Houston Court Awards $2.27 Million for DWI Red-Light Crash
One driver was proceeding through an intersection when the other driver ran a red light and struck their vehicle. The second driver was found to be under the influence of alcohol. The injured driver sustained a serious head injury requiring surgery and continues to experience complications.
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
- $2,272,250
- County
- Harris County, TX
- Resolved
- 2018
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Head/Brain Injury
- Accident Type
- T-bone
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence, Intersection Collision
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $2,272,250 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 plaintiff suffered a serious head injury after their vehicle was struck by a defendant at an intersection in Houston, Texas. The plaintiff was lawfully proceeding with a green light when the defendant entered the intersection against a red light and collided with the plaintiff's vehicle. Following the incident, the defendant's blood alcohol level was found to be above the legal limit, leading to charges of driving under the influence of alcohol.
The plaintiff filed a personal injury lawsuit, alleging the defendant was negligent in driving under the influence, failing to apply the brakes, failing to maintain a proper lookout, and failing to yield the right-of-way. The plaintiff sustained a brain bleed that required emergency surgery to remove a portion of the skull to relieve pressure and reportedly continued to suffer complications from the traumatic head injury.
The defendant failed to answer the plaintiff's complaint, resulting in the court entering a default judgment. The court found in favor of the plaintiff, awarding $1,272,249.68 in compensatory damages and an additional $1,000,000 in punitive damages.
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 Harris County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2018, 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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