Logging Company Cleared in $73 Million Trial Over Firefighter’s Death

The Allegations Against R&T Logging

A jury has absolved R&T Logging of Oregon Inc. from liability in a high-stakes wrongful death trial seeking $73 million in damages over the death of 25-year-old Sarah Susman, a firefighter and EMT killed in a logging truck accident in 2021. The accident occurred on a remote mountain road west of Eugene, Oregon, when Shane McVay, a driver for R&T’s trucking partner Wolf Creek, lost control of his vehicle while allegedly driving under the influence. The crash caused the truck’s load of heavy logs to spill onto Susman’s vehicle, fatally injuring her.

The verdict came quickly, just hours after the Susman family’s attorney, Tom D’Amore of D’Amore Law Group, urged the jury to award $13 million in economic damages for Susman’s lost earnings potential and $60 million in noneconomic damages. D’Amore portrayed R&T as a negligent party that failed to vet the subcontracted trucking company or its driver, arguing that a simple search in the federal Safety and Fitness Electronic Records database could have revealed safety concerns. “Someone could not be bothered to complete a 15-second computer search to find out what kind of folks they were hiring,” D’Amore told jurors.

D’Amore further accused R&T of having a close relationship with Wolf Creek, which has since ceased operations, likening their conduct to that of a “cabal.” He played portions of a video deposition from R&T’s owner, Matt Cook, who acknowledged that there was “basically nothing” in place in terms of safety vetting for contractors.

R&T’s Position on Responsibility

In response, defense attorney Jeffrey Hansen of Chock Barhoum LLP insisted that R&T operated strictly within industry standards and had no responsibility for trucking operations. “They don’t run trucks. They don’t haul wood,” Hansen said, emphasizing that none of R&T’s employees even held a commercial driver’s license. He pointed to testimony from forestry expert witness Jeffrey Wimer to validate that R&T’s conduct was appropriate and noted that the plaintiffs had not introduced testimony from a forestry safety expert to challenge that view.

Hansen also defended the competence of R&T employee Ray Borton, who had loaded the logs and had four decades of experience. According to Hansen, an accident reconstruction expert determined the logs had not shifted during the trip, suggesting that loading was not a contributing factor. He also rebutted claims that McVay had been visibly intoxicated when he arrived to pick up the load. Citing video footage and testimony from the first state trooper on the scene, Hansen argued that McVay showed no obvious signs of intoxication. Moreover, McVay’s chronic alcoholism may have masked visible symptoms of drunkenness, he added.

While McVay and Wolf Creek were not defendants in the civil trial, they were central to the incident. McVay had already been convicted of first-degree manslaughter in 2022 and is currently serving a prison sentence.

The jury’s decision to absolve R&T marks a significant moment in the case, as the Susman family had sought to hold the logging company accountable for what they saw as a foreseeable and preventable tragedy. Although R&T was the only named defendant in the trial, the broader implications extend to subcontractor oversight and liability in high-risk industries.

Law Firms Involved

• The Susman family was represented by D'Amore Law Group.
• R&T Logging was represented by Chock Barhoum LLP.

Case Information

Susman v. R&T, Case No. 23CV17883, Lane County Circuit Court, Oregon.