Georgia Jury Awards $77,436 in Motor Vehicle Negligence

A motor vehicle collision occurred on I-575 southbound in Georgia on May 14, 2015. The plaintiff filed a lawsuit on May 12, 2017, alleging the defendant negligently operated a 2012 BMW 335I, causing the incident. The plaintiff claimed the defendant failed to maintain control of the vehicle, did not keep a vigilant lookout, drove at an excessive speed, and followed too closely in violation of Georgia law. The lawsuit sought compensatory damages for pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages, attorney fees, and litigation costs.

The defendant filed a defense on June 22, 2017, denying liability and asserting that the collision resulted from the acts or omissions of other individuals. The defendant claimed the plaintiff failed to join a necessary party and alleged an unknown "John or Jane Doe" driver was the at-fault person. The defendant did not file any counterclaims against the plaintiff.

The case proceeded to a jury trial from September 12-13, 2019. On September 13, 2019, the jury returned a unanimous verdict in favor of the plaintiff. The jury awarded the plaintiff $77,000 in general damages, and the court subsequently awarded $436.52 in costs on September 18, 2019. The case concluded with a total award of $77,436.