Houston Motor Vehicle Negligence Settles for $30,200
One driver was traveling east in the right lane when the other driver, who was in the left lane, allegedly made a wide right turn and sideswiped him. This caused the injured driver to go off the road and crash into a tree. The injured driver claimed injuries to his head, neck, right shoulder, right knee, and right pinky finger.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
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
- $26,800
- County
- Harris County, TX
- Resolved
- 2017
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Neck Injury (Whiplash)
- Accident Type
- Sideswipe
- Case Type
- Laceration, Head, Neck
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $26,800 is above the median of $9,367 for neck injury (whiplash) cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $3,100 to $25,000, based on 590 cases in our database.
Case Overview
On September 29, 2014, a motor vehicle collision occurred on Almeda Genoa Road in Houston. The plaintiff was driving east in the right lane when the defendant, operating a vehicle in the adjacent left lane, allegedly made a wide right turn, sideswiping the plaintiff's vehicle. The plaintiff's vehicle then reportedly left the road and collided with a tree. The plaintiff subsequently filed a lawsuit, alleging the defendant's negligent operation of the vehicle caused the crash and resulting injuries.
The plaintiff claimed the defendant had signaled left and moved into the left lane, leading the plaintiff to believe the defendant intended to turn left. The plaintiff contended that the defendant then unexpectedly executed a wide right turn into a driveway, causing the collision. The plaintiff reported a forehead laceration, a fractured right pinky finger, and soft-tissue injuries to the neck, right shoulder, and right knee, seeking damages for past medical expenses, pain and suffering, and physical impairment. The defendant asserted they remained in their lane throughout and denied moving left, claiming they had routinely turned into their driveway for 40 years without issue. The defendant argued the plaintiff attempted to pass on the right, leading to the accident. The defense also contested the severity of the plaintiff's injuries, noting the pinky fracture was not serious and had healed, and suggested the knee complaint was unrelated to the incident as it was reported a year after the crash.
Following a one-day trial, a jury deliberated for 45 minutes. The jury found the defendant 100 percent negligent and awarded the plaintiff $26,800 in damages. The case later settled for the defendant's $30,000 insurance policy limits, with prejudgment interest and taxable court costs increasing the final judgment to $30,200.
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 2017, 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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