The plaintiff, a 29 year-old, suffered a mild brain injury, cervical fracture, fractured clavicle and broken nose as a result of a rear end collision by a bus on Interstate 64 in York County, Virginia. The plaintiff was a sergeant in the US Army. Family members and friends testified that the crash transformed the plaintiff from a happy, fit soldier to a woman depressed over the likelihood of the loss of a career and active lifestyle. Plaintiff’s counsel conducted a focus group/mock trial that indicated that it was likely that a jury would award the plaintiff a multi-million dollar sum. The highest settlement offer from the defendant’s insurance carrier was $250,000. At trial, the jury rendered a verdict for $5.6 million. The verdict was upheld on appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court.
