Pima County Jury Awards Over $400K in Bad Faith Claim
One driver was rear-ended by another vehicle in Tucson, Arizona. The injured driver suffered multiple injuries. The at-fault driver's insurance settled for policy limits. The injured driver's own underinsured motorist coverage claim was denied, leading to a lawsuit. A jury found in favor of the injured driver, awarding damages.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
About Back Strain / Soft Tissue Injuries
Back strain and soft tissue injuries are among the most common injuries sustained in car accidents. These injuries affect muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the back, often resulting from the sudden impact forces experienced during a collision.
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $287,000
- County
- Pima County, AZ
- Resolved
- 2012
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Back Strain / Soft Tissue
- Accident Type
- Rear-end
- Case Type
- Economic Injury
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $287,000 is above the median of $13,021 for back strain / soft tissue cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $5,408 to $31,445, based on 800 cases in our database.
Case Overview
In September 2005, a plaintiff driving in Tucson, Arizona, was involved in a rear-end collision and sustained multiple injuries. The driver of the other vehicle, insured by USAA, settled with the plaintiff for the policy limits of $20,000. The plaintiff then sought underinsured motorist (UIM) benefits from her own insurer, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, under a policy providing $500,000 in UIM coverage. State Farm denied the claim, asserting the plaintiff had been adequately compensated.
In June 2010, the plaintiff filed a lawsuit against State Farm in the Arizona Superior Court for Pima County, alleging breach of contract and breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing. The plaintiff sought various damages, including general, special, and punitive damages.
The case proceeded to trial, and in September 2012, a jury found in favor of the plaintiff, determining her full damages to be $287,000. In November 2012, the court entered judgment for $287,000 against State Farm, reduced by the $20,000 previously recovered from the other driver's insurer. The court also determined that State Farm had failed to accept an earlier offer of judgment of $50,000 from the plaintiff. As a result, State Farm was ordered to pay doubled taxable costs, expert witness fees, prejudgment interest, and attorneys' fees, in addition to jury fees. The total judgment, including these additional awards, amounted to over $400,000.
Understanding This Case
- The majority of soft tissue injuries resolve within 6-12 weeks with proper treatment. However, approximately 10-20% of cases may develop into chronic conditions requiring ongoing care.
- 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 2012, 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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