Watts v. Laux

Case Background

Brittany Watts filed an auto negligence lawsuit in the Indiana Superior Court, St. Joseph County after a motor vehicle accident that took place at an intersection. Judge Mark P. Telloyan presided over the case. [Case number: 71D07–1809–CT–457]

Cause

On the afternoon of April 28, 2017, Brittany Watts was driving a 2005 Acura MDX south on Ironwood Road in Mishawaka. At the same time, Ralph Laux was driving a 2003 Buick Century west on Delaware Street.

Watts tried to make a left turn onto Delaware Street. She alleged that Laux ran the stop sign at the intersection, causing a collision between the two vehicles.

Damages

Watts incurred medical expenses for the treatment of her injuries sustained in the motor vehicle accident.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

Legal Representation

  • Plaintiff(s):  Brittany Watts
    • Counsel for Plaintiff(s): William A. Keller
  • Defendant(s): Ralph Laux
    • Counsel for Defendant(s): Francis A. Veltri

Claims

Watts sued Laux, accusing him of running a stop sign and failing to yield the right-of-way, which led to the crash. Watts claimed that Laux’s actions directly caused the accident.

Defense

Laux defended the case and denied causing the crash or Watts’s alleged injuries. He argued that Watts’s own actions were to blame for the accident. Laux pointed to Watts’s comparative fault as the primary cause of the crash.

Jury Verdict

The auto negligence case was tried in South Bend. On July 18, 2024, the jury ruled in favor of Laux. It did not address the issues of apportionment or damages. As a result, the court entered a defense verdict.

Court Documents:

Available for purchase upon request