Harris County Jury Awards $250,000 in Police Vehicle Collision
One driver alleged another driver, a police officer, negligently caused a collision. The officer's employer claimed immunity. The collision occurred in Harris County, resulting in serious injuries to one driver, including a cervical spine injury requiring surgery. The jury found the officer negligent and awarded damages, which the court adjusted.
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
- $1,500,000
- County
- Harris County, TX
- Resolved
- 2017
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Cervical Disc Injury
- Accident Type
- Other
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence, Intersection Collision
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $1,500,000 is above 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 October 9, 2015, a collision occurred in Harris County, Texas, involving a plaintiff's vehicle and a police officer's vehicle. The plaintiff alleged the defendant police officer negligently operated his vehicle while within the scope of his employment with the defendant city, causing the incident. The plaintiff claimed serious bodily injury, specifically a cervical spine injury requiring surgery and hardware installation.
In response, the defendant officer and defendant city asserted governmental and official immunity. They also contended the collision resulted from a sudden, unavoidable situation, and that the plaintiff was at least contributorily negligent.
At trial, the plaintiff presented photographs of her vehicle and the accident scene, a police report of the collision, and medical reports and bills to support the nature, causation, and cost of her treatment. The defendants countered, arguing that the plaintiff's injuries were not caused by the collision but were pre-existing. They further claimed the plaintiff failed to mitigate her damages and that a third party, over whom the defendants had no control, was responsible for the collision.
A jury found the defendant city employee negligent and awarded the plaintiff $1,512,466 in damages. This total included amounts for past medical care, past and future physical pain and mental anguish, past disfigurement, and past and future physical impairment. However, the court subsequently reduced the jury's award to $250,000, citing the limitation on liability provided by the Texas Tort Claims Act.
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 Harris County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2017, 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 differs from typical similar cases
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