Balch Springs Jury Awards $17,908.65 in Left-Turn Collision

On September 12, 2013, a collision occurred at a signal-controlled intersection on Lake June Road in Balch Springs, Texas, when an oncoming pickup truck attempted a left turn and collided with a passenger vehicle. The front right of the turning vehicle struck the front left of the plaintiff's vehicle. The plaintiff, the driver of the passenger vehicle, claimed multiple injuries following the incident.

The plaintiff subsequently filed a lawsuit, alleging the defendant driver was negligent by failing to maintain a proper lookout, making an unsafe left turn, failing to yield the right of way, and failing to brake or swerve to avoid the collision. An independent eyewitness and the plaintiff informed police that the defendant turned in front of the plaintiff, and a police report admitted as evidence assigned fault to the defendant for failing to yield. The defendant contended that he did not see any oncoming traffic when he initiated his turn and believed it was safe to proceed. Defense counsel argued the defendant's actions did not constitute negligence and suggested the plaintiff may have been speeding or distracted, although comparative responsibility was not a formal claim.

The plaintiff reported injuries including neck, back, shoulder, chest wall, and bilateral knee pain, seeking approximately $32,500 for past and future medical bills, pain, and physical impairment. The defense challenged the severity and causation of these claimed injuries, highlighting the plaintiff's delayed chiropractic care, lack of consistent treatment, and the treating chiropractor's potential financial interest due to a letter of protection. After a two-day trial, a jury deliberated for two hours before finding the defendant negligent and awarding the plaintiff $17,908.65.