Personal Injury Verdict of $3.1 Million for Woman Injured in Los Angeles Car Crash

A woman who was rear-ended in a traffic accident on a Los Angeles city street was awarded $3.1 million by a jury in Pasadena after several hours of deliberations. The collision caused a neck injury which was traced to a ruptured disc pressing on the spinal cord. After months of physical therapy and other treatments, the accident victim underwent surgery to fuse vertebrae in her spine and relieve the pressure on her spinal cord.

While the jury was in deliberations, the plaintiff and defense teams agreed that if the jury came back with a verdict anywhere in the range of $650,000 to $5.25 million, that both parties would accept the verdict and waive any appeals. The jury’s verdict was neatly in the middle of the range, so hopefully both parties are satisfied with the result.

The filing of an appeal by a defendant can be frustrating for a successful plaintiff who faces the risk of a verdict being overturned by a higher court and meanwhile must continue to bear the burden of medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering while waiting to see if the verdict will become final. The filing of an appeal by a plaintiff is usually not as distressing on the defendant, whose insurance company will pursue the matter and ultimately pay any judgment due. The insurance company must continue the liability on its books, however, and face additional costs such as interest, so the avoidance of an appeal can be important to both sides. Sometimes parties will agree to a different amount after a jury verdict in return for the waiver of an appeal. The approach used in this case worked equally well and served to bring finality to the judgment, so the injured plaintiff can begin receiving compensation for her expensive, painful injuries.