Baytown Jury Awards $12,000 in Rear-End Collision
A teacher was stopped in traffic when another driver rear-ended her vehicle. The impact pushed her car into the car in front of her. She claimed her back injuries were aggravated by the collision. The defense argued her injuries were pre-existing. The jury found the defendant driver negligent and awarded damages.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $12,000
- County
- Harris County, TX
- Resolved
- 2017
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Lumbar Disc Injury
- Accident Type
- Rear-end
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Case Overview
On March 17, 2014, in Baytown, Texas, a compact sport utility vehicle driven by a 59-year-old teacher was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer on Highway 146 while slowing for a stoplight. The impact pushed the SUV into the vehicle ahead. The plaintiff claimed back injuries and subsequently filed a lawsuit against the tractor-trailer driver and his employer. The plaintiff alleged the driver was negligent for failing to control speed and maintain a proper lookout. Claims against the employer included respondeat superior, negligent training regarding getting lost, and negligent failure to provide routing instructions.
The defendant driver stipulated to negligence. However, the employer denied direct negligence, arguing the driver was not lost and Highway 146 was an appropriate route. A plaintiff's expert testified that the employer should have provided routing instructions and trained the driver to pull over if lost. A defense expert countered that routing instructions are generally only required for hazardous materials, which were not being transported, and regulations do not mandate training for lost drivers. The plaintiff claimed the accident aggravated pre-existing spinal conditions and sought up to $1 million for past and future medical bills, lost earning capacity, pain, mental anguish, and punitive damages against the employer. The defense contended that any injuries were pre-existing degenerative conditions and the accident's impact was not severe, suggesting a minimal award.
After a three-day trial, a jury deliberated for three hours. The jury did not find direct negligence against the employer. However, the jury found both the driver and the employer liable for the driver's stipulated negligence and awarded the plaintiff $12,000.
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