Houston Jury Awards $11,515 in 18-Wheeler Red-Light Crash
One driver was stopped at a red light when another vehicle ran a red light and collided with a large truck. The truck then rolled onto the first driver's vehicle. The first driver sustained a sprained ankle and concussion, and claimed to have developed post-traumatic stress disorder and that the stress aggravated her pre-existing diabetes.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $11,515
- County
- Dallas County, TX
- Resolved
- 2015
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Psychological / PTSD
- Accident Type
- Truck/Commercial
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $11,515 is below the median of $13,300 for psychological / ptsd cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $11,515 to $500,000, based on 3 cases in our database.
Case Overview
On January 1, 2010, in Houston, Texas, a defendant driver ran a red light, causing an 18-wheeler to collide with the defendant's pickup truck. The 18-wheeler then overturned onto the plaintiff's vehicle, which was stopped at the red light. The plaintiff sued the pickup truck driver for negligence; liability was stipulated. A separate claim against the 18-wheeler's owner was dismissed prior to trial.
The plaintiff claimed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and aggravated diabetes, in addition to resolved physical injuries like a sprained ankle and concussion. Compensation was sought for past and future medical expenses, including ongoing counseling, and significant damages for physical pain and mental anguish. The defense disputed the PTSD's severity, noting the plaintiff did not attend psychiatrist-recommended counseling sessions, and argued for limited pain and anguish awards.
A jury awarded the plaintiff $11,515. This amount covered $1,635 for past medical costs, $2,880 for future medical costs, and $7,000 for past physical pain and mental anguish. The final judgment, with prejudgment interest, exceeded $14,000. The verdict suggested the jury accepted past medical expenses but significantly reduced the requested future medical and pain and anguish damages, likely influenced by the defense's arguments on treatment adherence and injury extent.
Understanding This Case
- 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 Dallas County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2015, 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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