Lubbock Jury Finds Negligence in Collision, Awards $9,848
One driver was traveling south on University Avenue in Lubbock when they collided with another driver also traveling south. The plaintiffs alleged the defendant driver was negligent in operating her vehicle, attempting to turn right across lanes of traffic. The defendant driver denied full liability, suggesting the plaintiff driver may have contributed to the accident. The plaintiffs claimed multiple injuries, including neck, back, and elbow pain, and sought damages for medical expenses, physical impairment, and pain and suffering. The defense argued that the plaintiff's injuries were pre-existing.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $9,848
- County
- Lubbock County, TX
- Resolved
- 2017
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Back Strain / Soft Tissue
- Accident Type
- Other
- Case Type
- Back and Neck, Back and Neck, Elbow
Case Overview
A collision occurred on June 18, 2015, on University Avenue in Lubbock when a vehicle driven by the defendant collided with a southbound vehicle occupied by the plaintiff-driver and plaintiff-passenger. The plaintiffs sustained multiple injuries and subsequently filed a lawsuit alleging the defendant's negligent operation of her vehicle.
The plaintiffs contended that the defendant attempted to turn right from the far-left southbound lane, striking the driver's side of their vehicle. They presented an accident report citing independent witnesses who observed the defendant looking down, potentially at a cell phone, prior to the crash. The plaintiffs' counsel also noted the defendant's testimony that she was distracted by "messing" with coin change and looking at a passenger's cell phone for a music video during the turn. The investigating police officer testified that the defendant was responsible for the collision and found no contributing negligence by the plaintiff-driver. The plaintiff-driver was diagnosed with a soft-tissue lumbar strain and underwent physical therapy, while the plaintiff-passenger experienced neck and back pain, also undergoing therapy. Both sought damages for medical expenses, physical impairment, and pain and suffering.
The defense denied full liability, arguing that the plaintiff-driver might have contributed to the accident by driving while potentially affected by prescribed medication. Defense counsel noted that the plaintiff-driver had received anti-inflammatory injections for chronic pain syndrome an hour before the crash and had a history of degenerative spinal conditions and chronic pain. Defense experts opined that the plaintiff-driver's claimed injuries were pre-existing.
After a one-day trial, a jury deliberated for 90 minutes and found the defendant 100 percent negligent. The jury awarded the plaintiffs $9,848 for past medical costs, with $6,691 allocated to the plaintiff-driver and $3,157 to the plaintiff-passenger.
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