Georgia Jury Awards $17,000 in Rear-End Collision

In February 2017, a rear-end collision occurred on Collier Road in Georgia when a vehicle driven by the defendant struck the plaintiffs' car. Both plaintiffs, passengers in the struck vehicle, alleged they sustained bodily injuries as a result. One plaintiff incurred over $62,000 in medical expenses, and the other incurred over $16,000.

In May 2018, the plaintiffs filed a complaint, alleging the defendant's negligence and negligence per se under Georgia law proximately caused the accident and their injuries. The defendant raised numerous defenses, including issues with service of process, jurisdiction, venue, and failure to state a claim. Later filings added defenses such as contributory negligence, comparative negligence, causation, sudden emergency, and assumption of risk. During the pre-trial phase, the defendant's insurance carrier faced sanctions of $1,050 for violating a court order regarding mediation attendance and good faith participation.

In July 2019, claims by one plaintiff were dismissed with prejudice following a consent motion. The remaining plaintiff's claims proceeded to a jury trial. The jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, awarding $17,000 in general damages. A final judgment was entered against the defendant for this amount, which was later satisfied in January 2020 after the defendant's attorney remitted payment to the plaintiff's attorney.