Texas Jury Finds Negligence in Rear-End Collision, Awards $12,635
A driver was rear-ended by a truck, forcing his vehicle off the road into a rock wall. The impact caused significant damage to the plaintiff's car. The plaintiff claimed to suffer from PTSD as a result of the accident. The defense argued the plaintiff's own actions caused the damages. The jury found the defendant driver mostly at fault.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $13,300
- County
- Harris County, TX
- Resolved
- 2022
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Psychological / PTSD
- Accident Type
- Truck/Commercial
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence, Auto/Truck Collision
Settlement Context
This verdict-plaintiff of $13,300 is near the median of $13,300 for psychological / ptsd cases resolved by verdict-plaintiff. The typical range is $11,515 to $500,000, based on 3 cases in our database.
Case Overview
A vehicular negligence lawsuit stemmed from a September 16, 2014, rear-end collision on Interstate Highway 10 in Texas. The plaintiff alleged that a truck, operated by an employee of the defendant trucking company, struck the plaintiff's vehicle from behind, forcing it off the roadway and into a rock wall. The impact reportedly flattened the plaintiff's vehicle trunk. The plaintiff claimed to have suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the incident, which they characterized as a near-death experience. After the collision, the defendant driver reportedly traveled for 24 minutes before stopping.
The plaintiff asserted the defendant driver was negligent for failing to drive at a safe speed, failing to observe the plaintiff's vehicle, failing to maneuver to avoid the collision, and failing to apply brakes. The plaintiff also alleged the defendant trucking company was vicariously liable for its driver's actions. The defendants denied all allegations of negligence and injury, contending that the accident and any damages were caused by the plaintiff's own actions. The defendant driver later died from unrelated causes, and the case proceeded against the driver's estate.
A jury ultimately found the defendant driver 95% negligent and the plaintiff 5% negligent. The jury awarded the plaintiff $13,300 in damages, which was subsequently reduced to $12,635 to account for comparative negligence.
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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