Texas Supreme Court nixes negligent hiring, supervision, training verdict

Recently, the Texas Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit based on the theory of negligent hiring.

Tragic highway collision

Shiraz Ali was a driver in training for Werner Enterprises. He and his trainer, Jack Ackerman, were driving an 18-wheeler westbound on Interstate 20. Road conditions were very icy, and the weather service had issued a winter weather advisory. In fact, conditions were so bad that other 18-wheelers decided to park on the side of the interstate. But they pressed on at 50 miles per hour and failed to check whether any weather advisory had been issued. Other truckers stopping? Ali later said maybe he saw them, maybe he didn’t.

A family in an F-350 pickup was traveling on I-20 going eastbound and traveling at 50 to 60 miles an hour. The driver, Trey Salinas, lost control on the icy interstate and crossed over the grassy median, colliding with Ali’s 18-wheeler. Tragically, the crash resulted in severe injuries (except to Salinas) and the death of one child in the F-350.

A lawsuit was filed against Ali and Werner, and the jury found responsibility as follows: