North Texas man awarded $26.5 million over postal truck crash that left him quadriplegic

A federal judge in Tarrant County awarded a man and his wife $26.5 million in their lawsuit against the U.S. government over a car accident involving a U.S. Postal Service truck.

Michael Le became quadriplegic after a crash with a USPS truck in May 2018 and sued the United States. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor of the Fort Worth division of the Northern District of Texas handed down the verdict and judgment in the case on Monday after a bench trial.

According to the judge’s order, Le has ankylosing spondylitis, “a spinal disease that can lead to the spine becoming rigidly fused together over time.” The spine can become more susceptible to fractures from low-impact collisions, which can result in highly unstable fractures, O’Connor wrote.

While Le had complications due to this condition, he was still able to work, do daily activities and regularly exercise, the judge’s order says. After the May 2018 crash, however, he cannot do any of those activities, according to evidence presented in court.

According to the lawsuit, Le was backing out of his driveway in Grand Prairie when a USPS driver reversed down the street and hit his car. After the collision, Le testified, he could not pull his foot away from the accelerator and drove through his front yard, through his neighbor’s fence, and into the corner of his neighbor’s house.

While the U.S. contends that Le’s resulting fracture happened during the second collision, O’Connor sided with the family that Le’s pre-existing condition was aggravated by the collision with the USPS truck. O’Connor’s verdict includes opinions from a spinal expert who testified that the initial collision caused a neurological injury and spinal fracture that made Le unable to pull his right leg away from the accelerator after being rear-ended, causing him to drive into his neighbor’s house.

After the accident, Le developed multiple life-changing conditions. He has a tear to his esophagus that requires permanent use of a feeding tube and his lower legs were amputated. Le is generally confined to his bed or wheelchair and rarely leaves his house due to the difficulty and expense of transporting him, according to court documents.

O’Connor ordered Le should recover $23.9 million from the United States due to his past and future medical expenses, loss of earnings, and other damages, and Le’s wife, Dung Le, is entitled to recover $2.6 million.