Irving Jury Awards $13,353 in Red-Light Collision

On January 6, 2015, a 43-year-old restaurant server was driving a van westbound on West Walnut Hill Lane in Irving when it collided with a sedan heading eastbound at the intersection with North MacArthur Boulevard. The plaintiff claimed to be making a left turn with a green turn signal when the passenger side of the van was struck by the defendant's vehicle.

The plaintiff sued, alleging the defendant was negligent in operating the vehicle and ran a red light, causing the accident and multiple injuries. The plaintiff claimed strains to back muscles, soft-tissue injuries of the thoracic spine, a torn ligament in the right wrist, and osteophytic ridges in the cervical spine. The plaintiff underwent chiropractic treatments and later an MRI, claiming $15,800 in past medical bills as a result of the accident.

The defendant denied negligence, contending a yellow traffic light was present and that the defendant had the right of way. The defense argued the plaintiff should have yielded or waited for the intersection to clear, maintaining the plaintiff was at least 50% at fault. Defense counsel also disputed the extent and causation of the claimed injuries, noting the plaintiff did not seek immediate medical attention and alleging that existing degenerative joint disease exacerbated any issues.

Following a one-day trial, the jury rendered a verdict for the plaintiff. The jury found that the defendant's negligence was the proximate cause of the accident and that the plaintiff was not negligent. The plaintiff was awarded $13,353, which included past medical costs and past impairment.