Motor Vehicle Accident

A Miami-Dade County jury ruled in favor of the defendant in a rear-end collision lawsuit on June 5, 2025. Donna Nasimov sued Evan Fuertes after a September 14, 2018 crash on SW 152nd Street, claiming she sustained permanent injuries when Fuertes struck her stopped vehicle from behind, pushing her into another car. The plaintiff sought damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost earnings. The defense argued Nasimov failed to meet Florida's No-Fault threshold requirements and challenged her claimed injuries. After nearly six years of litigation, the jury found that the defendant's negligence was not a legal cause of the plaintiff's damages, resulting in a complete defense verdict with no monetary award.

Danette Hodge received a substantial jury award after being struck by a driver who pulled out from a stop sign and violated her right-of-way. Lindsee Mellott attempted to turn left from Pershing Road onto Park Street in Jacksonville on April 29, 2022, when she failed to yield to Hodge's vehicle. The collision caused Hodge to crash into Mellott's vehicle, resulting in permanent injuries. After a trial in Duval County Circuit Court, the jury awarded Hodge $604,905.76 in damages, including over $110,000 for past medical expenses, nearly $494,000 for future medical expenses, and confirmed her injuries were permanent.

Jennifer Troester and her daughter Charlee received a significant jury award after being struck by a distracted driver who admitted to texting while driving. Tayler Lee Christian McKinney ran a red light at a Jacksonville intersection on August 21, 2020, while using her phone and GPS. McKinney told the responding officer she was "messing with her GPS and phone" when she realized too late that the light was red. The collision totaled Troester's vehicle and caused permanent injuries. After a trial in Duval County Circuit Court, the jury awarded Jennifer Troester $141,355.74 in damages, including $81,355.74 for past medical expenses, $10,000 for future medical expenses, and $50,000 for past pain and suffering.

A Duval County jury had delivered a detailed verdict in April 2025 after it had found Thomas Inman Denmark negligent in the 2023 Jacksonville crash that injured Jordan Mackenzie Deaver. The Plaintiff had claimed permanent physical and emotional harm, and the jury had agreed that she sustained a permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability. Jurors awarded a total of $663,276.37 for past and future medical expenses. Despite finding permanence, they awarded no non-economic damages, leaving the recovery limited to the economic costs of treatment. The judgment had reflected the jury’s conclusion that Denmark’s negligence legally caused Ms. Deaver’s injuries while applying Florida’s evidentiary standards on medical expense recovery.

A Florida jury had delivered a significant wrongful-death verdict in May 2025 after it had found XPO Logistics, its driver Francisco Javier Guerrero Romero, and contractor Marcelo Muñoz liable for the death of Josué Calá. The Plaintiff, Julianna Charles, had pursued justice for the fatal 2020 trucking collision that took her husband’s life. Jurors had concluded that Romero’s negligent driving caused the crash and that XPO Logistics bore responsibility because he acted as its agent. They had assigned fault among Romero, XPO Logistics, and Muñoz, and ultimately awarded Ms. Charles $31 million for her loss of companionship, protection, and emotional suffering. The judgment had recognized the profound and permanent impact of the tragedy.

A Connecticut Superior Court jury in Waterbury delivered a $265,000 verdict for plaintiff Husein Dunica on November 14, 2025, finding defendant James Mixie 100% liable for a 2022 rear-end motor vehicle collision. Dunica initiated the lawsuit, Husein Dunica v. James Mixie, et al., claiming the crash on Interstate 291 West was directly caused by Mixie's negligence. The plaintiff alleged Mixie was negligent for multiple reasons, including following too closely, failing to keep a proper lookout, and operating inattentively. The complaint detailed Dunica’s injuries, which included head pain, neck pain, back pain, and bilateral knee pain, resulting in significant medical expenses and a loss of earning capacity. The defense, representing Mixie and Connecticut Carriers, Inc., generally denied negligence and asserted a Special Defense, arguing that Dunica’s own negligence specifically veering into the defendants' lane and failing to maintain control was the sole cause of the accident. Despite the defense's claims of contributory negligence, the jury on November 18th, 2025 allocated 100% liability to Mixie and 0% liability to Dunica. The award comprised $180,000 in economic damages and $85,000 in noneconomic damages, finalizing the total award to the plaintiff at $265,000.

