Dallas Jury Awards $14,201.61 in Motor Vehicle Negligence

On May 14, 2013, a collision occurred in Dallas, Texas, involving a vehicle carrying a passenger and a pickup truck. The passenger was riding in a southbound vehicle on South Westmoreland Road when a pickup truck, exiting a hospital driveway, attempted a left turn onto the road. The pickup truck driver, who had a stop sign, collided with the passenger's vehicle. An investigating officer later concluded that the pickup truck driver's failure to yield the right of way was the sole contributing factor.

The passenger filed a lawsuit against the pickup truck driver, alleging negligence for failing to yield. The plaintiff claimed to have suffered neck and back sprains and strains, along with a minor knee laceration, receiving chiropractic care for several months. The defendant denied negligence, stating he looked both ways and did not see the plaintiff's vehicle until a split second before the collision, suggesting the plaintiff's driver was speeding.

After a two-day trial, a jury deliberated for four hours. The jury found the defendant negligent and awarded the plaintiff $14,201.61 in damages. The verdict reflected the jury's finding that the defendant was at fault for failing to yield, consistent with the investigating officer's testimony.