Plano, Texas Jury Finds Negligence, Awards $17,011.75 in Head-on Crash
One driver was traveling in the left lane of a two-way street when a school bus was stopped ahead. Another driver was approaching from the right and attempted a left turn in front of the school bus. The two vehicles collided almost head-on. The injured driver claimed injuries to her back, jaw, and neck.
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
- $14,429
- County
- Collin County, TX
- Resolved
- 2019
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Neck Injury (Whiplash)
- Accident Type
- T-bone
- Case Type
- Sprain, Cervical, Strain
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $14,429 is near 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 February 2, 2016, a near head-on collision occurred in a Plano, Texas school zone. The plaintiff was driving in the left lane, passing a stopped school bus, when the defendant driver, exiting school property with a stop sign, attempted a left turn. The plaintiff sustained injuries and subsequently sued the defendant driver for negligence; the vehicle owner was dismissed from the case.
At trial, the plaintiff argued the defendant driver failed to yield, a point supported by a police citation. The defendant driver countered that a bus driver waved her across and asserted the plaintiff was solely responsible, citing emergency room records that indicated the plaintiff was speeding and not wearing a seat belt. The plaintiff disputed these points, attributing any conflicting statements to a head injury sustained in the accident. The plaintiff sought over $16,000 for medical expenses, while a defense expert challenged the necessity and cost of certain hospital treatments.
After a two-day trial, the jury deliberated for four hours and found both parties negligent. The jury attributed 80 percent of the comparative responsibility to the defendant driver and 20 percent to the plaintiff. The jury awarded the plaintiff $14,429 in damages, which was reduced to $11,543.20 due to comparative fault. The parties then agreed to a final judgment of $17,011.75, which included prejudgment interest and taxable costs.
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 Collin County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2019, 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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