A Dallas court found U-Haul guilty of negligence for failing to maintain its vehicles properly, and awarded 74-year-old Talmadge Waldrip $84 million in damages, $63 million of which are punitive. “The truck’s parking brake did not work at all,” said the man’s lawyer. “He stepped out of the truck and it rolled right over him.”

U-Haul will appeal, of course, and announced that “the damages awarded are particularly outrageous given the circumstances of this case… The final verdict is another example of abuse of the legal system against corporate citizens in America.”

What they failed to mention in their statement was that Waldrip’s pelvis was crushed in the accident, “leaving him unable to walk and with no bowel control,” and that “six previous renters had similar problems with the truck.”

“Jury says U-Haul must pay $84 million to injured man” [Los Angeles Times] (Thanks to Peter!)
(Photo: Roland)

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