Plaintiffs attorney Carl Secola Jr. of Hamden said he was a bit anxious waiting for the verdict following a three-day trial before New Haven Superior Court Judge Barbara Bailey Jongbloed.

He said he knew he needed a significant award for future medical expenses because his client, Anthony Fiondella, would need surgery to relieve continuing pain from a back injury in a 2014 crash. And past medical bills had already piled up. Plus it had been a long, painful ordeal.