Sugar Land Jury Awards $8,730 in Rear-End Collision

On November 30, 2016, a 23-year-old laborer was driving on University Avenue in Sugar Land when a trailing vehicle struck the rear of his car. The impact propelled his vehicle forward, causing it to collide with a preceding vehicle. The plaintiff claimed to suffer injuries to his back and neck as a result.

The plaintiff filed a lawsuit against the trailing driver, alleging negligence in vehicle operation and failure to exercise due caution. The plaintiff contended that he braked aggressively due to the preceding motorist and a yellow traffic signal, and that the defendant failed to control her vehicle's speed. An investigating police report listed failure to control speed as the sole contributing factor for the defendant. The defendant argued she braked promptly but her car skidded, claiming the accident resulted from the abrupt braking of the third motorist. The jury received an unavoidable-accident instruction.

The plaintiff claimed herniated lumbar discs and cervical sprains/strains, seeking over $90,000 for past medical expenses, past and future physical pain, and past physical impairment. The defense challenged the reasonableness of treatment costs, particularly a $10,000 epidural injection. The defense also questioned the plaintiff's credibility, noting he had denied a prior basketball injury during a deposition despite having sustained one a year prior to the collision. Arguments were also made that the impact was minor given the extent of treatment, and that the plaintiff appeared physically fit despite claims of ongoing pain and limitations.

After a one-day trial, the jury found the defendant liable for the accident. However, the jury awarded the plaintiff $8,730 in damages, consisting of $4,800 for past medical costs and $3,930 for past physical pain. The significantly reduced award likely reflected the jury's consideration of the defense's arguments regarding the plaintiff's credibility, the minor nature of the impact, and the reasonableness of the claimed medical treatment.