Jury Awards $500,000 To Driver Injured In Rear End Collision

The headline in the Daily Local News of Chester County highlighted a jury trial that I had on July 17, 2012. A former Avon Grove high school student was awarded $500,000 by a Common Pleas Court jury after a one day trial. While it is not uncommon to receive a jury verdict of a half a million dollars, it is highly unusual in a case of whiplash and soft-tissue injuries.

My client was diagnosed with neck and back sprain following a rear end collision. She treated with sports medicine doctors and physical therapy sessions for the next year. She then received very little medical treatment over the next three years since she was a college student. At the time of trial, she was getting chiropractic treatment. She was diagnosed by her doctor with “chronic” back problems that would last her adult life. She gave up jogging and sports activities, although she did continue to go to school. In closing argument, I asked the jury to imagine her life in the future with a bad back. The jury was asked to consider what it would be like for her to hold a two year old child in her arms, and to stand on her feet eight hours a day working. After deliberating for two hours, a panel of four men and four women returned a verdict for $500,000.

I believe that the highest previous verdict in a Chester County personal injury automobile accident casefor a soft-tissue injury was no more than $50,000.

Steve Karp

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