Richard Ahrens v. Kathleen Ely: A Cox Cable employee collected nearly $119,000 after sustaining back injuries when his SUV was rear-ended in a traffic tie-up on Interstate 84 in East Hartford.

Plaintiff Richard Ahrens, who lives in Windsor, was westbound on I-84 a Saturday in late January 2011. It was just before noon, and Ahrens, 60, was on his way to go shopping with his girlfriend.