Georgia Judge Awards $47,235 in Insurance Subrogation Claim
One driver operated a vehicle negligently, causing property damage and bodily injuries. The incident involved a vehicle that required repairs. The insurer paid claims for property damage and bodily injuries. The insurer filed a complaint against the other driver seeking judgment for the principal amount, attorney fees, interest, and costs. The defendant filed an answer raising defenses. The case proceeded to trial, and the defendant failed to appear. The court granted the plaintiff's motion to strike the defendant's answer and entered a default judgment against the defendant. The defendant later filed a motion to vacate the judgment, which was denied, finalizing the default judgment.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Defense
- Amount
- $35,226
- County
- Fulton County, GA
- Resolved
- 2020
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Other
- Accident Type
- Other
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Settlement Context
This verdict-defense of $35,226 is above the median of Undisclosed for other cases resolved by verdict-defense. The typical range is Undisclosed to $9,827, based on 107 cases in our database.
Case Overview
In October 2017, a motor vehicle accident occurred when a driver operated a vehicle negligently, causing property damage and bodily injuries. The incident damaged a Pontiac GrandPrix, which required repairs. Two individuals sustained injuries and incurred medical expenses as a result of the collision.
The injured parties' insurer, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, paid $35,226.04 under an uninsured motorist policy to cover property damage and bodily injury claims. The insurer then filed a subrogation complaint in April 2018 against the negligent driver, seeking to recover the principal amount, along with attorney fees, interest, and costs. The defendant driver filed an answer, raising several defenses including failure to state a claim and lack of jurisdiction, but did not file any counterclaims.
The case proceeded to trial in December 2019. The plaintiff insurer was ready, but the defendant failed to appear. The court granted the insurer's motion to strike the defendant's answer and entered a default judgment. In March 2020, the defendant filed a motion to vacate the judgment, claiming to have appeared at trial and asserting police did not hear their side. The court denied the motion, finalizing the default judgment against the defendant for $35,226.04 in principal damages, $11,742.00 in attorney fees, $267.42 in costs, and future interest.
Understanding This Case
- 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 Fulton County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2020, 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
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