A Harris County resident has filed a lawsuit against a major moving and storage company following a traumatic incident that left her with serious injuries. Jacqueline White lodged the complaint in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, on September 12, 2024, targeting U-Haul Co. of Texas, U-Haul Co. of Dallas doing business as U-Haul Co. of West Houston, and an unidentified driver referred to as John Doe.
According to the court documents, on September 18, 2022, Jacqueline White was standing by her vehicle at a gas station when she was suddenly struck by a truck driven by John Doe. The vehicle involved in the collision was owned by the U-Haul entities named in the lawsuit. An investigation revealed that John Doe had taken the truck from one of U-Haul's inadequately secured lots without authorization. White asserts that both John Doe and the U-Haul companies were negligent in their actions leading up to and during the incident.
The complaint details multiple instances of alleged negligence on John Doe's part. It states that he failed to avoid the collision, did not maintain a proper lookout, drove at an unsafe speed for the conditions, and did not keep a safe distance between vehicles. Furthermore, it accuses him of failing to control his vehicle properly and driving inattentively—possibly while using a cellular phone—among other reckless behaviors.
White's allegations extend beyond John Doe to include the U-Haul companies themselves. She claims that these entities failed in their duty as property owners by not securing their lot adequately or ensuring that their vehicles were protected from unauthorized use. The complaint argues that this lack of security made it foreseeable that such an incident could occur and led directly to her injuries.
Jacqueline White is seeking monetary relief ranging between $250,000 and $1 million for her injuries and associated damages. Specifically, she is asking for compensation for past and future medical expenses, physical impairment, pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, lost wages, and diminished earning capacity. Additionally, she seeks prejudgment and post-judgment interest as allowed by law.
The case has been assigned Case ID 2024-61938 in the 80th Judicial District Court of Harris County. Marilyn Burgess serves as the District Clerk overseeing this filing process. The attorneys representing Jacqueline White are Marrick Armstrong (Texas Bar No.: 24057695) and Gene A. Watkins (State Bar No.: 24058954) from Stephens Reed & Armstrong PLLC.