Certain personal injury lawsuits make the news due to significant monetary judgments being awarded or interesting circumstances surrounding the cases. A recent case to make headlines in New Jersey is about a teenage girl who filed a personal injury claim against her father and won. To all those who have been injured in car accidents while passengers in another person’s vehicle, regardless if that person is a family member, information about this particular suit may be worth reading.
According to a recent report, in 2013 a 14-year-old girl was an occupant of her father’s vehicle when he ran a stop sign and caused a crash. The teenager suffered permanent injuries to her spine as a result. The auto insurance company initially offered $15,000 to cover her medical and other expenses, which was far from enough. This is when the teen opted to file suit against her father.
After successfully establishing negligence in court, the victim was awarded over $4 million by a jury. This judgment did not come easy and was years in the making, as it was only just settled Dec. 1, 2016. The insurance company, Allstate, requested a new trial, but its request was denied.
Will all personal injury cases receive such compensation? No. Compensation is awarded based on documented and projected losses, so every case is different in how much may be granted in damages. However, New Jersey residents who have suffered injuries in car accidents due to the negligence of others can, with the assistance of legal counsel, fight for the maximum compensation available for their particular circumstances.
Source: nj.com, “Teen who sued her father following car crash reportedly awarded $4.1M“, Jeff Goldman, March 1, 2017