Knoxville jury awards estate of Norris man $2.2 million wrongful death verdict
A Knoxville jury awarded the estate of former Norris resident Scott W. Hutchison $2.2 million in a wrongful-death action against the defendant, Keith Williams, on Dec. 10.
The jury verdict followed a two-day trial after which the jury came back unanimous with its award.
Hutchison was killed June 17, 2015, when he was struck by Williams on Old Callahan Road in Knoxville.
Hutchison had stopped his truck to pick up a piece of equipment that had fallen into the roadway.
According to testimony given by a forensic engineer at trial, the defendant was operating his motor vehicle in excess of the posted speed limit and without a valid Tennessee driver’s license when he hit Hutchison as he was getting back into his truck.
The estate of Scott W. Hutchison was represented by Dail R. Cantrell, managing partner of The Cantrell Law Firm of Clinton.
Cantrell is one of only a handful of attorneys in the Southeastern United States to have obtained multiple jury verdicts in excess of $1 million.
When asked about this case, Cantrell said:
“This was a tragic situation for everyone involved. I hope that this resolution brings some closure to this family.
“This was an accident that should have never happened,” he said.
The accident occurred on a clear and sunny day.
The defendant’s expert witness argued that Hutchison should never have stopped his vehicle in the roadway.
The forensic engineering firm that represented Hutchison’s estate did an extensive analysis and indicated that the defendant was traveling well over the posted speed limit.
