In a recent decision by the Court of Appeals of Georgia, a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from a 2015 tractor-trailer accident in Treutlen County has been reversed and remanded for recalculation of damages. The case involves Southern Oil Refinery, LLC, whose truck driver rear-ended a vehicle, resulting in three fatalities. The parents of one victim, Nicholas Price, filed the lawsuit against multiple defendants including Southern Oil and its insurance carriers. The jury awarded $3 million in compensatory damages and additional punitive damages to the Prices. However, the trial court’s judgment failed to account for fault apportionment as per Georgia law, leading to an appeal by Southern Oil. The appellate court found that the trial court should have reduced the compensatory damages by 20% based on apportioned fault to other parties involved. Consequently, the case has been sent back for recalculating damages.
Source: A24A0137_SOUTHERN_OIL_REFINERY_LLC_et_al_v_GLORIA_JEAN_PRICE_et_al_Opinion.pdf
