Houston Jury Finds Negligence, Awards $5,902.67 in Car Crash
One driver was traveling north on an exit ramp when another driver made an unsafe lane change, causing that driver to lose control and cross into the oncoming lane. The first driver then collided with the rear of the second driver's vehicle.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $4,878
- County
- Harris County, TX
- Resolved
- 2015
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Other
- Accident Type
- Rear-end
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $4,878 is near the median of $14,473 for other cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $4,770 to $42,056, based on 190 cases in our database.
Case Overview
On May 19, 2011, a collision occurred in Houston on an exit ramp. The plaintiff's 2006 Cadillac Escalade, driven by her husband, collided with a 2007 Mercedes Benz C230 operated by the defendant. The plaintiff sued, claiming the defendant's unsafe lane change caused the collision after the defendant struck another vehicle and lost control, crossing into oncoming traffic.
The plaintiff sought damages for the vehicle's total loss, estimated at $18,000, in addition to costs for storage ($5,727.91), towing, and rental ($1,394.25). The defendant disputed these damages, arguing the plaintiff failed to mitigate storage fees and sought excessive rental costs. The defense also noted the plaintiff's prior testimony that she did not know her vehicle's value, and the plaintiff's valuation expert's testimony had been excluded before trial.
A jury found the defendant negligent and awarded the plaintiff $4,878.24. The court added $1,024.43 in prejudgment interest, for a total award of $5,902.67. The awarded damages were significantly less than sought, suggesting the jury agreed with aspects of the defense's arguments regarding damage mitigation and valuation.
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 Harris 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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