Beaumont, Texas Jury Awards $10,000 in Rear-End Collision
One driver stopped to yield to another vehicle entering an aisle in a store parking lot. The other driver then rear-ended the stopped vehicle. The occupants of the stopped vehicle claimed injuries to their back and neck. The case proceeded to trial on causation and damages after liability was established.
Case Information Updated: October 2025
Case Outcome
- Outcome
- Verdict-Plaintiff
- Amount
- $10,000
- County
- Jefferson County, TX
- Resolved
- 2019
Injury & Accident Details
- Injury Type
- Back Strain / Soft Tissue
- Accident Type
- Rear-end
- Case Type
- Motor Vehicle Negligence
Case Overview
On November 19, 2016, a compact car driven by a college student assistant, with a homemaker as a passenger, was rear-ended by a sport utility vehicle in the parking lot of a large retailer in Beaumont, Texas. The plaintiffs had stopped to yield to another vehicle when the defendant's SUV struck their car. The plaintiffs subsequently filed a lawsuit alleging that the defendant was negligent in the operation of her vehicle and that they suffered back and neck injuries as a result. The court granted the plaintiffs a directed verdict on the issue of liability, and the trial proceeded solely on the issues of causation and damages.
Following the incident, the plaintiffs did not seek immediate medical attention but began physical therapy with a chiropractor on December 5, 2016, for neck and back sprains and strains. The male plaintiff completed treatment and reported resolved pain, seeking $2,750 for past medical expenses and damages for past pain and suffering. The female plaintiff continued home exercises and claimed ongoing pain, seeking $2,750 for past medical expenses and damages for past and future pain and suffering. Plaintiffs' counsel argued for a combined total award of $49,500.
The defense questioned the causation of the injuries, citing the delay in treatment, minor visible damage to the vehicle, and the absence of police or an ambulance at the scene. The defense also highlighted the similar nature of both plaintiffs' treatments and their referral to a chiropractor by an attorney, suggesting an award of zero or only for medical bills. After a two-day trial, the jury awarded the plaintiffs a total of $10,000. This amount was allocated as $5,000 to the male plaintiff ($2,750 for past medical costs and $2,250 for past pain and suffering) and $5,000 to the female plaintiff ($2,750 for past medical costs and $2,250 for past pain and suffering).
VerdictlyTM Score
This outcome aligns very well with similar cases
This score is calculated by analyzing injury type, accident details, geographic location, temporal trends, and comparing against 2,000+ similar cases in our database.
Want to know what your case might be worth?
Get a free case evaluation to understand what your motor vehicle accident case might be worth based on cases like this in Jefferson County.
Similar cases you may find useful
Handpicked by matching injury type, accident details, and outcome to this case.
One driver was stopped in traffic when their vehicle was struck from behind by another vehicle. The driver who was rear-ended claimed injuries to their back and neck. The case proceeded to trial to determine damages, as liability was conceded.
A plaintiff filed a lawsuit alleging negligence after a defendant's vehicle struck the plaintiff's automobile, causing the rear window to shatter. The plaintiff claimed to suffer neck and back injuries, diagnosed as cervical and lumbar sprain/strain, and reported ongoing back spasms and pain despite physical therapy. The defendant denied the negligence allegations, disputed liability, and challenged the nature, extent, and damages associated with the plaintiff's alleged injuries. The case proceeded to trial in Texas. Following deliberations, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, awarding $16,500 in damages.
One driver stopped for a school bus and was hit from behind by a pickup truck. The pickup truck driver was distracted by a cell phone call. The injured driver claimed back and neck injuries. The case proceeded to trial against the pickup truck driver and his employer.
On February 12, 2017, a plaintiff driving in Plano, Texas, slowed for traffic when their vehicle was rear-ended by an SUV. The plaintiff reported sustaining back and neck injuries from the collision. The plaintiff subsequently filed a lawsuit against the driver of the SUV, the vehicle's owner, and their own insurer for first-party benefits. The claims against the driver and vehicle owner were later discontinued after it was determined they were uninsured. The case then proceeded against the insurer, which conceded liability, focusing the trial solely on the issue of damages. The plaintiff claimed the accident aggravated pre-existing scoliosis and caused new injuries, including radiating pain and a cervical disc herniation. Evidence showed the plaintiff sought emergency medical care on the day of the accident and subsequently underwent extensive treatment, including chiropractic sessions, pain management procedures like lumbar and cervical rhizotomies, and epidural steroid injections over a two-year period. A medical expert for the plaintiff testified that the pre-existing scoliosis made the spine more susceptible to injury and attributed the treatment and complaints prior to a later motorcycle accident to the February 2017 collision. The defense, while conceding liability for the collision, disputed the extent of the claimed damages. Defense counsel argued that the accident did not aggravate the plaintiff's pre-existing conditions, that medical charges were excessive, and pointed to minimal damage to the vehicles and gaps in the plaintiff's treatment history. The defense suggested an award for only immediate medical expenses. After a two-day trial and two hours of deliberation, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, awarding $80,000. This amount included $35,000 for past medical costs, $22,500 for past physical pain, and $22,500 for past mental anguish.
On April 26, 2013, a three-vehicle rear-end collision occurred on Texas State Highway 75 in Plano. A Chevrolet Cobalt rear-ended a Nissan Maxima, causing the Maxima to then strike a Nissan Altima in front of it. The insurer of the Altima initially sued the drivers of the Maxima and the Cobalt for property damage, but these claims were resolved before trial. The driver of the Maxima, acting as the cross-plaintiff, then pursued claims against the driver of the Cobalt, who was the defendant, for personal injuries and property damage. The cross-plaintiff alleged the defendant failed to control speed and maintain a safe distance. Following the incident, the cross-plaintiff reported neck and lower back pain, undergoing chiropractic treatment for two months. Medical imaging allegedly revealed disc bulges and protrusions, and a cervical strain/sprain. The cross-plaintiff sought approximately $12,000 for medical costs, along with damages for past pain, physical impairment, and property damage, claiming inability to continue weightlifting or assist his son in football. The defendant's counsel, whose client did not appear at trial, countered that the cross-plaintiff had initially rear-ended the Altima and then slowed, leading to the second impact. The defense also argued any injuries would have resolved post-treatment. After a one-day trial in Plano, a jury found the defendant negligent and that this negligence was a factual cause of injury to the cross-plaintiff. The jury awarded the cross-plaintiff $22,500. This included $7,500 for past medical costs, $2,000 for past physical impairment, $3,000 for past pain and suffering, and $10,000 for property damage.