Insurance carriers have agreed to pay $5 million to settle three wrongful death lawsuits against a prominent Virginia workers' compensation defense attorney who is accused of texting while driving.

Claire Carr
(Goochland Co. photo)

Richmond attorney Claire Carr, who established the workers' comp practice at the firm Kalbaugh, Pfund & Messersmith in 1999, was accused of distracted driving one year ago today, according to local news reports.

Another motorist had struck a deer on the highway that night and came to a stop. Two other people stopped to assist, and all three were standing in the median. Attorneys for the victims charged that Carr was driving a company vehicle, was texting and didn't see the stalled vehicle until it was too late, then swerved into the median, killing all three people.

Carr's attorneys denied the allegations, but a judge this month approved the $5 million settlement. A commercial automobile policy will pay $1 million, and a commercial liability umbrella policy will pay $4 million, according to the news reports. The money will be split evenly among the three families.

Carr faces trial this fall on criminal charges in connection with the crash.