Texting A&M student ordered to pay $22 million

[sonias]

AAS 3/19/20
Texting A&M student ordered to pay $22 million

FRANKLIN, Texas — A jury that decided a Texas A&M student was texting while driving and caused a deadly wreck ordered him to pay $22 million in damages.

The victim, Megan Small of Houston, was a senior at Baylor University and was driving to Waco when the November 2007 accident happened near Calvert.

The investigation indicated a vehicle driven by Reed Vestal crossed the center line and struck Small's vehicle head-on near Calvert. Phone records indicated Vestal sent and received 15 texts and made seven calls in the 45 minutes before the wreck.

Driving while on the phone is bad enough, I can't understand how people think they can text and drive at the same time.

[sonias]

1. The story in The Eagle campus paper

Texas A&M Eagle 3/19/10
Jury orders $22M award

A Texas A&M University student has been ordered to pay $22 million in damages after a Robertson County jury found that his texting while driving caused a car accident that killed a Baylor University senior biochemistry major.

Lawyers said the damages awarded to the family of Megan Small, who was 21 when she died, and Laura Gleffe, the driver of another car that was run off the road in the accident, may be the most a jury has handed out in Robertson County.

Hunter Craft, a lawyer for Small's family, said he was surprised by the verdict, but praised the jury for its decision.

"This case isn't about money," Craft said of the Nov. 25, 2007 wreck. "This case is about sending a message to everybody and protecting people in the future, and in order for them to be able to accomplish that, we told them they were going to have to make a significant award."

[white cloud]

2. Lot of money for lawyer

But sadly there is no amount / way to replace a life.

Comm industry does not want ot restrict use while underway so it will happen again a again

[sonias]

3. True, but my guess is that the family never sees the money anyway

The insurer that will have to pay the award is going to appeal it all the way to the Texas Supremes and they'll overturn it.

The communications industry owns the Texas Lege - you are absolutely right about that. No way they pass any law in Texas to prevent you from using your cell phone in any way.