Houston Jury Awards $1,000 in Rear-End Collision

On September 30, 2014, a deliveryman sustained injuries in a rear-end collision at an intersection on Airport Boulevard in Houston, Texas. The plaintiff's vehicle was struck by a sport utility vehicle driven by the defendant shortly after the traffic signal turned green. The plaintiff subsequently filed a lawsuit, alleging the defendant was negligent in operating the vehicle by failing to control speed and maintain a proper lookout.

The plaintiff claimed to have suffered herniations of the C5-6 and L4-5 intervertebral discs, seeking $40,000 for past and future medical expenses, as well as pain and impairment. The defendant contended the accident occurred because the plaintiff failed to proceed promptly at the green light. The defense also presented evidence that a police report from the scene indicated no injury to the plaintiff and classified the incident as a minor collision, a detail consistent with the plaintiff's initial hospital records.

After a two-day trial and 160 hours of jury deliberation, the jury found the defendant liable for the accident. However, the jury awarded the plaintiff $1,000 in damages. This award included $980 for past medical expenses and an additional $20 for past physical pain, a sum significantly less than the amount sought by the plaintiff.