First Admitted: 1991, Texas

Professional Webpage: https://www.dzwlaw.com/daryl-l-derryberry/

Bar/Professional Activity:

Speaker at the 23rd Annual State Bar of Texas Advanced Personal Injury Seminar, 2007

Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):

On July 12, 2023, Daryl Derryberry and Craig Zips obtained a $352,874 jury verdict in a car crash case where STATE FARM had offered their injured client $25,000 (less than the client's medical bills) and then increased that offer to $82,000 the Friday before trial was to start on Monday. Daryl and Craig's client sustained neck and back injuries and his treating neurosurgeon testified at trial that future surgeries were medically required for his neck and back. STATE FARM hired a doctor to look at the MRIs (no exam of the patient) and testify that the surgeries were not necessary. STATE FARM paid this "hired gun" doctor $42,000 in exchange for his testimony. STATE FARM's tactic apparently did not impress the jury. STATE FARM paid Daryl and Craig's client the verdict amount plus all prejudgment interest and costs in the total amount of approximately $383,000.00. Daryl and Craig's client had this to say about Daryl and Craig's representation of him: "Daryl and his team worked tirelessly on my behalf. I was amazed at the level of professionalism they showed me. I would not hesitate to recommend him and his associates. If you want a team of professionals handling your case, you need to call Daryl. He doesn't have to do commercials or put it on billboards, THEY ARE THAT GOOD!!" ALL insurance companies want to pay injured victims as little as possible regardless of the victims injuries. If you are ever on a jury please remember that there is INSURANCE AVAILABLE TO SATISFY THE AMOUNT A JURY AWARDS AN INJURED VICTIM. The insurance company wants you to think the person or business that is responsible for the crash or incident has to pay the verdict amount out of their own pocket. That is not true. The negligent person or business who caused the injuries has liability insurance for their car or business to cover those types of losses., 2023
DZW recently resolved an 18 wheeler crash lawsuit that was filed in a conservative West Texas county on behalf of its client who was injured in a read-end crash. Our client was rear ended at highway speeds by an 18 wheeler. The driver of the 18 wheeler contended that our client inexplicably cut him off, slammed on his brakes and caused the crash. Our client sustained herniated discs in his neck and a torn rotator cuff both of which required surgery. The Defendant and its insurer paid $1,875,000 to settle our client's claims. After payment of attorney's fees ($750,000), reimbursement of expenses ($63,479.29), repayment of loans ($88,000) and repayment of medical bills ($187,088.72), our client received $786,431.99. Our client had the following to say about DZW's representation of him in this case in his google business review: "The best lawyer ever, exceeding all my expectations. Derryberry in my opinion is the new "Lincoln Lawyer" if you need a top notch lawyer Derryberry Zip Wade, LLC will not let you down." We continue to work hard and spare no expense in pursuing claims against corporate entities and their employees who violate basic safety rules in causing injuries to our clients., 2022
Our client was operating an 18 wheeler and was turning left into a business when a driver of another commercial vehicle attempted to pass him on the left, in an oncoming lane of traffic and with limited visibility (dark). The other driver slammed into the tractor's driver side door. Our client sustained injuries requiring surgery. Our client recovered in excess if $1,000,000.00 after payment of medical bills, case expenses and attorneys' fees., 2022
We successfully negotiated a $650,000 settlement with a trucking company and its driver for our client. The tractor-trailer made an unsafe lane change on IH 30 near Sulphur Springs, Texas and hit our client. Our client was required to undergo an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (“ACDF”) at C5-6. After payment of attorneys’ fees, case expenses and medical bills, the client received approximately $214,000., 2020
Our 16 year old client was hit as she was driving through an intersection in Dallas County, Texas. She sustained a fractured pelvis and required emergency surgery. She fully recovered but had a horrific scar on her stomach which resulted from the need to perform exploratory surgery in the ER. The insurance company failed to timely pay the policy limits of $30,000. We filed suit and the insurance company paid our client $250,000 to settle her claims. After payment of attorney's fees ($100,000), reimbursement of expenses ($8,082.72) and repayment of medical bills ($18,288.98), our client received $123,628.30., 2022
Our client was hit by a young man who failed to yield the right of way. Our client sustained injuries to her neck. The Defendant's insurer paid $436,000 to settle our client's claims. The insurer paid another $63,000 in property damage for a total of $500,000, which were the policy limits. After payment of attorney's fees ($153,475), reimbursement of expenses ($743.61) and repayment of medical bills ($72,822.90), our client received $211,458.49, 2022
A driver of a box truck for a mattress company admitted he was a distracted driver because he looked down when he spilled a soda. He rear-ended a Chevy Tahoe that then rear ended our client. Our client sustained injuries to her neck and back but did not have surgery. The case settled for $450,000 and the client received $175,000 after payment of medical bills, case expenses and attorney's fees., 2021
Our client was rear ended at highway speeds by an 18 wheeler. The driver of the 18 wheeler contended that our client inexplicably cut him off, slammed on his brakes and caused the crash. Our client sustained herniated discs in his neck and a torn rotator cuff both of which required surgery. The Defendant and its insurer paid $1,875,000 to settle our client's claims. After payment of attorney's fees ($750,000), reimbursement of expenses ($63,479.29), repayment of loans ($88,000) and repayment of medical bills ($187,088.72), our client received $786,431.99., 2022
VERDICT SEARCH REPORTED THAT we successfully negotiated a mid-six figure settlement with a trucking company and its driver for our client wherein there was disputed liability because the crash occurred on bridge of a ranch road in rural South Texas. The testimony established that the custom for that bridge crossing was to allow the traffic to alternate and take turns crossing the bridge. The tractor trailer did not alternate but rather followed another tractor trailer across the bridge and violently crashed head-on with a pick-up truck being operated by our client. Our client was life-flighted to a hospital in San Antonio where he underwent surgery to his knee. Subsequently, as a result of injuries to his lower back, he had a “360 fusion” performed on his lower back. , 2016
