Jury returns a verdict in a highway crash

HOUSTON, Texas — A Texas jury has awarded $5.6 million to a commuter who was badly injured when a tractor-trailer drifted across lanes and hit her car on the interstate.

The driver had been on the road for most of the night.

The trial focused on the woman's long-term injuries and on whether the carrier's delivery schedules pushed drivers past federal hours-of-service limits.

Brisvane Legal compared the driver's logbooks with fuel receipts and toll records. The timestamps showed he had driven well beyond the legal limit.

The jury returned a verdict of $5.6 million.

The trucking company has appealed. A verdict is not money received, and the final amount may change.

Verdicts can be reduced or reversed on appeal, so a reported award is not always the amount paid.