On a rainy evening in January 2015, Alex Puga of Lyford got into his Dodge truck and headed out to meet his wife Norma for dinner after work. Only, Alex never made it to the restaurant.
Little did he or Norma know that his drive down highway 77 that night would be the start of a long uphill battle – a battle for justice and health.
You see, as Alex was driving south on 77 between Refugio and Woodsboro that Friday night, there was another man on the road, Ronald Brown. This night would prove to be the last one for Ronald.
Ronald was 42 years old at the time and lived in Little Rock, AR. He was passing through Refugio for work, driving a tractor-trailer that was leased to the trucking company RCX Solutions, Inc. As he was driving through the rain, Ronald made the fatal mistake of using his cell phone.
Distracted by the phone, he lost control of his vehicle and hydroplaned across the median and into the oncoming traffic. Alex Puga was struck head-on by the out-of-control vehicle. His left hand was burned, and he broke multiple bones including his thigh, right ankle, and hip. It was a long road to recovery for Alex – and a very difficult road for him and his family who depended on him for support.
But as bad as Alex’s injuries were, he at least had the opportunity to recover. Ronald was not so lucky. His vehicle burst into flames and he died at the scene.
Alex and his wife decided to take legal action. So they hired a lawyer and filed a negligence suit against RCX. The case was tried in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District in Corpus Christi.
RCX, like many other trucking companies, was crafty and tried to place all of the blame on its deceased employee, Ronald Brown. The company claimed that it wasn’t responsible for his actions because it was “only the broker.”
Fortunately, Alex was working with a lawyer familiar with the unscrupulous tactics that these types of companies will pull. His lawyer fought back and submitted a question to the jury to determine if there was an arrangement between Ronald Brown and RCX for use of the equipment.
The jury, which didn’t like how RCX was trying to pass the buck, agreed with Alex Puga and his lawyer. Not only did they say yes, there was an arrangement, they awarded him and his wife over $11 million.
Alex received $7,586,590 for past and future medical expenses, earning capacity, physical pain, mental anguish, physical impairment, and physical disfigurement.
But the jury didn’t stop there. They recognized that Alex wasn’t the only one who suffered from this tragedy. In many ways, his wife lost the husband she once had. And so they also awarded her $3.6 million for past and future loss of household services and loss of consortium.
Despite RCX’s efforts to undermine the case, Alex and Norma got the justice they deserved.
Seeking the help of an experienced attorney is the best thing you can do for yourself and your family in cases like these. RCX tried to place the blame on Ronald Brown, who wasn’t alive to defend himself. And the company might have gotten away with it if Alex didn’t have the right legal help on his side.
Don’t let your financial situation hold you back from getting the help that you need. Did you know that even if you don’t have the money for a lawyer, you can still hire one? Local injury attorney Jason DeSouza does not charge his clients a dime unless he wins. Do you have a case that you’d like to talk to him about? Having him on your side could be the difference between just getting by or being able to move on with your life.
DeSouza Law Firm is a leading personal injury firm representing accident victims throughout Texas.
If you’ve been injured by a car, truck, 18 wheeler, company vehicle, or in the oilfield, call DeSouza Injury Lawyers today at 361-799-2222.