Dallas Jury Awards $5,629 in Motor Vehicle Negligence
One driver turned right onto a street and struck the side of another vehicle. The passenger in the struck vehicle claimed neck injuries. The driver who made the turn died during the lawsuit. The passenger sued the deceased driver's estate, alleging negligence in failing to keep a proper lookout, yield the right of way, and make a safe turn. The defense argued the passenger had no evidence of negligence. The passenger sought damages for medical bills and pain and suffering.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
About Cervical Disc Injury Injuries
Cervical disc injuries involve damage to the intervertebral discs in the neck region (C1-C7). These injuries can include herniated discs, bulging discs, and disc degeneration accelerated by trauma.
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $5,629
- County
- Dallas County, TX
- Resolved
- 2016
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Cervical Disc Injury
- Accident Type
- T-bone
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $5,629 is below the median of $40,000 for cervical disc injury cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $18,000 to $100,000, based on 250 cases in our database.
Case Overview
On Feb. 19, 2012, in Dallas, a front-seat passenger sustained neck injuries when a defendant's vehicle made a right turn onto westbound Ledbetter Drive, colliding with the passenger's sedan near the Veterans Drive intersection. The plaintiff, who was legally blind, sued the defendant for alleged negligence, including failure to keep a proper lookout and an unsafe right turn. The defendant died during the litigation, and the plaintiff amended the petition to name her alleged heirs as defendants.
The defense denied negligence, arguing the legally blind plaintiff, who testified not seeing the defendant's vehicle until impact, had no evidence of wrongdoing. Plaintiff's counsel clarified that the plaintiff, though legally blind, had some sight. The plaintiff claimed a C3-4 disc protrusion and underwent chiropractic and physical therapy treatment, with a chiropractor testifying that $5,619 in medical bills were reasonable, necessary, and caused by the accident. The defense questioned these costs, noting no visible injuries and shared ownership among the medical providers.
After a two-hour trial and two hours of jury deliberation, the jury returned a 10-2 verdict. The jury found the defendant negligent and awarded the plaintiff $5,629 for past medical bills.
Understanding This Case
- Many cervical disc injuries improve with conservative treatment. However, about 30% of cases may require surgical intervention, with varying degrees of permanent impairment.
- 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 2016, 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 significantly deviates from similar cases
This score is calculated by analyzing injury type, accident details, geographic location, temporal trends, and comparing against 2,000+ similar cases in our database.
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