Houston Default Judgment Awards $6,080 in Motor Vehicle Crash
One driver filed a lawsuit against another driver after a motor vehicle accident. The first driver alleged the second driver acted negligently, causing damages. The second driver stated the case was settled by their insurance company. The case proceeded to mediation, and the second driver did not appear for trial, leading to a default judgment for the first driver. The judgment was later released upon payment, terminating the case.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Settlement
- Amount
- $4,710
- County
- Harris County, TX
- Resolved
- 2018
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Other
- Accident Type
- Other
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Settlement Context
This settlement of $4,710 is below the median of $11,429 for other cases resolved by settlement. The typical range is $4,710 to $30,000, based on 82 cases in our database.
Case Overview
A motor vehicle accident occurred on November 28, 2016, in Houston, Harris County, Texas. The plaintiff filed a lawsuit on January 27, 2017, alleging the defendant drove negligently, breaching a duty of care, and caused damages. The plaintiff sought judgment for a sum exceeding jurisdictional limits, along with interest and costs.
The defendant responded on December 4, 2017, asserting that the case had already been settled by the defendant's insurance company, which had paid all related expenses. Despite a December 7, 2017, referral for mandatory mediation, the defendant failed to appear for trial. As a result, the court entered a default judgment in favor of the plaintiff on April 9, 2018, awarding $6,080.22 with pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, plus court costs. The plaintiff subsequently released the defendant from the final judgment on May 10, 2018, after receiving a payment of $4,710.17.
Understanding This Case
- This case was resolved through a settlement, avoiding the uncertainty and expense of a trial. Settlements typically resolve faster and provide guaranteed compensation.
- 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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