Volusia County Jury Finds Negligence, Awards $5,462 in Car Crash
One driver claimed another driver caused a collision at an intersection. The first driver was a passenger in a vehicle traveling northbound, while the second driver was westbound and intended to turn left. The second driver claimed they proceeded because the first driver's vehicle appeared to be turning right. The collision occurred, and the passenger sought damages for neck injuries. Experts disagreed on whether the injuries were caused by the accident or pre-existing degenerative changes.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
About Cervical Disc Injury Injuries
Cervical disc injuries involve damage to the intervertebral discs in the neck region (C1-C7). These injuries can include herniated discs, bulging discs, and disc degeneration accelerated by trauma.
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $5,462
- County
- Volusia County, FL
- Resolved
- 2012
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Cervical Disc Injury
- Accident Type
- Other
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $5,462 is below the median of $42,976 for cervical disc injury cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $18,000 to $139,701, based on 382 cases in our database.
Case Overview
A motor vehicle collision occurred on December 13, 2007, at Nova Road and Sterhaus Drive in Volusia County, Florida. The plaintiff, a passenger, alleged the defendant driver negligently caused the accident by failing to yield at a stop sign. The defendant contended he stopped, then proceeded into the intersection after observing the plaintiff's vehicle slow with its right turn signal activated, indicating an eastbound turn. However, the plaintiff's vehicle continued northbound, resulting in the collision.
The plaintiff filed a negligence action, seeking recovery for neck injuries. Plaintiff's medical experts linked the accident to the plaintiff's neck injury and subsequent surgery, although one expert acknowledged pre-existing degenerative changes. A defense radiology expert testified that the surgery stemmed from these degenerative changes, not trauma from the accident. A jury found the defendant 100% liable for the collision but awarded the plaintiff $5,462 for past medical expenses. This award covered five months of treatment and excluded the plaintiff's two-level diskectomy and fusion.
Understanding This Case
- Many cervical disc injuries improve with conservative treatment. However, about 30% of cases may require surgical intervention, with varying degrees of permanent impairment.
- This case went to trial and resulted in a jury verdict. Verdicts can yield higher awards but carry the risk of receiving nothing if the jury rules against the plaintiff.
- This case was resolved in Volusia County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2012, this case reflects the legal and economic conditions of that period, including medical costs, insurance practices, and jury award trends at the time.
VerdictlyTM Score
This outcome significantly deviates from similar cases
This score is calculated by analyzing injury type, accident details, geographic location, temporal trends, and comparing against 2,000+ similar cases in our database.
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