Indianapolis, Indiana – An Avon man has been awarded over $42 million by a Marion Superior Court jury for the serious injuries he sustained in a 2017 motorcycle crash involving a Tesla Inc. employee. The verdict was reached on Wednesday, holding Tesla Inc. and its employee, Kyle Kaszuba, responsible for the accident that resulted in severe injuries to motorcyclist Chris Dugan. The jury found Kaszuba to be 70% responsible for the crash, while Dugan was deemed 30% responsible.
According to court records, the collision occurred on Rockville Road in 2017 when Kaszuba, a Tesla service manager, made a left turn in a Tesla-owned Ford Super Duty F-250 maintenance truck, crossing double yellow lines and oncoming traffic. The accident left Dugan with a traumatic brain injury and a partial foot amputation.
Trial attorney Nick Rowley, who represented Dugan and is a co-founder of Trial Lawyers for Justice, criticized Tesla for their lack of accountability and refusal to accept responsibility throughout the past seven years. Rowley stated, “Tesla’s employee was in a rush that morning trying to shave off time to get to the service center and refused to wait in line with other vehicles who were appropriately making a left-hand turn.” He further added that the employee’s actions displayed a complete disregard for the safety of others on the road and led to the permanent destruction of a young father’s life. However, Rowley acknowledged that while the verdict cannot undo the harm caused, it will provide Dugan with the necessary financial support for his lifetime care.
No immediate comment was available from Tesla. The case might be appealed, according to Rowley. Notably, this trial marked the first time an Indiana case was telecast nationally by Courtroom View Network.
In the original lawsuit, it was alleged that Kaszuba was operating the truck within the scope and course of his employment with Tesla, making the company vicariously liable for his negligence. Dugan, 37, was on his way to work at the time of the accident. Kaszuba, who noticed a long line in the designated turn lane at a gas station, decided to make a left turn across double yellow lines into an empty lot instead of waiting in line. It was during this turn that his truck collided with Dugan’s motorcycle, coming from the opposite direction.
Dugan suffered a range of traumatic injuries, including brain hemorrhage, facial and skull fractures, leg fractures, and rib fractures. He required brain surgery due to his traumatic brain injury and underwent inpatient rehabilitation for his cognitive and orthopedic injuries. His attorneys explain that Dugan continues to experience severe cognitive dysfunction and struggles with communication, making it difficult for him to manage his finances, care for himself and his daughter, work, or enjoy life.
This verdict, according to Dugan’s co-counsel, Lee Christie, will not restore him to his former self, but it will provide the family with the necessary resources in the absence of their primary caregiver. Dugan was represented by Trial Lawyers for Justice and attorneys from Indianapolis-based firm Christie, Farrell, Lee, and Bell.
The case is Christopher Dugan v. Tesla Inc. f/k/a Tesla Motors Inc. and Kyle Kaszuba, with the court docket number 49D04-1705-CT-018411.