Maricopa County Jury Awards $8,600 in Motor Vehicle Negligence

In March 2010, a plaintiff filed a negligence lawsuit against a defendant in the Arizona Superior Court, Maricopa County, following a motor vehicle accident. The plaintiff alleged sustaining injuries as a result of the incident.

Before trial, the defendant extended an offer of judgment for $9,501, which the plaintiff did not accept. The case proceeded to compulsory arbitration, where an arbitrator awarded the plaintiff $12,000 plus $374.10 in taxable costs. The defendant subsequently appealed this arbitration award.

A jury trial was held, concluding in August 2011. The jury rendered a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, awarding $8,600 in damages. The court later added $964.10 in taxable costs to this award.

The court compared the initial arbitration award with the jury's verdict, including costs. Finding the difference was not greater than 23 percent, the court ordered the defendant to pay the plaintiff's attorney's fees, totaling $8,784, as sanctions for appealing the arbitration award. Additionally, because the jury's final damage award of $8,600 was less than the defendant's earlier offer of judgment of $9,501, the court ordered the plaintiff to pay the defendant $572 in sanctions. The judgment was later affirmed on appeal.