Colorado Jury Awards $31,754 After Interstate 25 Collision

On July 7, 2011, a collision occurred on Interstate 25 in Colorado. The defendant driver, traveling southbound, failed to slow down, causing a multi-vehicle incident that impacted the vehicle operated by the plaintiff driver, which also carried a plaintiff passenger. On October 24, 2013, the plaintiffs filed a complaint in the Colorado District Court, Eighteenth Judicial District, alleging negligence and negligence per se. They sought damages for physical pain and suffering, bodily injury, emotional distress, activity limitations, reduced quality of life, and medical expenses.

The defendant driver filed an amended answer, contending that the plaintiffs failed to mitigate their damages, noting that the plaintiff passenger began treatment two months post-accident and the plaintiff driver began treatment three months post-accident. A jury trial was subsequently held. On January 29, 2015, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs, awarding $6,500 for non-economic damages, $14,000 for economic damages, and $3,167 for physical impairment, totaling a principal amount of $23,667.

On February 13, 2015, the court entered judgment for the principal amount plus statutory pre-judgment interest of $8,087.19, for an aggregate total judgment of $31,754.19. Post-judgment interest was also ordered to accrue. Following a stipulation for dismissal with prejudice, the court formally dismissed the action on March 30, 2015.