Harris County Jury Awards $23,428 in Rear-End Collision

On June 25, 2019, a multi-vehicle collision occurred in the 11700 block of Beechnut in Houston, Harris County, Texas. A plaintiff was operating a vehicle when a defendant allegedly negligently operated her own vehicle, rear-ending another vehicle that was then pushed into the plaintiff's vehicle. The plaintiff alleged the defendant failed to maintain a proper lookout, control speed, remain alert, yield the right of way, properly apply brakes, and avoid objects in her path. The lawsuit was later consolidated with a separate case arising from the same incident, involving additional plaintiffs.

The defendant filed a general denial and asserted several defenses, including that the plaintiffs' own actions contributed to their injuries, that the defendant was not liable for injuries unrelated to the accident, that the plaintiffs failed to mitigate damages, and that the accident was a sudden emergency. During pre-trial proceedings, the court granted the defendant's challenge to the reasonableness of certain medical charges. Additionally, the court granted the defendant's objection to strike medical records and expense affidavits filed by the plaintiffs, as they were submitted well past the established deadline. The case also experienced a temporary dismissal for want of prosecution before being reinstated.

Following a trial conducted from May 31 to June 1, 2023, a jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs. On July 24, 2023, the court entered a final judgment, awarding one plaintiff $9,960.00 and a minor child plaintiff $5,887.00 in damages. The judgment also included prejudgment interest at a rate of 8.25% per year, post-judgment interest at 8.25% per year, and court costs totaling $2,351.77, for a total award of $23,428.