Lyon County, Kentucky Jury Awards $1,796,514 in Rear-End Collision

A rear-end collision occurred in Kuttawa, Kentucky, on August 24, 2012, when a 62-year-old retired healthcare executive, stopped at a red light on a highway, was struck by a commercial vehicle driven by an employee of Paper Supply. The plaintiff immediately reported pain and was driven to an emergency room in Paducah for initial treatment of soft-tissue symptoms. Her pain did not subside, leading to two surgeries: a three-level cervical surgery in December 2013 and a three-level lumbar surgery one year later. Medical bills for her treatment totaled $496,096.

The plaintiff filed a lawsuit against the driver's employer, Paper Supply, seeking damages for medical expenses and pain and suffering. The plaintiff argued that while she had a history of degenerative spinal conditions from a prior motor vehicle accident in 1990, these conditions had been asymptomatic for years and were brought into a painful state by the 2012 collision. Her treating spinal surgeon supported this causation. Paper Supply, the defendant, contended that the crash was a minor impact with slight vehicle damage and that the plaintiff's injuries were attributable to her pre-existing degenerative conditions rather than the collision. A defense orthopedic expert testified that the "minimal impact" was not responsible for the plaintiff's complaints.

The case was tried for four days in Eddyville, Lyon County, Kentucky, where the jury deliberated on damages. The jury awarded the plaintiff $146,514 for medical expenses, $300,000 for future care, $1,000,000 for past suffering, and $350,000 for future suffering, for a total verdict of $1,796,514. A consistent judgment was entered and later satisfied. The plaintiff's individual insurer was also dismissed from a related underinsured motorist claim, as the verdict did not exceed the defendant's insurance limits.