Texas Court Awards $12,215 in Motor Vehicle Negligence
One driver's vehicle was damaged in a collision caused by another driver's alleged negligent operation. The vehicle owner was accused of wrongfully entrusting her vehicle to an incompetent driver. The insurance company compensated its insured for the loss and then filed a complaint against both drivers. The case was resolved through a default judgment in favor of the insurance company.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Defense
- Amount
- $12,215
- County
- Harris County, TX
- Resolved
- 2022
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Other
- Accident Type
- Other
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Settlement Context
This verdict-defense of $12,215 is above the median of Undisclosed for other cases resolved by verdict-defense. The typical range is Undisclosed to Undisclosed, based on 144 cases in our database.
Case Overview
On or about July 17, 2019, a motor vehicle collision occurred, allegedly caused by the negligent operation of a vehicle by a driver. The vehicle was owned by another party, who allegedly wrongfully entrusted the vehicle to the negligent driver, who was reportedly unlicensed and uninsured. The plaintiff, GEICO County Mutual Insurance Company, compensated its insured for the loss totaling $12,215.04. On June 9, 2021, the plaintiff filed a subrogation complaint in Texas against both the negligent driver and the vehicle owner, seeking judgment for damages, interest, and costs.
The plaintiff faced difficulty serving the negligent driver, prompting the court to authorize alternative service methods. The vehicle owner filed various defenses, including estoppel, fraud, and lack of standing. The plaintiff later moved for a default judgment against the negligent driver for failing to file an answer after being served. Counsel for the vehicle owner was later permitted to withdraw from the case.
On April 21, 2022, the court entered a final judgment in favor of the plaintiff against both the negligent driver and the vehicle owner. The court awarded the plaintiff $12,215.04 in damages, plus prejudgment interest from the date of filing, court costs, and post-judgment interest at a rate of 5.00% per year until the judgment was paid. The case concluded through a default judgment.
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 Harris County, Texas. Local jury tendencies, judge assignments, and regional economic conditions all influence case outcomes in this jurisdiction.
- Resolved in 2022, 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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