Complete Defense Verdict Secured in $101 Million Jury Trial

Hartline Barger recently won a jury trial in the 41st Judicial District Court of El Paso, Texas, before Judge Annabell Perez. This was a lawsuit arising from a mud racing event where the driver of a powerful racing vehicle lost control, left the track, and went through the guardrail, impacting spectators. 

The plaintiffs were two injured spectators and the parents of a 24-year-old spectator who died. Through their attorneys Kevin Glasheen of Glasheen, Valles, Inderman, LLP and Humberto and Laura Enriquez, plaintiffs initially sued the promoter of the event and the race car driver, but dropped those defendants on the eve of trial, leaving only the defendant security company in the case. 

Hartline Barger successfully argued to the jury that the security company was not responsible for controlling any aspect of the event that contributed to the injuries, including securing the land, designing and maintaining the track, building the guardrails, or promoting or running the event. Instead, security was hired by the promoter to provide officer presence, de-escalate fights, and other limited assignments related to security. After the jury heard all of the evidence and plaintiffs’ counsel asked the jury for $101 million during closing arguments, it placed 100% responsibility on the promoter, finding no liability against the security company.