Grand Prairie Jury Awards $12,750 in Red-Light Collision

On March 6, 2014, a collision occurred in Grand Prairie between a plaintiff, driving north on a Highway 161 service road, and a defendant operating a taxi, driving east on Dalworth Street. The plaintiff sustained neck and back injuries and subsequently filed a negligence lawsuit, alleging the defendant ran a red light. The defendant denied liability, claiming the plaintiff was at fault, and filed a counterclaim seeking damages for his totaled taxi.

Before trial, the defendant settled the plaintiff's personal injury claim for undisclosed terms, and the case proceeded on the defendant's counterclaim for vehicle damage. The defendant sought $12,750, citing the National Automobile Dealers Association value for his 2011 Toyota Sienna taxi. The plaintiff countered that the taxi's market value was significantly lower, between $500 and $1,000, due to its exclusive use as a cab since 2011 and its "unattractive orange color."

After a two-day trial, a jury deliberated for two hours. The jury found the plaintiff 100 percent liable for the collision. They awarded the defendant $12,750 in damages for the value of his vehicle.