$59.8 M Drunk Driving Verdict Turned Into $60 M

$59.8 M Drunk Driving Verdict Turned Into $60 M

Introduction

Hon. Laura Salinas converted a $59.8 million verdict into more than $60 million verdicts, to include prejudgment interest in the case. The message was sent across by a San Antonio jury over a lawsuit involving drunk driving.

According to the court documents, in May 2016 the plaintiff was hit by a speeding drunk driver, who admitted that she was intoxicated and was distracted by her child in the backseat at the time of the accident. The plaintiff underwent surgery for a broken jaw, spleen repair, and other injuries for his facial and abdominal injuries.

The jury, after 3 hours of deliberation, awarded $7,500,000 in Past and Future Physical Pain and Mental Anguish; $550,000 in Past and Future Disfigurement; $1,625,000 in Past and Future Physical Impairment; $81,223.22 in Past Medical Expenses; and $50,000,000 in Punitive Damages. Post the pre-judgment interest, the final verdict amounted to $ 60,086,578.32.

The case is presided by Hon. Laura Salinas in the 166th District Court in Bexar County.

A jury awarded $7.5 million to the mother of a victim who was killed in a similar crash on August 10, 2016. The settlements came after three years of the accident on August 29, 2019.

As per the court document, the plaintiff was driving his motorcycle on Route 12 when the defendant tried to make a left turn and crashed. In February 2019, McHenry County judge sentenced the defendant to 5 years in prison. The defendant paid $425,000 for medical bills, funeral bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering before the trial, but the plaintiff additionally demanded $2.825 million.

The jury assessed the damages and offered a record-setting verdict of $3 million for past and future loss of society for the victim’s mother, father, and sister, along with another $4.5 million for past and future grief, sorrow and mental suffering for the family.