West Palm Beach DUI Rear-End Collision Settles for $300,000
One driver collided with the rear of another vehicle. The occupants of the struck vehicle, including a minor, sustained injuries. The driver who caused the collision was under the influence of alcohol. Liability for the accident and punitive damages was admitted.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
About Head/Brain Injury Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) range from mild concussions to severe brain damage. Car accidents are a leading cause of TBI, with effects ranging from temporary symptoms to permanent cognitive impairment.
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $10,352,796
- County
- Palm Beach County, FL
- Resolved
- 1997
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Head/Brain Injury
- Accident Type
- Rear-end
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $10,352,796 is above the median of $510,805 for head/brain injury cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $52,650 to $4,929,085, based on 77 cases in our database.
Case Overview
On November 5, 1995, a defendant driver operating a truck owned by a codefendant collided with the rear of a vehicle driven by a plaintiff on Forest Hill Boulevard after proceeding through the intersection with Military Trail. The plaintiff's wife and two children, including the minor plaintiff, were passengers in the struck vehicle. The defendant driver was operating the truck under the influence of alcohol, and liability for the accident and for punitive damages was admitted by the defendants.
Plaintiff experts in neurosurgery, neurology, psychology, vocational rehabilitation, physical medicine, and economics provided testimony regarding the minor plaintiff's injuries and related damages. A defense expert in pediatric neurology also testified. The defendant offered the policy limits of $300,000 to resolve the claim. The defendant driver had been involved in a prior motor vehicle accident eight years earlier, which also occurred while driving under the influence of alcohol and resulted in the deaths of two children.
Understanding This Case
- Most mild TBIs resolve within weeks to months. Moderate to severe TBI often results in permanent impairment affecting cognition, behavior, and physical function.
- 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 Palm Beach County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 1997, 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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