$100,000 Award in Ocean County Head-On Collision

Injury Type: Back injury, disc protrusions (C2-C4), disc bulges (C5-C7), cervical spinal stenosis

Accident Type: Head-on collision

Award Amount: $100,000

Location: Ocean County, New Jersey

A head-on collision at an intersection led to the plaintiff sustaining permanent spinal injuries, including C2-C4 disc protrusions, C5-C7 disc bulges, and cervical spinal stenosis. The accident occurred when the defendant failed to stop at a stop sign and collided with the plaintiff’s vehicle.

The plaintiff alleged that the defendant operated their vehicle negligently, carelessly, and recklessly. The defendant denied liability and contended that the plaintiff’s injuries were not permanent and unrelated to the collision.

The jury initially awarded $210,000 in damages to the plaintiff; however, this amount was reduced to $100,000 based on a pretrial high-low agreement between the parties.

This case emphasizes the impact of pretrial agreements on final settlements and the importance of adhering to traffic rules to prevent catastrophic accidents.

Case Reference: Spader v. Messina, OCNL-002182-11