$125K Jury Verdict for Passenger with Permanent Back Injury in Monmouth County Crash

Injury Type: Back injury, herniated disc; aggravation of pre-existing disc bulge

Accident Type: Head-on collision

Award Amount: $125,000

Location: Monmouth County, New Jersey

A head-on collision between two vehicles left the plaintiff, a passenger, with a herniated spinal disc and permanent aggravation of a pre-existing disc bulge. The plaintiff alleged that both defendants were negligent, claiming they allowed their vehicles to enter the paths of other cars on the roadway, resulting in the accident.

Both defendants denied liability and filed negligence cross-claims against each other. After deliberation, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, assigning 75% of the fault to the first defendant and 25% to the second defendant. The jury awarded $125,000 as compensation for the plaintiff’s injuries.

This case highlights the challenges of establishing liability in multi-vehicle accidents and underscores the shared responsibility among drivers in ensuring roadway safety.

Case Reference: Cooper v. Derechailo, MONL-003475-12