Luis Diaz, Jr. brought a negligence action against the City of Orlando after a city employee struck the vehicle he rode in at an SR 50 intersection. He claimed permanent injuries and significant medical losses. The City denied liability and raised multiple statutory defenses, including comparative fault and injury-threshold challenges. After hearing the evidence, the jury found the City’s driver negligent, rejected all comparative-fault claims, and confirmed that Mr. Diaz sustained a permanent injury from the collision. The verdict established full responsibility against the City and delivered a clear win for the Plaintiff.

This lawsuit had arisen from a violent Los Angeles collision that had left four plaintiffs facing lasting physical and emotional trauma. They had alleged that Akop Torosian drove negligently and created the dangerous impact that changed their lives. After years of discovery, expert review, and trial preparation, both sides had approached the brink of jury deliberations. The parties then negotiated a $1.1 million settlement that resolved all claims and closed the long-running dispute in Los Angeles Superior Court.

The lawsuit Ramirez v. Bennett (2020-CA-007627-O) stemmed from an August 17, 2019 motor-vehicle collision in Orange County, Florida. Plaintiff Maria Ramirez alleged Defendant Jonathon Bennett negligently caused the crash and sought compensation for permanent injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Bennett denied all allegations and argued comparative negligence, improper medical treatment, and collateral source reductions. The case centered heavily on whether the accident caused permanent injury under Florida law — a requirement for awarding non-economic damages. After years of litigation, extensive expert testimony, and contested medical evidence, the jury returned a full defense verdict on May 20, 2025. The jury concluded that Bennett’s actions were not a legal cause of loss, injury, or damage to Ramirez, eliminating the need for further findings on permanency or damages. As a result, no monetary award was issued, and Bennett prevailed completely.

In Hajrudin Mesic v. Mildre Pernia et al., a Duval County jury issued a substantial verdict following a 2022 motor vehicle collision. Plaintiff Hajrudin Mesic alleged that Defendant Mildre Roxana Florez Pernia negligently caused the crash, resulting in permanent and significant injuries. Mesic also pursued a claim against Auto-Owners Insurance Company for uninsured/underinsured motorist benefits. The jury found that Mesic suffered a permanent injury as a direct result of the collision. Based on the evidence and expert testimony presented, jurors awarded a total of $469,324, including $82,825 in past medical expenses, $287,616.50 in future medical care, $36,500 in past non-economic damages, and $62,383.50 in future non-economic losses. The defense arguments—challenging causation, arguing comparative negligence, and seeking offsets—were rejected. The verdict, signed May 9, 2025, represents a full win for the plaintiff and confirms entitlement to compensation for both economic loss and future anticipated medical treatment and suffering.

A Contra Costa County jury ruled in favor of Sherene Fearon in a motor vehicle negligence case stemming from a 2018 collision near I-680 in Danville. Fearon argued that driver Tammy Ault caused the crash through unsafe operation, while co-defendant Robert Nobriga was liable as the vehicle’s owner. Ault and Nobriga denied negligence and claimed Fearon shared blame. After trial, the jury found Ault negligent and responsible for causing Fearon’s injuries. They also rejected all comparative fault claims, assigning Fearon zero responsibility. The Court entered judgment in July 2025, including 10% annual interest until paid.

A jury ruled that Officer Devendra Persaud of the City of Orlando acted negligently when he entered a busy intersection against a red light with emergency lights but no siren, colliding with Brianna Becker’s vehicle. Despite establishing fault, the jury awarded Becker no damages for her alleged injuries, medical expenses, or loss of life enjoyment. The verdict reflected shared responsibility and emphasized statutory standards for emergency vehicle operation. Becker claimed the crash caused permanent injuries and aggravated pre-existing conditions, while the City argued she failed to yield and challenged the severity of her injuries. The outcome underscored how liability caps, comparative negligence, and emergency response protocols can limit recovery in municipal auto-collision cases.