Fort Lauderdale Jury Awards $6,300 in Rear-End Collision

A plaintiff motorist filed a lawsuit in Fort Lauderdale alleging he sustained injuries after his vehicle was rear-ended at an intersection. The plaintiff claimed he stopped for a red light, which had turned from yellow, when the defendant's vehicle struck his from behind. A passenger in the plaintiff's car and a police officer who witnessed the collision corroborated the plaintiff's account of stopping for the light. The plaintiff asserted cervical and lumbar strains and carpal tunnel syndrome requiring surgery, resulting in a permanent disability and lost commissions. The plaintiff's treating orthopedic surgeon verified the cervical strain and carpal tunnel syndrome, suggesting a pre-existing lumbar disc condition may have been aggravated.

The defendant contended the plaintiff made a sudden stop and could have proceeded through the intersection. The defendant's expert orthopedic surgeon testified that the plaintiff did not suffer any cervical or lumbar injury. The defense expert further asserted the carpal tunnel syndrome was spontaneous and not caused by the collision, though the expert's report noted it constituted a permanent injury.

A jury found in favor of the plaintiff, awarding $6,300. The plaintiff's subsequent motion for a new trial was denied. The defendant later filed an appeal.