Verdictly
Verdict-Plaintiff
Harris County • 2021

Houston Jury Finds Negligence, Awards $14,224.50 After Falling Box

A person was walking in an office building when a box fell from a higher floor and landed on them. The injured person claimed to have suffered injuries to their head, neck, back, and shoulder. The defense argued the box did not hit the person and that the person was already injured from a prior car accident.

Case Information Updated: October 2025

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Neck Injury (Whiplash)
Pedestrian
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About Neck Injury (Whiplash) Injuries

Whiplash is a neck injury caused by rapid back-and-forth movement of the head, commonly occurring in rear-end collisions. Despite being frequently dismissed, whiplash can cause significant pain and disability.

Case Outcome

Outcome
Verdict-Plaintiff
Amount
$14,224
County
Harris County, TX
Resolved
2021

Injury & Accident Details

Injury Type
Neck Injury (Whiplash)
Accident Type
Pedestrian
Case Type
back, head, headaches

Settlement Context

This verdict-plaintiff of $14,224 is near the median of $11,079 for neck injury (whiplash) cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $4,175 to $31,428, based on 656 cases in our database.

Case Overview

In August 2013, a pedestrian was allegedly struck by a falling box while walking through an office building atrium in Houston. An employee of Attentus Medical Sales Inc. was transporting a cart on the fifth floor when a 36-pound cardboard box of medical gel packs fell over a railing. The plaintiff claimed the box landed on him, causing injuries to his head, neck, back, and shoulder.

The plaintiff sued Attentus, alleging its employee was negligent in failing to secure the boxes. Building owners, initially named as defendants, were dismissed before trial after being granted summary judgment. Attentus denied the box struck the plaintiff, arguing his claims were not credible due to the box's weight and fall distance. The defense also contended the plaintiff had pre-existing injuries from a car accident four days earlier, noting similar chiropractic treatment records for both events. The plaintiff sought $265,000 in damages, including past and future medical expenses, pain, and physical impairment.

After a two-day trial, the jury deliberated for four hours. It found Attentus liable for the incident and awarded the plaintiff $14,224.50, specifically for past medical expenses. No additional damages for future medical costs, pain, or impairment were awarded.

Understanding This Case

  • Most whiplash injuries improve within 2-3 months. However, about 25% of patients experience chronic symptoms lasting over a year, significantly impacting quality of life.
  • 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 2021, 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

79
/100
Reasonably Fair

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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