Palm Beach Gardens Court Upholds Verdict in Auto Negligence

In September 1996, an automobile accident occurred in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, at the intersection of Military Trail and Northlake Boulevard. The plaintiff was a passenger in a vehicle driven by her mother. As their vehicle was stopped at the intersection, another driver, identified as the defendant in the incident, entered the median, blocking the mother's view of oncoming traffic. The plaintiff's mother moved her vehicle forward slightly to improve visibility, and the defendant's vehicle then clipped the right rear corner panel of their car. The plaintiff later pursued a claim against State Farm, her mother's uninsured/underinsured motorist carrier, by virtue of her mother's coverage.

The plaintiff alleged the incident occurred because the defendant was not paying attention. Conversely, the defendant contended that the plaintiff's mother had moved her vehicle forward as if to enter traffic, then stopped suddenly. Both sides presented testimony from various medical and accident reconstruction experts to support their positions.

Following a verdict, which was not detailed in the record, State Farm, the defendant in the legal action, filed a motion for a new trial. This motion was denied by the court on November 3, 2000, effectively upholding the original verdict in favor of the plaintiff. State Farm had offered $3,000 pre-suit and $20,000 before trial.