Truck Driver Awarded $267,000 Jury Verdict After Wrongful Termination For Refusing To Transport Unsafe Load

From the Austin-American-Statesman, a Texas jury awarded a truck driver $267,000 for his wrongful termination by an Austin trucking company for refusing to transport an unsafe load.  The driver was asked to transport a load containing 20 foot steel uprights for holding shelves.  The driver did not believe that the load was properly secured and that it was already shifting before transport.  After the driver's initial refusal to transport the load was rebuked by his boss, he drove the 18 wheeler five miles before returning to the company and refusing again to make the drive, believing that he might cause an accident and kill someone.  The trucking company again demanded that he get on the road, but the driver refused and was fired.

This goes to show that the responsibility for trucking safety extends beyond the drivers behind these rigs.  The driver should be applauded for his actions, but the behavior of the trucking company is disconcerting.  The practices of trucking companies can lead to unsafe conditions on our roads and highways.  As the driver must show caution in the operation of a tractor-trailer, so too must a trucking company in properly securing loads and preventing unsecured loads from being transported, ensuring that employees are well-vetted before they get behind the wheel and once behind the wheel are well rested and working reasonable shifts, and complying with state and local regulations. 

Injuries caused by trucking related accidents occur too often.  The law firm of Gray and White Law represents those who have been involved in trucking related accidents.  If you or a loved one has been injured in such an accident, please contact the attorneys at Gray and White Law for a free consultation.