DeKalb County Jury Finds for Defendant After Six Years of Litigation
After three (3) full days of trial, on April 18, 2024, a DeKalb County jury found in favor of Ashley Rice’s client. This was a refiled lawsuit that was reached for trial eight (8) years after the subject rear-end accident and six (6) years after the defendant had originally been sued. Defendant admitted fault for the impact, which was relatively minor. No one reported injury at the scene. Plaintiff thereafter sought treatment for neck and back pain from the emergency room, a chiropractor, a neurologist, a physical therapist, and pain management. She introduced bills totaling just over $35,000. Plaintiff claimed MRIs showed a cervical herniated disc and lumbar disc bulge, though the defense’s expert radiologist read the same MRIs as showing a normal spine. Despite having been in two (2) subsequent accidents, plaintiff took the position that her injuries from 2016 never fully resolved and she had been in continuous pain for eight (8) years. Plaintiff asked the jury to award $250,000. The defense’s pre-trial offer was $30,000.