Defense Verdict: Miami-Dade County, Florida (Automobile Negligence)

Miami Partner, Jaime Baca, and Associates, Alina Gonzalez and Claudia Aravena, recently obtained a defense verdict on behalf of a defendant driver in an automobile negligence case in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The team was assisted at trial by co-counsel Anita Figueroa.

This case arose from an accident that occurred after our driver, who was operating a commercial vehicle, rear-ended the Plaintiff, pushing her into another vehicle. Plaintiff was a world renowned Martial Artist with no records of any prior neck injury, back injury, or treatment. She claimed wage loss and ongoing pain, and underwent an ACDF neck surgery.

The Court initially allowed punitive damages against our driver, but Fort Lauderdale Partner, Alyssa Reiter, assisted in getting that count dismissed via Summary Judgment.

We admitted liability and tried the case on damages, arguing the injury was minor and Plaintiff’s symptoms did not correlate with an acute herniation since her MRI imaging showed pre-existing degeneration, consistent with 40 years of martial arts.

After a five day trial, Plaintiff asked the jury for $3.1 million. The jury found that the accident was not the legal cause of the injury, and returned a defense verdict.

Congratulations to Jaime and his entire team on this great work and excellent outcome for our client.