Justice was served after seven years, two months, and twenty-four days. Thank you to our friends at Johnson Livingston PLLC and Claggett & Sykes Trial Lawyers for your steadfast dedication and unrelenting determination to fight on behalf of an innocent eleven-year-old child who lost his life at the hands of a negligent driver and his negligent employer.
On December 17, 2018, the Defendant (“Driver”) was driving a large truck owned by the Defendant (“Employer”) during the course and scope of his employment. The Driver approached an intersection and turned right. Plaintiff, along with his two friends, was at the same intersection, but to the Driver’s right. The “walk” symbol lit up for the Plaintiff, and he ran into the street to legally cross, using the crosswalk. His two friends were steps behind him.
The Driver turned right and failed to stop, even though the Plaintiff was already in the crosswalk, killing the Plaintiff. The Plaintiff’s two friends, included in the lawsuit as additional Plaintiffs, were steps behind the Plaintiff and witnessed his death.
Before this incident, the Driver had multiple driving violations, including erratic/improper lane changes and a prior motor vehicle crash. He also had a prior suspended license and received a “significant” speeding ticket while employed by the Employer. The Employer had advance knowledge of the Driver’s record but continued to allow him to drive on their behalf.
Plaintiff was a gifted child who loved to write. He was working on a book series that he planned to turn into a movie one day. He lost his life days before the Christmas holiday, and with it left a hole in his family’s heart that cannot be filled. However, our friends, Blake Johnson and Sean Claggett, and their teams have restored this family’s faith in our legal system.
For more than seven years, they were the Plaintiff’s voice. On March 13, 2026, the Fourth District Court of Utah County, Utah, came back with a historic verdict in Plaintiff’s favor. Eighty-One Million Dollars was awarded to the Plaintiffs in this case, for Plaintiff’s loss of life and for the emotional distress inflicted on Plaintiff’s two friends who witnessed his death.
No amount of money can bring this beautiful child back or make his family whole. Still, they did receive justice on their son’s behalf because of the actions of Johnson Livingston PLLC and Claggett & Sykes Trial Lawyers, and the record-breaking award they received.
Located in Orem, UT, Johnson Livingston PLLC handles cases involving a multitude of incidents, including motor vehicle accidents, hit and run, brain injury and concussion cases, wrongful death, semi truck accidents, premises and product liability, slip and falls, and dog bites.
Claggett & Sykes Trial Lawyers has offices in Las Vegas, NV; Reno, NV; New York City, NY and Salt Lake City, UT. Likewise, they represent clients involved in a multitude of personal injury matters, such as car, truck, and motorcycle accidents, wrongful death, slip-and-fall accidents, birth injuries, and nursing home neglect cases.
The results these firms achieve are notable and record-breaking. They work diligently every day for their clients and their communities, and they continue to make a difference in all of our lives. Advocate Capital, Inc., is honored to work with them and to support their great and important work.
