Plano Jury Finds Negligence in Motorcycle Collision, Awards $20,575
One driver was operating a motorcycle in a highway HOV lane when another driver changed lanes. The motorcycle driver stated the other driver made an unsafe lane change, cutting him off and causing a collision with the rear of her car. The other driver claimed the lane change was legal. The injured driver sought damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, physical impairment, and disfigurement.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $20,575
- County
- Dallas County, TX
- Resolved
- 2015
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Leg / Foot Injury
- Accident Type
- Rear-end
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $20,575 is below the median of $335,000 for leg / foot injury cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $233,863 to $1,950,000, based on 16 cases in our database.
Case Overview
In February 2012, a 32-year-old student riding a motorcycle northbound in the HOV lane of Interstate 75 in Plano was involved in a collision with a northbound Chrysler Sebring. The motorcyclist, as plaintiff, subsequently sued the driver of the Chrysler, alleging the defendant made an unsafe and illegal lane change across a double solid line, cutting off the motorcycle and causing the collision.
The defendant denied making a sudden or illegal lane change, arguing that the police report diagram indicated the lane change occurred at a legally permissible point. The plaintiff claimed a carpal fracture in the dominant right wrist, a compound fracture of the lower right fibula, a dislocation of the right ankle, and road rash. The plaintiff underwent internal and external fixation surgeries and sought damages for past and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, physical impairment, and disfigurement.
After a one-day trial and 1.5 days of jury deliberation, the jury found the defendant negligent. The plaintiff was awarded $20,575 in damages. The court also added $1,285.94 in prejudgment interest, resulting in a total judgment of $21,860.94.
Understanding This Case
- 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 Dallas County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2015, 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 significantly deviates from similar cases
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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