McKinney Jury Awards $20,191 in Rear-End Collision

In December 2014, a five-car rear-end collision occurred on West University Drive in McKinney, Texas. The plaintiff, a 17-year-old restaurant hostess, was a passenger in the second vehicle from the front when the accident unfolded. She subsequently filed a lawsuit against the driver of the fifth vehicle, alleging negligence for failing to maintain a proper lookout, control speed, and avoid the collision. A negligent entrustment claim against the fifth vehicle's owner was dismissed before trial.

The plaintiff claimed the defendant's vehicle initiated the chain reaction by rear-ending the car ahead, which then struck the next vehicle, ultimately impacting the plaintiff's vehicle from behind. Testimony from multiple drivers and the investigating officer supported this account, with the officer faulting the defendant for following too closely. The plaintiff sought damages for neck and back injuries, including a disc herniation, and for past and future pain and suffering, totaling over $30,000. A chiropractor testified about the necessity of treatment and causation of injuries.

The defendant denied negligence, contending that a driver two vehicles ahead of her initiated the collision by striking the plaintiff's vehicle first. The defendant designated two other drivers as responsible third parties. The defense also challenged the plaintiff's claimed injuries, citing minimal damage to the plaintiff's vehicle, the absence of injuries reported by other drivers in more damaged cars, and suggesting the plaintiff's treatment was litigation-driven due to attorney referral and outstanding bills.

After a two-day trial and one day of jury deliberation, a jury in McKinney found the defendant solely negligent. The jury awarded the plaintiff $20,191 in damages.