Tyson v. Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.

Adams, Judge.

Thomas Eugene Tyson’s car-carrying trailer struck the front of a tractor-trailer driven on behalf of Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. by Kelvin Gates. Tyson and his wife brought a tort action against Old Dominion and Gates, but a jury returned a defense verdict. Tyson contends the trial court committed five errors.

Construed in favor of the verdict, the evidence shows that Tyson was driving a dual-rear-wheel pickup truck, pulling a 48-foot long, 6,000-pound, car-carrier trailer. In slow traffic he attempted to merge into a lane occupied by Gates, who was driving a tractor-trailer,…