyes off the road and lost control.

This wasn’t a case where someone made a simple mistake. The facts established a significant pattern of willful and reckless conduct, and we believed that punitive damages were appropriate. Judges award punitive damages when there’s evidence of gross negligence and intentional misconduct.

The driver eventually pled “no contest” to drunk driving charges and received a seven-year prison sentence plus 10 years of probation.

A $28 Million Verdict Attracts Local and National Attention

Throughout the family’s claim, Tom Crosley worked closely with the prosecuting attorneys. He was able to interview the police officers who responded to the crash, and the district attorney even gave Crosley Law a copy of their file once they closed the criminal case. We understood every tragic detail of the case and were prepared to take the case to trial.

Eventually, settlement negotiations stalled, and the court set a trial date. We presented the jury with all the facts, providing expert insight into the crash, Ed and Aleshia’s injuries, and the profound losses that the whole family experienced. In response, the defense attorney argued that jail time was enough of a punishment and the drunk driver testified in his prison uniform.

The defense attorney’s tactics didn’t work; they were outweighed by Crosley Law’s trial presentation and detailed, hard-to-hear testimony from the medical examiner. At the end of the trial, the jury returned a verdict of $28 million. It was one of the top 100 largest jury verdicts in the country that year.

The Trial Provides Closure to the Grieving Family

Due to the case’s dramatic story and the enormous verdict, Ed and Aleshia’s story was featured on the San Antonio evening news and national news outlets. However, none of that mattered to Tom Crosley and his team.

At the end of the trial, many of the jury members offered their condolences to the family. Some even gave them hugs. Then, the drunk driver came forward and apologized for his actions. Ed’s mother offered forgiveness, leaving many in tears.

“It was one of the most powerful moments I’ve experienced in a courtroom,” says Tom Crosley. “The trial and the verdict were vindicating and cathartic. Even the judge said he had never experienced that level of honesty and emotion at the end of a case.”

“We never wavered,” Tom says. “We had to do what was right for this grieving family. Their losses were so deep. While no amount could truly compensate Aleshia and her daughter, we were thrilled to help them get the closure and accountability they deserved.”

Crosley Law: Fighting for Crash Victims in San Antonio

The injury lawyers at Crosley Law have earned a reputation for their legal strategies and commitment to their clients. If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a car wreck, call Crosley Law today at 210-LAW-3000 | 210-529-3000 or fill out the contact form on this page. We’ll set up your free consultation so you can get expert legal advice at no cost.

The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.