Hialeah Jury Finds Negligence and Permanent Injury in Rear-End Collision

A collision occurred on April 5, 1997, at the intersection of W. 84th Street and 20th Avenue in Hialeah. A van, owned by the defendant and operated by its driver, rear-ended the plaintiff's vehicle. The impact pushed the plaintiff's vehicle into another car and subsequently into oncoming traffic, where it was struck a second time. The defendant admitted liability for the incident, which involved three totaled vehicles.

The plaintiff alleged the collision was a heavy impact and resulted in significant and permanent injuries. Medical experts testified for both sides regarding the extent of the plaintiff's injuries; the plaintiff presented an orthopedic surgeon and a urologist, while the defense called an orthopedic surgeon, a urologist, and a nuclear medicine/radiology expert.

Following trial, a jury found that the defendant's driver was negligent and that this negligence was a legal cause of loss, injury, or damage to the plaintiff. The jury further determined that the plaintiff sustained a permanent injury as a result of the incident.