Minimal damage/low-impact claim; jury verdict $315,000

Our clients, a mother and her two children, were passengers in a car that was rear-ended by a person who claimed she slid on black ice. The collision resulted in minor property damage. The defense hired an engineer who claimed the impact occurred at just over 4 mph and therefore our clients could not be injured. The court precluded the expert from testifying as to his opinions regarding the force of the impact and the unlikelihood of injuries. The insurance carrier offered a total of $61,000 for all three plaintiffs. A jury awarded a total of $315,000.