Georgia Jury Awards $30,399.72 in Rear-End Collision

On May 14, 2014, a driver was involved in a multi-vehicle collision on I-285 East at Buford Highway in Doraville, Georgia. The incident occurred when a defendant driver failed to stop and struck the plaintiff's vehicle from behind, propelling it into another vehicle ahead. The plaintiff sustained personal injuries and incurred medical expenses. The at-fault driver's bodily injury coverage paid its $25,000 policy limit, and the plaintiff signed a limited release.

The plaintiff subsequently filed a complaint on April 26, 2016, seeking additional damages for injuries and medical expenses. The plaintiff named both the defendant driver and her own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UIM) carrier as defendants, alleging negligence against the at-fault driver. The UIM carrier responded by asserting that the plaintiff had no cause of action against it without first obtaining a judgment against the uninsured person and that the complaint failed to state a claim.

The case proceeded to trial, and on March 10, 2020, a jury found in favor of the plaintiff. The jury awarded the plaintiff $20,399.72 for special damages and $10,000 for general damages, totaling $30,399.72. A final judgment entered on March 25, 2020, also included an additional $365.25 in attorneys' fees and costs awarded against the defendant driver.