MOTOR VEHICLE
Jury awards driver $4,878 for back and neck injuries
On Jan. 11, a driver who claimed a cervical disc protrusion and back sprains and strains in a rear-ender was awarded $4,878. Maria Elena Sotelo was driving a mid-size sedan in stop-and-go traffic on Highway 30 in Dallas. She was rear-ended by Jainfei Lin in a compact car. She underwent chiropractic treatment for about six weeks and then stopped on her own. About a year later, she underwent about another month of chiropractic care. The defense argued that the jury shouldn’t award her, noting the gap in treatment and because Sotelo didn’t follow all her doctor’s recommendations.
