MADISON COUNTY — A Madison County jury has awarded $27.5 million to a 21-year-old motorcycle accident victim injured in a July 4, 2023, collision in Highland.
The jury returned a unanimous verdict this week after a four-day trial before Judge Patrick King, finding the pickup truck driver 100 percent at fault for the crash at the intersection of Route 160 and Broadway in Highland. Attorneys Mary Simon and Tim Cronin of Simon Law represented the plaintiff.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
According to the trial, the pickup driver attempted to cross the intersection without the right of way and struck the plaintiff, who was riding a motorcycle. The collision caused torn ligaments and tendons in the plaintiff’s knee, multiple fractures to his lower leg, and required four surgeries.
The $27.5 million award includes $75,000 in punitive damages and $421,213.56 for medical bills. The remaining amount compensates the plaintiff for pain and suffering, loss of normal life, emotional distress, and disfigurement.
“Our client continues to live with daily pain, mobility limitations, and post-traumatic stress from the violent crash,” said Mary Simon. “This was a completely preventable collision. The defendant knew he couldn’t see and went anyway. That split-second decision changed the course of a young man’s life.”
