$39M Verdict to Family of Texas Firefighter Killed in Bicycle Crash

A Texas jury has awarded a $39 million wrongful death verdict to the family of a 43-year-old Houston firefighter who was killed in a 2014 crash with a utility trailer while on a bicycle ride.

W. Mark Braswell, who was a captain for the Houston Fire Department, was riding along North Bridgeland Lake Parkway when he and his bicycle struck a landscaping trailer stopped in traffic on the four-lane roadway, according to a May 3 story by The Houston Chronicle. Braswell was also an assistant chief with the Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department.

The trailer was owned by national landscaping company, Brickman, which is now known as BrightView. The company said it will appeal the verdict.

The crash occurred on May 17, 2014. Braswell struck the trailer as it was stopped to unload equipment in an active traffic lane, according to the report.

Photo credit: iStockphoto.com/alexskopje

Braswell’s wife, Michelle, filed the wrongful death lawsuit in 2015 on behalf of herself and the couple’s two children.

“During the course of the week-long trial, a Brickman supervisor admitted that stopping in traffic to work was a dangerous practice, but the company did nothing to stop it,” the story reported. “The workers did not put out cones, flags or lookouts to redirect traffic.”

These kinds of tragic legal cases occur every day when innocent victims are severely hurt or killed in vehicle crashes through no fault of their own due to the actions, inattentiveness or indifference of others. That’s why it is critical to have a legal team on your side that uncovers every fact to bolster your case and maximize your damage award.

We here at MyPhillyLawyer stand ready to assist you with your legal case if you or a loved one is ever seriously injured in a vehicle accident or incident anywhere in the United States.

We represent the families of victims who die in such tragedies as well, to ensure that their families receive every penny of damages that they are eligible to receive.

Call MyPhillyLawyer at 215-227-2727 or toll-free at 1-(866) 352-4572 anytime and our experienced, compassionate, aggressive team of attorneys and support staff will be there for you and your family every step of the way as we manage your case through the legal system.

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