Houston Court Awards $25,740 in Rear-End Collision
One driver was stopped at a red light when the other driver rear-ended her vehicle. The injured driver alleged serious neck and back injuries. The jury found the second driver negligent but awarded no damages. The court later awarded the injured driver past medical expenses.
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
- $25,740
- County
- Harris County, TX
- Resolved
- 2020
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Cervical Disc Injury
- Accident Type
- Rear-end
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence, Rear End Collision
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $25,740 is near the median of $42,976 for cervical disc injury cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $18,000 to $139,701, based on 382 cases in our database.
Case Overview
A plaintiff filed a motor vehicle negligence action following a rear-end collision in Houston, Texas, on March 22, 2016. The plaintiff alleged she was stopped at a red light on Little York at Aldine Westfield Road when the defendant's vehicle struck hers from behind. The plaintiff claimed serious and permanent injuries to her neck and back, specifically to the discs, joints, and muscles of her spine.
The plaintiff asserted the defendant failed to maintain a proper lookout, pay attention, keep an assured clear distance, and regard a traffic control device. The defendant denied all allegations of negligence and disputed that the plaintiff's claimed injuries were serious, permanent, or causally related to the accident.
A jury found the defendant negligent but declined to award any damages to the plaintiff. Following the verdict, the plaintiff filed a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict or a new trial. The court granted the motion, ordering the plaintiff to recover $25,740 for past medical expenses.
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 2020, 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 aligns very well with similar cases
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