Houston Auto Crash Settles, Amount Undisclosed
One driver was motorcycling west on a road in Tyler when another driver attempted a left turn. The motorcyclist laid down their motorcycle in the intersection, and there was no contact between the vehicles. The motorcyclist claimed multiple injuries, including a concussion, brain injury, hearing loss, and fractures. The defense argued that the motorcyclist should not have laid down their motorcycle and that they would not have been hit if they had continued straight.
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
- $1,250,000
- County
- Smith County, TX
- Resolved
- 2017
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Head/Brain Injury
- Accident Type
- Motorcycle
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $1,250,000 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
On November 9, 2014, a motorcycling plaintiff was traveling west on West Grande Boulevard in Tyler when a sedan, driven by the defendant, attempted a left turn from Old Noonday Road onto West Grande Boulevard. To avoid a collision, the plaintiff laid down the motorcycle in the intersection. There was no contact between the vehicles, but the plaintiff claimed multiple injuries. The plaintiff subsequently sued the defendant for negligence, alleging failure to yield the right of way, failure to keep a proper lookout, and making an unsafe left turn. The plaintiff's wife also sought damages for loss of consortium.
The plaintiff claimed injuries including a concussion, traumatic brain injury with permanent neurocognitive impairment, memory problems, a forehead laceration, double vision, hearing loss, tinnitus, a clavicle fracture, and a scapula fracture. Medical treatment included emergency room care, intubation, surgery for the clavicle fracture, physical therapy, cosmetic scar revision, a hearing aid, and cognitive rehabilitation. The plaintiff sought damages for approximately $93,000 in past medical bills, future medical expenses, past and future physical pain, mental anguish, and physical impairment.
The defense denied negligence, arguing that the plaintiff should not have laid down the motorcycle, claiming there would have been no collision. The defense also argued the plaintiff contributed to his own injuries by failing to wear a helmet and contested the severity of the brain injury, stating the concussion resolved within months, as evidenced by the plaintiff's return to his high-level position as a plant manager.
The case concluded when the parties reached a settlement for $1.25 million, representing the combined limits of the defendant's primary and umbrella insurance policies.
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 Smith 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 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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