Weslaco, Texas Jury Awards $30,901 in Broadside Collision

On July 23, 2014, a 22-year-old cashier driving a sedan southbound on Farm to Market Road 88 in Weslaco, Texas, broadsided a pickup truck driven by the defendant. The incident occurred at the intersection with Pike Boulevard. The plaintiff alleged that she entered the intersection after her traffic light turned green, while the defendant ran a red light. Following the collision, the plaintiff claimed lower back pain, bruising, and ultimately herniated intervertebral discs. She sought compensation for past and future medical expenses, physical pain, mental anguish, and physical impairment.

The plaintiff filed a lawsuit, alleging the defendant's negligence in operating his vehicle. She testified that her light was green. Her counsel also argued that the defendant was chronically overmedicated due to health problems, rendering him unfit to drive. The defendant acknowledged entering the intersection behind an 18-wheeler that obstructed his view of the traffic light, stating he assumed his light remained green. Defense counsel contended that the defendant's light was green or at least yellow and that he was not negligent, emphasizing that a mistake does not equate to negligence. A defense expert, a chiropractor, testified that some of the plaintiff's treatments were unnecessary and that she had recovered earlier than claimed, though the expert had not examined her.

After a two-day trial and three hours of deliberation, the jury found the defendant negligent. The jury awarded the plaintiff $30,901.50 in damages. Post-trial interviews with jurors revealed sympathy for the plaintiff's ongoing disc herniations. Jurors also expressed disapproval of the defense expert's extensive criticism of the treating doctor without having examined the patient directly.