Stuart N. Ratzan, of Ratzan Law Group in Miami. Photo: J. Albert Diaz

Stuart Ratzan

Ratzan Law Group

The driver of a heavily loaded tractor-trailer made a U-turn from the Interstate 75 median during construction late at night in Pembroke Pines, triggering collisions that killed two people in 2015.

The family of medical student Jonathan Raymond Astaphan won a $45 million award from a jury that found Ranger Construction Industries Inc. was negligent and violated its contract with the state.

After a four-week trial, the jury apportioned fault equally between the Ranger and truck driver Juan Calero and found West Palm Beach-based Ranger vicariously liable for the full award.

Stuart Ratzan argued a Ranger supervisor told Calero to maneuver the 80,000-pound truck loaded with concrete barriers onto the highway and then left, leaving Calero unsupervised and without others to warn oncoming drivers about the hazard ahead. The roof of Astaphan's Mitsubishi Lancer was sheared off in the collision, and he died at the scene.

A Broward Circuit Court jury sided with the family of Astaphan, 29, of Dominica in October 2017.

Ratzan and colleagues Stuart Weissman and Evan Gilead argued Ranger acted recklessly by not closing lanes and positioning extra lights before Calero's maneuver with his northbound flatbed. Calero was asked to follow his southbound supervisor.

Ranger argued it complied with its contract with the Florida Department of Transportation and denied responsibility for the crash because Calero was a subcontractor.

Ratzan argued Ranger was required by contract to not disrupt the traffic flow with construction equipment. The contract also required lane closures to allow construction vehicles to safely merge with other traffic.

The jury imposed $20 million in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages on Ranger. Calero was assigned $5,000 in punitive damages.

The verdict showed the jury “understood that highway construction companies must follow the rules,” Ratzan said shortly afterward.