The Weather Channel storm chaser lawsuit was a $125 million wrongful death case filed in 2019 by Karen Di Piazza, whose son Corbin Lee Jaeger was killed in a March 2017 Texas crash caused by two of the network’s contract storm chasers. After a federal judge cleared the core claims to go to trial in 2021, the parties settled through mediation for an undisclosed amount, and the case was dismissed with prejudice that June.1KCBD. Woman Resolves $125 Million Lawsuit Against Weather Channel for Storm Chaser Crash
The Crash Behind the Case
On March 28, 2017, Weather Channel contractors Kelley Gene Williamson, 57, and Randall Delane Yarnall, 55, were driving a black Chevrolet Suburban north on Farm-to-Market Road 1081 near Spur, Texas, chasing tornadoes for the network’s show Storm Wranglers. Around 3:30 p.m., the Suburban ran the stop sign at FM 1081 and FM 2794 and struck a black Jeep driven by 25-year-old Corbin Lee Jaeger, a certified National Weather Service storm spotter from Peoria, Arizona.2NBC DFW. Three Storm Chasers Killed in Crash in Northwestern Texas All three men were killed. Texas Department of Public Safety investigators determined Williamson had disregarded the stop sign, and noted that the collision itself was “not weather related.”1KCBD. Woman Resolves $125 Million Lawsuit Against Weather Channel for Storm Chaser Crash At the moment of impact, Yarnall’s vehicle was live-streaming for the network.3USA Today. Storm Chasers Weather Channel Sued Horrific Crash Killed 3
What the Lawsuit Alleged
Di Piazza filed Piazza v. Weather Group Television, LLC, Case No. 5:19-cv-00060, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas on March 26, 2019, naming Weather Group Television, LLC (doing business as The Weather Channel) along with several corporate affiliates and the estates of Williamson and Yarnall.4CourtListener. Piazza v. Weather Group Television, LLC She sought $125 million.5The New York Times. Weather Channel Lawsuit Storm Chasers
The complaint accused the network of gross negligence, alleging Williamson and Yarnall “habitually ran stop signs, traffic lights and violated other basic traffic safety laws” while filming, and that management knew it.3USA Today. Storm Chasers Weather Channel Sued Horrific Crash Killed 3 Central to the case were text messages an unnamed storm chaser sent to a Storm Wranglers producer 24 days before the crash, warning that Williamson had been “doing 90+mph” and adding, “We are just hoping he doesn’t get hurt or hurt anyone else.”6CBS News. Text Sent Days Before Fatal Storm Chaser Crash Expressed Concern Over Driving After the crash, the same chaser reportedly messaged the producer, “I tried to tell him over and over.”7NPR. The Weather Channel Sued for $125 Million Over Death in Storm Chase Collision Di Piazza’s attorney, Robert A. Ball, called it a corporate “culture of putting these guys out in the field untrained” to chase dramatic footage.5The New York Times. Weather Channel Lawsuit Storm Chasers The Weather Channel said publicly only that it was “saddened by the loss” and would not comment on pending litigation.8ABC News 4. Family Files Lawsuit Against Weather Channel for $125 Million After Storm Chaser Crash
The Ruling That Pushed the Case Toward Trial
On March 23, 2021, Senior Judge Sam R. Cummings denied most of The Weather Channel’s motion for summary judgment. The court held that a jury would have to decide whether Williamson and Yarnall were agents of the network, exposing it to vicarious liability, or truly independent contractors. Questions about how much control the company exercised over the pair remained unresolved.9Bloomberg Law. Weather Channel Faces Trial Over Death From Tornado Chase
Judge Cummings also let claims of negligent hiring, negligent supervision, and negligent retention proceed. On supervision, he pointed to evidence that the network had been told after hiring about specific reckless conduct, including excessive speeds, driving 32 hours without sleep, and steering directly into the path of a tornadic storm. On hiring, he noted that Yarnall held a valid commercial driver’s license with no recorded violations when he was brought on in April 2016. The judge granted the defense one point: he barred Di Piazza from seeking punitive damages, because Texas law does not allow them in wrongful death cases.9Bloomberg Law. Weather Channel Faces Trial Over Death From Tornado Chase
How the Case Ended
Trial had been set for May 3, 2021. Before that date, the parties reached a settlement through mediation, and the case was administratively closed on April 26, 2021. On June 2, 2021, Di Piazza filed a motion to dismiss with prejudice, stating she had resolved all claims against The Weather Channel.10The Texas Spur. Weather Channel Settles $125M Wrongful Death Case Storm Chaser Near Spur The settlement figure was not disclosed, and because the dismissal was with prejudice, the claims cannot be refiled.1KCBD. Woman Resolves $125 Million Lawsuit Against Weather Channel for Storm Chaser Crash