Jury Awards $9.14 Million in Serious Pedestrian Accident
A teenager was hit by a car while crossing a street near his high school. He sustained a serious brain injury that caused lasting problems with his balance, speech, memory, and thinking. The injured teen required extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation. His parents sued the driver and the county, alleging the driver was not paying attention and the county maintained a dangerous crosswalk. The jury found the driver mostly at fault, with some fault assigned to the county and the teen.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
About Head/Brain Injury Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) range from mild concussions to severe brain damage. Car accidents are a leading cause of TBI, with effects ranging from temporary symptoms to permanent cognitive impairment.
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $9,140,000
- County
- Pima County, AZ
- Resolved
- 2007
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Head/Brain Injury
- Accident Type
- Pedestrian
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Accident
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $9,140,000 is above the median of $510,805 for head/brain injury cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $52,650 to $4,929,085, based on 77 cases in our database.
Case Overview
A 15-year-old plaintiff suffered severe injuries after being struck by a car while crossing a mid-block crosswalk adjacent to a high school. The incident resulted in a traumatic brain injury, causing permanent neurological deficits, including gait and balance disturbances, coordination, speech, and memory problems, and deficits in executive functioning skills. The plaintiff was in a coma for three weeks and required over two months of rehabilitation, later needing special education classes. Past medical expenses totaled approximately $700,000, with estimated future life-care plans up to $3.5 million and loss of earning capacity up to $2.12 million.
The plaintiff's parents filed a lawsuit, individually and on the minor's behalf, against the driver and the county. The plaintiffs alleged the driver negligently failed to observe the roadway and control her vehicle. They also claimed the county maintained a dangerous, non-signalized mid-block crosswalk within a 45 mph speed zone. The driver admitted partial fault but asserted the plaintiff and the county were also liable. The county denied liability, contending that both the plaintiff and the driver were at fault.
A jury awarded the plaintiffs approximately $9.14 million. This total included about $8.23 million for the minor plaintiff, $640,000 for the minor's mother, and $270,000 for the minor's father. The jury apportioned 79 percent of the fault to the driver, 20 percent to the county, and 1 percent to the minor plaintiff.
Understanding This Case
- Most mild TBIs resolve within weeks to months. Moderate to severe TBI often results in permanent impairment affecting cognition, behavior, and physical function.
- This case went to trial and resulted in a jury verdict. Verdicts can yield higher awards but carry the risk of receiving nothing if the jury rules against the plaintiff.
- This case was resolved in Pima County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2007, this case reflects the legal and economic conditions of that period, including medical costs, insurance practices, and jury award trends at the time.
VerdictlyTM Score
This outcome differs from typical similar cases
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