Florida Jury Awards $663K in Jordan Deaver Crash Case
Table of Contents
Case Background
In a civil trial arose from a motor vehicle accident, a Duval County, Florida jury delivered a verdict in favor of the Plaintiff, Jordan Mackenzie Deaver, on April 24, 2025. The lawsuit, filed in the Circuit Court of the Fourth Judicial Circuit under Case No. 16-2023-CA-006395, arose from an incident that occurred on or about March 13, 2023, in Jacksonville. Ms. Deaver had brought the action against both the individual driver, Thomas Inman Denmark, and the corporate entity, Denmark Outdoors, Inc.
Cause
The litigation centered on the allegation that the Defendant, Thomas Inman Denmark, negligently operated his vehicle, which legally caused the collision with Ms. Deaver and inflicted subsequent injury and damage upon her. The Plaintiff's complaint claimed that Mr. Denmark failed to exercise the degree of care that a reasonably careful person would use under the circumstances, directly leading to the crash.
Injury
Following the accident, the Plaintiff, Ms. Deaver, claimed to have sustained severe and permanent injuries in and about her body. These injuries included pain, physical impairment, disfigurement, and mental anguish, which she alleged would continue indefinitely. The complaint specifically stated that the injuries were either permanent or aggravated a pre-existing condition, resulting in the permanent loss of an important bodily function and a diminished capacity for the enjoyment of life.
Damages Sought
Ms. Deaver sought recovery for all damages resulting from the Defendants’ alleged negligence. She demanded judgment for damages that included:
Past and Future Medical Expenses: Costs for all necessary medical and related expenses incurred for treatment of her injuries, both up to the time of trial and for future care.
Loss of Wages and Earning Capacity: Compensation for wages she had lost and the reduced ability to earn money in the future.
Non-Economic Damages: Recovery for pain and suffering, disability, physical impairment, mental anguish, inconvenience, aggravation of a pre-existing condition, and the loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life.
The complaint asserted that the damages exceeded the minimum jurisdictional threshold of fifty thousand dollars.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
The case proceeded through the legal system as the parties prepared for a jury trial on all issues. The core dispute revolved around whether Mr. Denmark’s actions constituted negligence and whether Ms. Deaver had, in fact, suffered a permanent injury as a result of the collision.
Legal Representation
Plaintiff(s): Jordan Mackenzie Deaver.
· Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Aaron Metcalf | Nicholas Patrick McNamara | Thomas Carrero, Jr | Kassandra Farnsworth | Khalil E Farah
· Experts for Plaintiff(s): Rick Robinson | Mark Frisk | Donald W. Lowery | Lewalie Henley | Omar Abderham | Joseph Mark Graham
Defendant(s): Thomas Inman Denmark | Denmark Outdoors, Inc.
· Counsel for Defendant(s): David Clark Borucke | Christopher G Brown | Warren Kwavnick | William Joseph Roe
· Experts for Defendant(s): Arif Kidwai | Michael Fryar | Marilyn Pacheco
Key Arguments or Remarks by Counsel
Claims
Ms. Deaver’s counsel presented evidence that directly implicated Thomas Inman Denmark as the sole cause of the collision. They argued that Mr. Denmark had breached his duty to operate his vehicle with reasonable care, establishing his negligence. Furthermore, they asserted that Denmark Outdoors, Inc., shared responsibility for the crash, arguing the corporate entity was liable for the actions of Mr. Denmark because he had acted in the course and scope of the corporation's business at the time of the incident. This strategy aimed to hold both the driver and the company financially accountable for the substantial and lasting harm inflicted upon Ms. Deaver.
Defense
The Defendants consistently denied the central allegations of the complaint. Their answer to the complaint denied any negligence on the part of Thomas Inman Denmark and demanded strict proof from the Plaintiff on every material allegation. As an affirmative defense, the defense claimed that any damages Ms. Deaver had suffered were not proximately caused by the Defendants’ actions but rather resulted from other factors. The defense further argued that, even if found liable, any damages awarded must be limited by Florida Statute 768.0427, which sought to restrict the recovery of medical expenses to the amounts actually paid or owed.
Jury Verdict
The jury, having heard all the evidence and arguments, returned a verdict on 24th April 2025, that found the Defendant, Thomas Inman Denmark, negligent.
Furthermore, the jury made a critical finding regarding the severity of the Plaintiff’s condition. They determined that Jordan Mackenzie Deaver did sustain a permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability as a result of the subject accident, thus clearing the threshold required by Florida law to recover non-economic damages.
The jury then assessed the total amount of damages sustained by Ms. Deaver for the losses she incurred. The jury awarded the following specific amounts:
Medical Expenses
In the past: $58,276.37
In the future: $605,000.00
Non-Economic Damages (Pain and Suffering)
Since the jury found Ms. Deaver sustained a permanent injury, they proceeded to award damages for the pain and suffering, disability, physical impairment, disfigurement, mental anguish, inconvenience, aggravation of a disease or defect, and loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life.
The jury returned a total damages award of $663,276.37 (Six Hundred Sixty-Three Thousand, Two Hundred Seventy-Six Dollars, and Thirty-Seven Cents), which represented the combined value of her past and future medical expenses. The jury’s determination to award only the economic damages while finding a permanent injury meant the Court would enter judgment against the Defendants for this specific amount, reflecting the jury's decision to compensate Ms. Deaver fully for her medical treatment costs.
The jury's specific apportionment of damages full recovery for medical expenses but no recovery for non-economic damages despite the finding of permanence highlighted the nuanced and complex nature of the trial process, but the ultimate result confirmed that Mr. Denmark's negligence was a legal cause of her injuries.