Dallas Jury Awards $500,000 in Underinsured Motorist Claim
One driver's vehicle collided with another vehicle, causing it to hit a third vehicle and roll over. The driver of the third vehicle claimed injuries to his head, including a concussion and post-concussion syndrome, leading to daily headaches and cognitive difficulties. He also experienced neck and back pain that resolved. The driver sought damages for lost earning capacity and noneconomic damages.
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
- $4,700,000
- County
- Dallas County, TX
- Resolved
- 2019
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Head/Brain Injury
- Accident Type
- Multi-vehicle
- Case Type
- back, head, headaches
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $4,700,000 is near the median of $1,893,000 for head/brain injury cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $93,169 to $9,140,000, based on 45 cases in our database.
Case Overview
A multi-vehicle collision occurred on Garland Road in Dallas on February 5, 2016. A sport utility vehicle in the right lane collided with an 18-wheeler in the middle lane, which then struck a second sport utility vehicle in the left lane. The second sport utility vehicle, driven by the plaintiff, rolled onto its side. The plaintiff, a landscaper's regional manager, sustained a mild traumatic brain injury, a concussion, and post-concussion syndrome, leading to daily headaches, cognitive impairment, and anger management difficulties. The plaintiff also claimed past and future lost earning capacity after being fired months after the incident.
The plaintiff initially sued both drivers involved in the initial collision, the 18-wheeler driver's employer, and the plaintiff's own insurer. The plaintiff alleged the other drivers were negligent. After settlements with the initial drivers and the trucking company, the case proceeded to trial solely as an underinsured-motorist (UIM) claim against the plaintiff's insurer.
At trial, the plaintiff argued that the driver in the right lane caused the accident by failing to stay in her lane and striking the 18-wheeler. This was supported by the plaintiff's testimony, an investigating officer's conclusion, and the plaintiff's accident reconstruction expert. Deposition testimony indicated this driver may have been using a phone. The defendant insurer argued that the 18-wheeler driver was primarily responsible, asserting he took faulty evasive action and exceeded the speed limit. The insurer's expert opined the 18-wheeler driver struck the plaintiff's vehicle before being struck by the other driver.
After a three-day trial and 20 hours of deliberation, a Dallas jury found only the driver in the right lane negligent, not the 18-wheeler driver. The jury awarded the plaintiff $4.7 million in damages. However, the plaintiff's recovery was limited to the $500,000 UIM policy limit.
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 Dallas County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2019, 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 is within expected ranges
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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