The Forest City victim of a car wreck caused by a texting teen received a $120,000 settlement, according to NC Lawyers Weekly. The amount of the settlement is notable because the plaintiff’s medical bills only amounted to $21,000, which indicates that a good part of the settlement was for punitive damages that are intended to punish the texting driver.
The 17-year-old defendant was texting while speeding when she rear-ended the plaintiff. The teen reportedly sent and received more than 100 texts around the time of the collision, according to phone records. During a deposition, she admitted to sending more texts while driving after the wreck, which left the plaintiff with a broken pelvis, fractured spine and scarring. The defendant also admitted texting from her car on her way to the deposition.
While the defendant and her insurance carrier refused to acknowledge the additional settlement money represented punitive damages, the plaintiff made a motion before the mediation amending her complaint to include such damages. The plaintiff’s attorneys said the settlement showed that the law is headed in the “right direction” regarding texting and distracted driving.
If you or someone you love was injured by a texting driver, please don’t hesitate to contact CJG Law Firm. If we cannot represent you, we will refer you to someone who can.
Author Bio
Valerie Johnson
Founder
Valerie Johnson is a North Carolina personal injury and workers’ compensation attorney dedicated to helping injured and working people across the state. A board-certified specialist since 2000, she is the Immediate Past President of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice and author of North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Law: A Practical Guide to Success at Every Stage of a Claim.
