Defense Verdict: Automobile Negligence (St. Johns County, Florida)

Miami Partner Jaime Baca and Associates Francisco Varona and Alina Gonzalez recently obtained a complete defense verdict in a rejected-tender automobile negligence case in St. Johns County, Florida.

This case arose from an incident in which the Plaintiff, a 66-year old woman, was struck by our insured driver while walking across the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant. First-hand reports of the incident differed, but the store footage confirmed that Plaintiff was on her phone and distracted at the time of the incident. Plaintiff claimed multiple injuries to her wrist, neck, and back, as well as an aggravation of pre-existing degeneration and a new herniation at C3-4. She underwent facet blocks, ablations, and epidural injections, and alleged she may need life-long pain management as a result of the accident. The boardable medical bills totaled $160,000.

Evidence produced during discovery and presented at trial indicated that Plaintiff had the same medical conditions prior to the subject incident, and had not been truthful with her medical providers about her prior injuries. Plaintiff’s counsel asked the jury for $1.2 million in closing arguments, but the jury found no liability on the part of our client and returned a complete defense verdict.

Congratulations to Jaime and his entire team on this great work.