We successfully negotiated a high six-figure confidential settlement with a trucking company and its driver for our client. The tractor and trailer violently crashed into the rear of our client’s vehicle on July 4, 2015 while our client was slowing to exit off the highway. The driver of the 18-wheeler had only been on the job for 10 months and alleged a phantom car cut in front of our client causing our client to stop suddenly. The young and inexperienced driver unsuccessfully contended the crash was unavoidable. Our client was required to undergo a neck surgery because the of the injuries she sustained in the violent crash. Her minor son was also injured but only sought limited care immediately after the wreck. , 2017
VERDICT SEARCH REPORTED THAT we successfully negotiated a $450,000 settlement with a commercial company and its driver for our client wherein a large box truck rear ended our client on IH 35E in Dallas County, Texas. Our client had a pre-wreck MRI that revealed no disc herniations in his neck. A post-wreck MRI revealed a herniation at C6-7. Our client’s treating spinal surgeon recommended a fusion at C6-7 because of the symptoms our client was experiencing, including numbness and tingling in his hands and arms. After payment of attorney’s fees ($180,000.00), expenses ($10,703.19) and medical bills our client netted more than $203,000.00., 2016
We successfully negotiated a confidential high six figure settlement for our client with a Minnesota company where its commercial motor vehicle driver negligently attempted to make a lane change and violently slammed into our client who was traveling in the lane next to him. The Defendant driver vehemently denied fault for the crash but his testimony was not credible given the investigating trooper’s conclusions in the crash report. Additionally, based on the damage to the box truck and our client’s vehicle, the crash could not have occurred as the Defendant driver swore it occurred. Our client sustained injuries to his neck and lower back and was required to undergo two (2) surgeries, one (1) on his neck and one (1) on his lower back., 2018
We successfully negotiated a mid six-figure confidential settlement with a trucking company and its driver for our client. The tractor and trailer made an unsafe lane change on a busy highway in East Texas. Our client took evasive action and left the highway to prevent being crushed by the tractor trailer as it moved into her lane. She hit an embankment, became airborne and landed violently in the ditch causing her driver’s side window to shatter and requiring her car to be declared a total loss. Ultimately, she was required to undergo a shoulder surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff. , 2017
We successfully negotiated a confidential high six figure settlement for our client with an air conditioning company where its commercial motor vehicle driver negligently slammed into the rear of our client’s vehicle while she was attempting to make a left turn. The Defendant driver was not provided any training to operate this large vehicle and had been involved in a prior roll over wreck in which he was driving and his boss/owner of the company was a passenger. After the roll over crash, the driver was not provided any remedial driver training of any type by the company. And, his driving privileges were not suspended or altered by the company in any manner after the roll over crash or our crash. Our client sustained injuries to her neck and lower back and was required to undergo two (2) surgeries, one (1) on her neck and one (1) on her lower back., 2018
In February, 2020 Daryl and the team at DZW negotiated a confidential EIGHT FIGURE PLUS settlement for our clients with a trucking company and its driver. , 2020
We successfully negotiated a $350,000 settlement for our client with a lumber company where its commercial motor vehicle driver negligently attempted to make a wide right turn and slammed into our client’s vehicle. Our client was following him on a two lane road and he swung out into the oncoming lane of traffic so he could make a wide right turn into a driveway. Our client never moved out of her lane and the lumber company driver turned directly into the driver’s side of the vehicle. Our client’s dash cam captured the entire event. Additionally, the Defendant driver was not provided any training to operate this large flat-bed truck and had been cited several times for speeding in his personal vehicle during his 10 years of employment by the lumber company. After the crash, the driver was not provided any remedial driver training of any type by the company. And, his driving privileges were not suspended or altered by the company in any manner after his speeding tickets or after this crash. Our client sustained an injury to her lower back and was required to undergo a lumbar decompression surgery. After payment of attorneys’ fees ($140,000.00), expenses and loans ($48,145.96) and paying back her medical providers ($59,297.50, the client received $102,556.54., 2019
We successfully negotiated a confidential settlement in excess of seven figures for our clients. This was a violent rear end crash where the passenger was killed. The driver, who was the wife of the deceased passenger, sustained injuries requiring surgery. The driver of the truck that rear ended our clients had his cruise set on 69 mph when he took his eyes off the road to look for an item in his truck. Additionally, his phone records established that he was on his phone at the time of the crash. The investigating DPS trooper placed all blame on the at fault truck driver for the violent and deadly crash. , 2019
VERDICT SEARCH REPORTED THAT we successfully negotiated a $780,000.00 settlement with the at fault driver and the underinsurance company, St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Company (“St. Paul”), that was insuring our client’s company vehicle that she was driving on the date of the crash. Our client was driving a full size company pick-up and was rear-ended on IH 20 East in March 5, 2018 while driving back to her office. The driver of the vehicle that hit her was issued a citation for failure to control his speed. Our client had a two level fusion in her neck in April, 2019 performed by her treating neurosurgeon. The at fault driver’s insurance company paid its $30,000.00 limits and St. Paul paid an additional $750,000.00 to our client. After payment of attorneys’ fees ($273,875.00), expenses ($1,522.96) and paying back her medical providers ($154,926.04), our client received $352,176.00., 2019
We successfully negotiated a high six figure confidential settlement for our client on an underinsurance motorist claim that resulted from a violent rear end crash. Our client was a front seat passenger in a pick-up truck that was rear ended by a large pick-up truck. The at-fault driver had only $50,000.00 in insurance and that was tendered to our client upon our demand. Fault for the crash was not contested but our client’s damages were contested. Our client had a stem cell surgery, as well as a posterior lumbar interbody fusion surgery. We filed suit against the insurance company and litigated the case. The case was resolved after mediation and before trial., 2019
