THE MYTH OF “CONSERVATIVE” JURIES IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI BY: ERIC JENSEN, Personal Injury Attorney in Springfield, MO Many defense attorneys and insurance company adjusters attempt to argue that personal injury claims from auto accidents, slip and falls, semi-truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, or other negligent acts are not worth as much in Greene, Taney, Christian, Stone, or Polk County as in other areas of the State of Missouri. Though juries in Springfield, Ozark, Branson, Bolivar, or Galena may not be handing out multi-million dollar jury verdicts with the frequency of the City of St. Louis or Jackson County in Kansas City, local Southwest Missouri juries will hold defendants accountable and have rendered large verdicts in the past. This article is a short summary of some of the larger verdicts in Southwest Missouri. My firm is not responsible for these verdicts and this article is not an attempt to anyway associate my firm with these results. This article is simply designed to put in place a brief summary of these large verdicts in attempt to dispel the often repeated myth that no juries in Southwest Missouri will ever enter large verdicts for personal injury, car accident, medical negligence or semi-truck accidents when the damages are severe. It is my hope that other personal injury attorneys and auto accident attorneys might use this list in mediations or during settlement negotiations to fight back this common myth so often used to discount the true damages in personal injury or car accident cases. GREENE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT in Springfield, Missouri Auto vs Bicycle Accident (Damages for Personal Injury) Fifteen Million Dollar ($15,000,000) Verdict This large verdict in a personal injury case was for a bicycle and auto accident in Webster County, Missouri. The case was tried in Greene County, Missouri at the courthouse in Springfield. The van driven by the defendant stuck the plaintiff while on the bicycle on the outer road near U.S. Interstate 44. Plaintiff suffered severe damages including close head injury, brain damage, and inability to return to work. Thanks to excellent personal injury attorneys representing this man, he obtained a very large verdict. Greene County Case No. 198CC-4150. Rear End Auto Collision by Dump Truck (Damages for Personal Injury) Thirteen Million Eight Hundred Thousand Dollar ($13,836,814) Verdict This large verdict for a personal injury case was the result of a dump truck colliding with the rear-end of the plaintiff’s car while waiting to turn left. The 35-year-old plaintiff suffered paraplegia as a result. A claim was also made at trial against the manufacturer of the seat in the vehicle driven by plaintiff. A Greene County jury in Springfield also awarded the husband $500,000 for his loss of consortium claim. Greene County Case No. 193CC2815. Myth of Conservative Juries in Springfield, Bolivar, Nixa, Ozark, Branson, and Galena courts. Medical Negligence (Damages for Personal Injury) Three Million Eight Hundred Thousand Dollar ($3,805,000) Verdict This large verdict was the result of a medical malpractice lawsuit filed in Springfield, Missouri. A newborn with cerebral palsy was delivered and medical negligence was alleged. Greene County Case No. 192CC1788. Auto Accident – Semi-Truck Collision (Damages for Personal Injury) One Million Four Hundred Thousand Dollar ($1,400,000) Verdict A Greene County jury in Springfield awarded One Million Four Hundred Thousand ($1,451,112 to be exact) for his personal injuries from a collision. He had neck and shoulder pain requiring surgery to his shoulder. The injured driver had $70,000 in past medical bills. Greene County Case No. 107CC4274. Negligent Entrustment of Vehicle to Incompetent Driver (Damages for Personal Injury) One Million Two Hundred Sixty Two Thousand Dollar ($1,262,000) Verdict A Greene County jury in Springfield awarded an injured plaintiff One Million Two Hundred Sixty Two Thousand Dollar ($1,262,000) due to injuries in a car accident when the other driver blacked out and hit her. The other driver had been given the car by an auto dealership that had knowledge of the driver’s propensity to black out from medication. The medical expenses for treatment of her personal injuries was $140,000. Greene County Case No. 104CC2900 Auto Accident – Rear End Collision (Damages for Personal Injury) One Million Two Hundred Thousand Dollar ($1,200,000) Verdict This auto accident occurred in Springfield, Missouri and resulted in this large verdict. The plaintiff was rear ended and as a result suffered a herniated disc, bladder incontinence, and emotional distress. The impact from the accident broke the vehicle’s seat. The past medical bills in the case were approximately $20,000. Greene County Case No. 193CC3275. POLK COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT in Bolivar Missouri Auto Accident – Bus Hitting Farm Tractor (Damages for Personal Injury) Two Million Four Hundred Thousand Dollar ($2,400,000) Verdict This bus and tractor collision occurred in Polk County, Missouri near Bolivar on Highway 13. The injured driver of the tractor suffered personal injuries to his shoulders, back, neck, and many lacerations. The past medical bills were $43,000. Future medical bills of $25,000. Polk County Case No. 30V0701000182. Myth of Conservative Juries in Springfield, Bolivar, Nixa, Ozark, Branson, and Galena courts. TANEY COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT in Forsyth Missouri Auto Accident – Drunken Driving alleged (Damages for Personal Injury) Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollar ($2,581,000) Verdict The plaintiff was involved in two accidents in a three week span. The plaintiff suffered both medical bills and lost wages from the two accidents. Due to her extensive pain and suffering and awarding punitive damages against one of the defendants who was alleged to be a drunk driver, the Taney County jury awarded her a large sum. Taney County Case No. 08AF-CC00772 CHRISTIAN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT in Ozark Missouri Electrical Accident -Amputation (Damages for Personal Injury) Eight Million Three Hundred Thousand Dollar ($8,300,000) Verdict A sign worker injured by a high power electric line suffered an amputation of his right leg two inches above the knee. After assessing 10% fault in the injured worker, the net verdict was $7,470,000. Product Liability –against car manufacturer (Damages for Personal Injury) Five Million Three Hundred Thirty Two Thousand Dollar ($5,332,000) Verdict A paraplegic man who suffered a severe spinal cord injury brought his claims against the manufacturer of his vehicle. He was injured in a car accident between Branson and Springfield, Missouri in Christian County. The seat belt was alleged to be defective under Missouri law. The jury awarded 17.5 percent fault to the plaintiff, and the rest on the defendant manufacturer for personal injuries. STONE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT in Galena Missouri Sexual Assault / Battery (Damages for Personal Injury) Six Million Seven Hundred Sixty Thousand Dollar ($6,760,000) Verdict Daughter alleged that her father sexually abused her and that she suffered permanent emotional distress from the abuse. Judgment was entered the Court for $6,760,000. Stone County Case No. CV503-1CC. As Springfield, Missouri auto accident lawyers who handle serious personal injury cases throughout these counties for clients, it is good to know that juries in Southwest Missouri will award fair damages when the evidence supports such a claim. We hope that this list of jury verdicts from this area will help other attorneys dispel the myth that juries in Southwest Missouri will not award large sums to injured people and encourage fair and reasonable settlements to those injured. Myth of Conservative Juries in Springfield, Bolivar, Nixa, Ozark, Branson, and Galena courts.