Broward County Jury Awards $10,096,567 in Rear-End Collision

A multi-vehicle collision occurred on W. Broward Boulevard near NW 69th and NW 70th Avenue in Broward County, Florida, on July 9, 2012. The defendant, who was speeding westbound, rear-ended a vehicle, triggering a chain reaction involving six vehicles, including a pickup truck driven by the plaintiff, a 68-year-old. Immediately after an initial impact, the plaintiff experienced a 'pins and needles' sensation in the arms and legs, reportedly losing control of the vehicle, which resulted in a subsequent collision. The plaintiff was transported to a hospital where a spinal cord injury, leading to partial paralysis in all four extremities, was diagnosed.

The plaintiff filed a motor vehicle negligence lawsuit in the 17th Judicial Court of Broward County, Florida, seeking compensatory and non-compensatory damages for medical expenses and lost wages. The defendant argued that the plaintiff's injury did not result from the initial impact. Instead, the defense asserted that the plaintiff's injury occurred after the plaintiff voluntarily left the scene of the initial low-impact collision and negligently drove into a stopped van a half-mile down the road.

After a two-week trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff. The jury awarded the plaintiff $10,096,567 in damages.