Palm Beach County Jury Awards $498,691 in Rear-End Collision

A multiple-vehicle rear-end collision occurred on May 14, 2015, in Palm Beach County, Florida. The defendant driver, operating a large truck owned by a co-defendant, rear-ended a sedan, which then impacted the plaintiff's Ford Explorer. The plaintiff's vehicle, equipped with a trailer hitch, absorbed much of the impact and sustained no visible damage, with repairs totaling $653. The other vehicles involved sustained damages under $1,200.

The 62-year-old plaintiff claimed neck and back injuries, including three herniated discs in his neck and aggravation of bulging discs in his lower back. He underwent approximately 55 chiropractic visits and saw an orthopedic physician who recommended epidural steroid injections, which the plaintiff declined in favor of continued conservative treatment. Although the plaintiff had a prior lower back injury from 30 years earlier, he testified to being physically well for many years before this incident.

The plaintiff filed a motor vehicle negligence lawsuit in the 15th Judicial Circuit Court of Palm Beach County, seeking past and future medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The defendants' insurer offered $10,000 to settle pre-trial. At the three-day trial, a defense orthopedic surgery expert testified that the plaintiff's injuries were pre-existing and related to his prior physical duties as a restaurant owner.

A jury returned a verdict of $498,691 for the plaintiff. The award included $20,000 for past medical expenses, $26,000 for future medical care, $2,000 for lost wages, and $450,000 for past and future pain and suffering.