Texas Jury Awards $3,000,000 in Car Crash

A motor vehicle accident occurred in Louisiana when a vehicle operated by one individual collided with an automobile driven by the plaintiff. The plaintiff driver allegedly sustained significant injuries, including nerve damage affecting breathing and lungs, requiring immediate cervical surgery. The plaintiff driver's spouse also claimed a loss of consortium. The at-fault driver's insurance paid its $50,000 policy limit, but the plaintiffs deemed this inadequate to cover the extensive losses. The plaintiff driver and spouse then filed an insurance and bad faith and vehicular liability action against Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (PURE), their own insurer, in the 24th Judicial District Court, Parish of Jefferson. They asserted claims for negligence, loss of consortium, and breach of the uninsured/underinsured motorist provisions of their policy, alleging PURE failed to tender a fair sum despite receiving extensive medical documentation. PURE removed the case to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. PURE denied the allegations, asserting affirmative defenses that included failure to state a claim, failure to mitigate damages, and comparative fault. After a trial, a jury found that the plaintiff driver and spouse had not proven by a preponderance of the evidence that the injuries to the plaintiff driver were legally caused or worsened by the motor vehicle accident. The jury also found that the plaintiff spouse had not proven a sustained loss of consortium. The court subsequently entered judgment in favor of PURE and dismissed the case with prejudice.

A plaintiff sought damages following a motor vehicle accident that resulted in head, neck, shoulder, and right hand injuries, as well as vehicle damage. The plaintiff also claimed a loss of future earnings. Expert witnesses in neurological surgery and vocational rehabilitation were involved in the case. The case was dismissed on July 11, 2019.

A motor vehicle accident case was filed, though few details were available regarding the incident or the specific claims made. A rehabilitation psychology expert, specializing in areas including vocational rehabilitation, life care planning, and chronic pain management, was involved on behalf of the plaintiff. Information about the case's resolution was not available.

A plaintiff initiated a lawsuit following a rear-end collision caused by a tractor-trailer driver. The litigation involved expert testimony concerning the plaintiff's alleged injuries and their long-term effects. A rehabilitation psychology and vocational rehabilitation expert, along with a neurological surgery expert, provided testimony on behalf of the plaintiff. For the defense, an occupational medicine expert offered testimony. The court ultimately awarded the plaintiff $3,038,077.

In January 2013, a vehicle operated by the plaintiff, a pharmacy technician, was rear-ended on Clearview Parkway in Metairie, Louisiana. The collision involved a vehicle driven by a defendant employee of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. The defendant driver initially disputed liability, claiming the plaintiff suddenly changed lanes, while the plaintiff asserted she was waved forward before the impact. A trial court later directed a verdict on liability in favor of the plaintiff. Following the moderate collision, the plaintiff was transported to an emergency room by ambulance. The plaintiff subsequently sought treatment for a C-6 disc herniation, involving two cervical repair surgeries and steroid injections. Medical and economic experts testified that the injury resulted in permanent disability from her job, outlining a life care plan and quantifying its financial impact. A biomechanics expert also discussed the forces of the crash. The plaintiff sought damages from both the defendant driver and his government employer. The defense disputed the extent of the claimed injury, presenting surveillance video of the plaintiff engaged in everyday activities. The case proceeded to a four-day jury trial in Gretna, Louisiana. The jury awarded the plaintiff $520,875 for past medical expenses, $310,000 for future medical care, $55,828 for past lost wages, and $626,642 for future lost earning capacity. Additionally, the jury awarded $400,000 for physical suffering, $400,000 for mental anguish, and $200,000 for loss of enjoyment of life, resulting in a total raw verdict of $2,513,345. The court subsequently reduced the total award in the final judgment to $2,013,345 to comply with a statutory $500,000 cap on non-economic damages in cases against the government. The defendant employer later filed a motion for a new trial.