Spalding County, Georgia Jury Awards $20,000 in Motor Vehicle Collision

A motor vehicle collision occurred in Spalding County, Georgia, on June 20, 2017. The plaintiff alleged the defendant driver negligently caused the incident by failing to maintain his lane and running her vehicle off the road, resulting in personal injuries and ongoing pain. The lawsuit, filed on June 13, 2019, also initially named the vehicle owner, claiming negligent entrustment. The plaintiff sought special and general damages.

The defendants asserted various defenses, including claims that the plaintiff's own negligence barred her recovery and that she failed to mitigate damages. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company entered the case as the uninsured/underinsured motorist carrier. State Farm's motion to transfer venue was denied in October 2020 due to a lack of reasonable diligence, with a subsequent motion to reconsider also denied. In June 2021, the negligent entrustment claim against the vehicle owner was dismissed.

The parties stipulated to the defendant driver's negligence in causing the collision, and the case proceeded to trial. On June 20, 2021, a jury found in favor of the plaintiff. Judgment was entered against the defendant driver and State Farm on June 29, 2021, for $20,000. This amount reflected a $50,000 jury verdict, reduced by $25,000 in prior payments and $5,000 in medical benefits.