Georgia Jury Awards $138,101.50 for Rear-End Collision

A rear-end collision occurred on May 14, 2015, on Interstate 285 near Flat Shoals Road. The plaintiff driver and plaintiff passenger were in a vehicle that had slowed or stopped for traffic when a vehicle operated by the defendant driver struck them from behind. The plaintiffs filed a lawsuit on January 11, 2017, alleging the defendant driver operated a motor vehicle recklessly, failed to exercise due care, followed too closely, and failed to maintain proper attention and vehicle control.

The plaintiffs sought damages for their injuries, including approximately $20,331 in medical expenses for the driver and $40,335 for the passenger, along with compensation for pain and suffering. The defendant driver denied breaching any duty or proximately causing the damages, asserting that the plaintiffs failed to mitigate damages and were contributorily negligent. An insurance company, which entered the case as a potential uninsured/underinsured motorist carrier, also asserted defenses, including a lack of knowledge regarding the defendant driver's insurance status and that recovery required a valid judgment against an uninsured motorist.

On March 15, 2019, a jury returned a verdict in favor of both plaintiffs. The plaintiff driver was awarded $75,000 in damages, and the plaintiff passenger received $63,101.50. The court records indicated these amounts were slightly adjusted two days after the initial verdict. The defendant driver and the involved insurance company were held liable for these damages, concluding the motor vehicle negligence case through a jury verdict for the plaintiffs.