A Polk County Florida jury awarded $65 million to a car accident victim who sustained serious injuries after a truck ran a red light and plowed into the victim’s car. It is thought to be the largest verdict in the history of Polk County.

Florida personal injury

According to Florida’s newspaper, The Ledger, 21 year-old Kendra Lymon was driving her Dodge Neon at the intersection of State Roads 35 and 64 in Zolfo Springs Florida when a truck driven by Robert Bohn ran a red light and smashed into her car. The car accident left Lymon seriously injured. According to the report, she now requires round the clock care and needs assistance for even the most simplest of tasks such as eating, bathing and going to the bathroom – and she may need that assistance for the rest of her life.

She sued the driver of the truck as well as the Bynum Transport, the truck’s owner and driver’s employer. Although the driver alleged that he had a green light, Lymon’s attorney was able to produce a witness who testified that it was actually Lymon that did. A jury awarded her a record $65 million in damages for the injuries she sustained. It is likely that a large part of that award will go towards Lymon’s future care and medical bills.

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How are damages calculated?

While a $65 million damages award may seem excessive to some, it generally is not when a victim, like Lymon, is so young. The reason for that is that an injured young person must receive care for many more years than an older person. With healthcare costs rising every year, juries have to look at how badly the victim was injured and calculate that person’s cost for care (known as economic damages) for the remainder of her life. In this case, well over 50 years.

Juries also look at non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. In fact, there are seven different categories of non-economic damages including pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of the enjoyment of life, inconvenience, disability, physical impairment and aggravation of a preexisting condition. While each situation is different and depends upon the facts and circumstances of the individual case, it is possible to be awarded a great deal of money if you’ve been seriously and/or permanently injured. An experienced Florida car accident attorney will be able to provide you with more information about your case.

Involved in Car Accident? Contact Florida attorney Jason Turchin to evaluate your legal rights. (877) 212-9393 [Sponsored Link]