The Hunt Law Group is dedicated to the representation of transportation industry clients. We represent owners and operators of trucks, buses and automobiles. Our clients range from small independent operators to Fortune 500 companies.
We are prepared to provide a rapid response to accident scenes with investigators, photographers, and accident reconstruction experts and often visit the accident scenes immediately after the occurrence.
We currently serve as national trial counsel for Marten Transport, LTD.
The transportation cases we handle involve personal injury and property damage claims arising out of alleged operator error, mechanical failure, improper loading, improperly secured cargo, improper maintenance and equipment failures.
Brian Hunt is a member of the Trucking Industry Defense Association, the Council on Litigation Management's Transportation Committee, the Transportation Lawyers Association and the Defense Research Institute's Trucking Committee.
A list of representative cases can be found by clicking on the "Representative Matters" link above.
Northern District of Illinois
Defended automobile operator who was involved in a rear-end auto accident. Plaintiff made a claim of a closed-head injury, including multiple symptoms of migraine headaches, dizziness, vertigo and nausea, which her board-certified neurologist testified were related to the subject occurrence. Case settled for less than claimed medical bills at mediation.
Cook County, Illinois
Obtained a “not guilty” verdict, fully exonerating a commercial truck driver and his employer for an accident in which the pedestrian plaintiff claimed to have been struck in the crosswalk while walking with his traffic control signal by the driver’s left-turning vehicle.
Cook County, Illinois
Defended employee driver and trucking company against suit by railway employee who was alleging that collision between her pick-up truck and defendant's tractor aggravated her pre-existing L5-S1 spondylolisthesis, requiring two fusion surgeries and one hardware revision surgery, which allegedly left her unable to return to any gainful employment ($350,000 medical; $1.6 million lost income; $665,000 loss of household services). Although plaintiff asked for award of $3.3 million, jury returned verdict of not guilty. Affirmed on appeal.
Northern District of Indiana
Defended trailer owner against suit by independent-contractor driver alleging negligent maintenance which allegedly caused a grab bar on the rear trailer door to fail, resulting in fall, and causing closed head injury with permanent loss of concentration and memory which ended plaintiff's work-life. Jury returned verdict fully exonerating defendants.
Northern District of Indiana
Plaintiff truck driver was run off the road by owner-operator, allegedly resulting in traumatic brain injury, post-concussion syndrome, chronic pain, and torn tibial tendon (surgically repaired) with medical bills of $42,000 and claimed complete inability to return to work (loss of future earning capacity of $1 million). Liability was admitted. Although plaintiff asked jury for award of $1.7 million, jury returned verdict of $19,500.
Cook County, Illinois
Obtained jury verdict exonerating individual defendant in suit filed by off-duty Chicago police officer as a result of automobile accident. Plaintiff claimed to have sustained knee injury requiring surgery and requested $300,000 from jury.
Cook County, Illinois
Defended underinsured motorist claim in connection with loss of control by underinsured vehicle operator which resulted in commercial driver also losing control and striking highway median. Plaintiff required emergency tracheotomy, insertion of feeding tube, and extensive facial reconstruction.
Cook County, Illinois
Obtained directed verdict, at the close of all evidence, in favor of Fortune 100 corporate defendant in suit in which plaintiff truck driver claimed to have sustained traumatically induced brain damage as the result of a shifting load. Affirmed on appeal.
Cook County, Illinois
Defended scrap metal distributor against suit sounding under the Wrongful Death Act and Survival Act, in which the plaintiff alleged the distributor was independently negligent regarding the manner in which the trailer was loaded with car hulks and vicariously liable for the actions of the driver. Obtained summary judgment on the grounds that driver was not an agent of defendant and on grounds that trailer was not improperly loaded.
Will County, Illinois
Filed declaratory judgment action alleging that the defendant is not entitled to uninsured motorist coverage as a result of a single motor-vehicle accident. The defendant alleges that the policy language is ambiguous and should be interpreted as providing for coverage in the absence of physical contact between the insured vehicle and a hit-and-run vehicle. Case is pending.
DuPage County, Illinois
Defended middle driver in suit arising from multi-vehicle rear-end accident. Obtained summary judgment on ground that driver of stopped vehicle neither owed nor breached any duty to plaintiff.
DuPage County, Illinois
Defended commercial property owner against allegations that the subject property was defectively designed and constructed such that it obscured sight lines for drivers on an adjacent roadway. Plaintiff's complaint was dismissed with prejudice as to owner. Case proceeded as to remaining defendants.
Cook County, Illinois
Defended automobile operator against allegations that the backing of his car in a strip mall parking lot caused the plaintiff to fall and sustain hip fracture treated by open reduction with internal fixation, requiring four hospitalizations and resulting in decubitus ulcers and the use of adult diapers. Jury verdict in favor of defendant.
Southern District of Iowa
Obtained dismissal of a North Carolina-based trailer distributor for lack of a personal jurisdiction in a wrongful death suit brought on behalf of three separate decedents’ estates arising out of a multiple tractor-trailer collision occurring in Iowa. The distributor had leased a trailer to an Indiana trucking company that was involved in the subject accident. While the distributor had engaged in business in Iowa, the Court held that the distributor did not conduct sufficient business in Iowa to be subject to jurisdiction.