Colorado Jury Awards $27,137.39 in Motor Vehicle Negligence
One driver collided with another vehicle. The injured driver claimed the collision caused injuries and damages. The case went to a jury trial. The jury found in favor of the injured driver and awarded 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
- $28,361
- County
- Dallas County, CO
- Resolved
- 2015
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Back Strain / Soft Tissue
- Accident Type
- Rear-end
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $28,361 is near the median of $15,000 for back strain / soft tissue cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $5,873 to $40,000, based on 890 cases in our database.
Case Overview
On September 15, 2011, a vehicle collision occurred between two drivers in Colorado. One driver, who later became the plaintiff, alleged injuries, damages, and losses as a direct result of the incident. The plaintiff's vehicle sustained front-end damage, while the defendant's vehicle incurred passenger-side damage.
On July 28, 2014, the plaintiff filed a complaint in the Colorado District Court, Second Judicial District, against the other driver, alleging negligence and negligence per se. The complaint sought to recover actual and compensatory damages, property damages, attorneys' fees, pre-judgment interest, post-judgment interest, costs, and expert witness fees. The defendant filed an answer on November 11, 2014, contending, among other defenses, that the plaintiff's claims were barred by doctrines such as laches, unclean hands, estoppel, and waiver.
A jury trial took place from June 22 to June 24, 2015. The jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff on June 24, 2015. In accordance with the verdict, the judge entered a judgment for the plaintiff against the defendant on September 3, 2015. The judgment awarded the plaintiff a principal amount of $20,288.54 and pre-judgment interest of $6,848.85. This principal amount included $12,000 for non-economic damages and $13,360.68 for economic damages, which had been proportionally reduced from the jury's original economic damages award of $16,361 due to the jury's finding that the plaintiff was 20 percent contributorily negligent. Costs were set for a later determination, and post-judgment interest was to accrue at the statutory rate.
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 Dallas County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2015, 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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