San Antonio, Texas Left-Turn Collision Settles for $60,000

An off-duty officer was involved in a two-vehicle collision in San Antonio, Texas, on February 19, 2016. The defendant driver, operating a 1999 GMC Yukon, made a left turn from an oncoming lane, colliding with the plaintiff's 1994 Mitsubishi pickup truck. The plaintiff sustained neck, back, and right shoulder injuries, including a herniated disc at C5-6 with nerve root impingement, and his vehicle was totaled.

The plaintiff filed claims against the defendant driver's liability policy and his own underinsured motorist policy, both held by the same insurer. He alleged the defendant driver was negligent in failing to keep a proper lookout, failing to yield the right of way, and making an unsafe left turn. Medical treatment for the plaintiff included chiropractic care, and an orthopedic surgeon recommended an anterior discectomy and fusion. The plaintiff sought compensation for past medical bills totaling over $8,000 and estimated future medical expenses of more than $140,000, in addition to past and future physical pain, mental anguish, and physical impairment.

The claims settled prior to trial for a total of $60,000. This amount consisted of the $30,000 limit from the defendant driver's liability policy and the $30,000 limit from the plaintiff's underinsured motorist policy.