In September 2016, we successfully negotiated a $1,000,000.00 policy limits settlement for our client with a California trucking company where its driver, who was admittedly unfamiliar with the highway, made a U-turn in the dark on US Highway 69. As a result of making the U-turn, his tractor and fully loaded trailer were covering both lanes of the oncoming two lanes of traffic. Our client was traveling in the outside lane of these lanes. Our client, who was traveling home to change clothes and return to the hospital to be with her husband, sustained significant injuries, harms and losses as a result of the violent crash. The driver of the tractor trailer was cited for failing to yield the right of way at an open intersection. Our client was not cited by the investigating DPS Trooper. Our client sustained a fracture of her left leg that required an open reduction internal fixation (“ORIF”) of her left leg wherein rods and screws were inserted into her leg. She also sustained a brain injury (subdural hematoma) that required brain surgery in the form of a craniotomy so the blood could be evacuated from her brain. After payment of attorney’s fees ($396,000.00), expenses ($56,888.63) and medical bills our client netted more than $400,000.00., 2016
VERDICT SEARCH REPORTED THAT we successfully negotiated a $1,100,000.00 settlement for our clients who were rear ended by a drunk driver operating a company vehicle. The driver had previous convictions for DWI in 1985 and 2010. His employer never disciplined him, including never suspending his driving privileges, prior to our crash. The driver, Teodoro Ortega, lied to the Tyler police officers who investigated the crash and told them he had consumed 1 beer while driving. His BAC was tested and revealed a .176, which is more than 2 times the legal limit. One of our clients was required to undergo a 3 level fusion in his neck. Our other client was advised she needed surgery but had not undergone surgery at the time the case was resolved at mediation. After payment of attorneys’ fees ($360,000.00), expenses ($14,364.73) and paying back his medical providers ($107,044.22), one of our clients received $410,686.05. Our other client received $94,328.02 after payment of attorneys’ fees ($80,000.00), expenses ($14,364.73) and paying back her medical providers ($11,307.25)., 2019
We successfully negotiated a confidential settlement in excess of seven figures for our client who was involved in a crash when another 18-wheeler driver crossed the center line and caused a violent crash in our client’s lane which resulted in our client sustaining significant injuries, harms and losses. The driver of the commercial motor vehicle that caused the crash died in the crash. We established that the deceased driver was woefully underqualified to operate the commercial motor vehicle he was operating on the date of the wreck. He had numerous other preventable crashes as determined by his prior employers and had job hopped for several years before the crash. His driving record established that he was inadequately trained and should not have been operating the commercial motor vehicle at the time of the crash. The investigating DPS trooper placed all blame on the deceased driver for the violent and deadly crash. Our client sustained injuries requiring him to undergo surgery on his neck (a fusion) and has been unable to return to work as a truck driver because of the violent nature of the crash. After payment of fees, doctor bills and expenses, our client received in excess of seven figures., 2018
We successfully negotiated a confidential settlement in excess of seven figures for our clients. This was a violent rear end crash where the passenger was killed. The driver, who was the wife of the deceased passenger, sustained injuries requiring surgery. The driver of the truck that rear ended our clients had his cruise set on 69 mph when he took his eyes off the road to look for an item in his truck. Additionally, his phone records established that he was on his phone at the time of the crash. The investigating DPS trooper placed all blame on the at fault truck driver for the violent and deadly crash. , 2019
In January 2017, we successfully negotiated a seven-figure confidential settlement with a trucking company and its driver for our client. The tractor and trailer brakes were so bad that the 18-wheeler was placed out of service at the scene if the crash by the investigating DPS troopers. The Defendants’ expert admitted that had the brakes on the tractor and trailer been working properly at the time of the crash, then the driver would have had sufficient time to have stopped before rear ending our client’s motorcycle and killing him. , 2017
In November, 2016, we successfully negotiated a $1,100,000.00 settlement for our client who was involved in an incident where a board flew off a manufactured home being transported by GKD Management, LP d/b/a A&G Commercial Trucking (“GKD”) and crashed through the windshield of our client causing him to leave the roadway and violently bounce through rough terrain causing injuries to his neck and back. Neither the owner of GKD nor GKD’s driver of the tractor were familiar with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation (“FMCSR”) relating to the securement of cargo. Additionally, the driver had not been provided any training by GKD concerning the proper manner in which to secure cargo being hauled across interstate highways as required by the applicable FMCSR. Further, the driver was clearly off the route planned by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, which off route transport would have resulted in a criminal charge against the driver and GDK if reported to the DMV. Thus, Plaintiff asserted this was the reason the wreck was not reported by the driver or GKD to the proper law enforcement authorities. GKD also had a contractual responsibility to inspect the cargo prior to beginning transport to ensure that the cargo was properly secured for transport across interstate highways. This inspection did not occur. The driver also testified that he texted and drove while hauling cargo despite a documented GKD policy that prohibited drivers from texting and driving. The driver also testified that he routinely used his cell phone while driving and GKD’s president testified the use of a cell phone by drivers was prohibited while the driver is transporting cargo. The driver’s cell phone records reflected that he was constantly talking on his cell phone during the entire period he was transporting the cargo, including making numerous calls in the two hours leading up to the crash. Our client sustained significant injuries, including herniated discs in both his neck and lower back. At the time the case settled, our client had undergone one lower back surgery and his treating surgeon testified that two-three additional surgeries would be medically necessary to treat his injuries during his lifetime. After payment of attorney’s fees ($440,000.00), expenses ($86,710.90) and medical bills our client netted more than $464,000.00., 2016
In May, 2018, we successfully negotiated a high six-figure confidential settlement with a trucking company and its driver for our client. The tractor and trailer violently crashed into our client’s tractor trailer while our client was parked and asleep in his sleeper berth. Our client had to have a pain pump implanted to attempt to control his neck pain. , 2018

