Rosie Poy Gonzalez, individually and as Guardian of Dayna Elizabeth Gonzalez, a Minor and Guillermo Gonzalez-Verdeja, Individually v. Abel Vela, Jr., Dynamic Industries Inc., and Jon Michael Edwards
Partner Jaime Saenz, with partner Jeff Otto from the Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons, L.L.P. office in Austin, Texas, defended Dynamic Industries, Inc. and Abel Vela in a Wrongful Death personal injury lawsuit filed on behalf of Rosie Poy Gonzalez, Guillermo Gonzalez, and Minor Dayna Elizabeth Gonzalez. The Wrongful Death lawsuit arose from a multi-vehicular accident that occurred on October 6, 2014 on US Highway 183 in Austin, Texas. A passenger in one of the vehicles driven by the Co-Defendant, Jon Michael Edwards, Dina Gonzalez, died. Mr. Edwards, as Cross-Plaintiff, filed a personal injury claim against Dynamic Industries, Inc. and Mr. Vela as well. Liability was not contested and the lawsuit was defended largely on damages. However, the defense of the case also focused on the lack of causation of the accident to the towing of equipment and hands free cell phone use by the Defendant Vela, as asserted by Plaintiffs. Plaintiffs’ counsel sought damages in excess of $130 Million for compensatory and punitive damages. After a seven day trial, the jury returned a verdict for $2,150,000 in favor of the Gonzalez Plaintiffs and for $282,000 in favor of Cross-Plaintiff Edwards on June 10, 2016. A high/low agreement was in effect at the time of the verdict.
