West Palm Beach Jury Finds No Damages in Rear-End Collision

On November 6, 2002, a multi-vehicle rear-end collision occurred on Okeechobee Boulevard near Haverhill Road in West Palm Beach, Florida. The plaintiff was operating a vehicle stopped in traffic when a vehicle driven by the defendant driver, and owned by the defendant vehicle owner, struck a car behind the plaintiff. That vehicle was then pushed into the plaintiff's car, which subsequently collided with the vehicle in front of it. A court previously determined the defendant driver was at fault for causing the collision.

The plaintiff filed a lawsuit alleging injuries from the incident. During the proceedings, the plaintiff presented expert testimony from an economist and a neurologist regarding the injuries and potential damages. The defendants offered expert testimony from a psychiatrist, an orthopedic surgeon, and a neurologist, addressing the nature and permanence of the plaintiff's claimed injuries. Prior to trial, the defendants offered $10,000 to settle the matter.

The jury found that the defendants' negligence was a legal cause of loss, injury, or damage to the plaintiff. However, the jury also determined that the plaintiff did not sustain a permanent injury as a result of the accident within a reasonable medical probability. No loss of consortium was found. Following the verdict, the defendants filed post-trial motions seeking fees and costs.