$160,000 Verdict for Marion County Woman After Rear-End Crash Left Her With Seizures and Memory Loss
A Marion County jury awarded Constance Griffis $160,000 after finding that a 2010 rear-end collision on US 441 caused a traumatic brain injury that produced lasting seizures, memory loss, and cognitive disruption.
What happened
In 2010, Constance Griffis was driving along US 441 near Belleview, Florida when Jared Green struck the rear of her pickup at roughly 10 mph. The collision left minimal visible damage to the bumper and fender. What followed, Griffis said, was anything but minor.
Over the years after the crash, Griffis developed seizures, persistent memory loss, and confusion she described as losing her identity. She also reported knee and back injuries. Her husband and two children later joined the case, each seeking damages of their own tied to the effect her condition had on family life.
Green admitted fault for the collision. The seven-day trial in Ocala, conducted in February 2020 before Judge Robert Hodges, therefore focused entirely on causation and damages: did this low-speed impact produce the neurological injuries Griffis claimed?
Matt Powell of MattLaw presented medical evidence tying the crash to Griffis's back and knee injuries and testimony describing how her seizures and memory gaps had reshaped her day-to-day existence. The defense, led by Brett Little, challenged whether the minimal-damage crash could have caused a traumatic brain injury of the severity Griffis alleged.
After roughly two hours of deliberation, the jury sided with Griffis. It awarded $60,000 for past and future medical expenses and $100,000 for pain and suffering, for a total verdict of $160,000. Jurors rejected the companion claims brought by her husband and children.
The verdict was returned February 26, 2020. No subsequent reduction or remittitur was reported in available coverage.
Sources
This account is drawn from contemporaneous public reporting and the court record.
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