Houston Jury Finds Negligence in Rear-End Collision, Awards $2,243

On July 11, 2016, a plaintiff's sports car was rear-ended by a defendant's sport utility vehicle while stopped at a red light in Houston. The plaintiff claimed the collision caused a torn left rotator cuff and other injuries, suing the defendant for negligent vehicle operation.

The plaintiff testified the defendant admitted being on a cell phone. The defendant denied negligence, stating he briefly glanced at his GPS, accidentally tapping the plaintiff's bumper with minimal impact. The defense argued the plaintiff was also distracted by a radio and disputed the severity and causation of the shoulder injury. The defense cited a medical record indicating the shoulder issue was not trauma-related, noted the absence of immediate treatment or police involvement, and challenged the plaintiff's credibility regarding prior chiropractor visits and medical referrals.

After a two-day trial, a Houston jury found the defendant negligent and awarded the plaintiff $2,243. This award was significantly less than the plaintiff's over $12,000 in claimed medical expenses and pain, suggesting the jury attributed responsibility for the collision but did not fully attribute the primary injury or the full extent of claimed medical damages to the incident.