Domino’s Pizza 60 Percent Responsible For Car Crash Accident According To Verdict, To Pay $32 Million to Texas Family

A Southeast Texan family was awarded $32 million for damages due to a car crash which occurred August 2012, Ledger Inquirer reports.

The crash involved the couple Ruth Christopher and Devavaram Christopher and Joshua Balka. Balka is a delivery driver for Domino's pizza.

Balka was on his way to deliver a pizza when he hit the Christophers' vehicle. The car crash occurred in Beaumont, 90 miles northeast of Houston.

According to the investigation, Balka lost control of the car. It was then found out that the delivery vehicle's tires were defective and worn out. One of the tires even had no more tread.

Due to the car crash, Ruth Christopher suffered fatal injuries and died a day after. Devavaram Christopher, on the other hand, is now suffering from a permanent traumatic brain injury resulting in an inability to communicate.

Domino's was sued and accused September 2012 of the following: negligent entrustment, negligent hiring, negligent supervision, negligent retention and failure to implement sound and safe policies and procedures for its employees, reports the Southeast Texas Record.

The Christopher family, with the help of Raghurami Reddy, the guardian of the person and the estate of the family, are claiming for an award for damages for physical pain and mental anguish, torment and suffering, medical expenses, funeral and burial expenses, loss of society and companionship, pecuniary loss, loss of inheritance, loss or impairment of earnings or earning capacity, physical impairment, mental impairment, physical disfigurement, punitive damages, interest and court costs, the report further states.

The Tuesday verdict of the case deemed Domino's 60% responsible as a franchise for the car crash. However, Vice President for Communications, Tim McIntyre says the company is considering to make an appeal for the decision.

"The employee in question did not work for us; he worked for an established independent franchise operation. Franchisors do not control the day-to-day operations of franchisees, especially to that minute level of detail. We are saddened by this tragedy, but do intend to appeal the decision," McIntyre said in an email.