Special Licenses/Certifications:

Voted Texas Super Lawyer in Plaintiff's Personal Injury-Texas Super Lawyers., 2018
Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Special., 2022
Voted Texas Super Lawyer in Plaintiff's Personal Injury-Texas Super Lawyers., 2023
Voted Texas Super Lawyer in Plaintiff's Personal Injury-Texas Super Lawyers., 2022
Voted Texas Super Lawyer in Plaintiff's Personal Injury-Texas Super Lawyers., 2021
Voted Texas Super Lawyer in Plaintiff's Personal Injury-Texas Super Lawyers., 2020
Voted Texas Super Lawyer in Plaintiff's Personal Injury-Texas Super Lawyers., 2019
Voted Texas Super Lawyer in Plaintiff's Personal Injury-Texas Super Lawyers, 2017
Member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, 2012
AV Preeminent Rating by Martindale Hubbell, 2015
Elected as a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, 2014
Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2002, 2002
Lifetime Member of Million Dollar Advocates Forum, 2012
Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2007, 2007
Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2012, 2012
Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2017, 2017

Honors/Awards:

Life Member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, 2012
Elected as a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, 2014

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

This paper discusses the applicability of Chapter 95 of the Texas Civil Practices & Remedies Code as it relates to personal injury claims that are made against property owners., www.dzwlaw.com/injury/DZWLCh95.pdf, State Bar of Texas- 23rd Annual Advanced Personal Injury Law Course

Industry Groups:

18 wheeler crashes
Commercial Motor Vehicle Crashes
Plaintiff's Personal Injury

Daryl L. Derryberry