Jury Awards $540K to Davis in Ortiz Car Crash Case
Table of Contents
Case Background
On July 9, 2018, Jody Davis was driving a car owned by her employer, Coram Deo Inc., in New Britain, Connecticut. She came to a full stop at the intersection of Austin Street and East Street, waiting for the right way. At the same time, Victor Ortiz, a young driver operating a vehicle owned by Fazza Saleh, approached the intersection on East Street. Ortiz drove at an extremely high speed, ignored a stop sign, and slammed into the side of Davis’s car.
The crash left Davis with serious injuries, large medical bills, and long-lasting physical pain. She filed suit against Victor Ortiz for negligence and reckless driving, against Jose Ortiz as the legal guardian of the minor driver, against Fazza Saleh as the vehicle’s owner, and against Selective Insurance Company of America, which insured her employer’s vehicle, for underinsured motorist benefits.
Cause
Davis argued that Victor Ortiz’s reckless driving caused the crash. The complaint listed several acts of negligence: driving too fast for conditions, failing to keep a proper lookout, ignoring a stop sign, failing to control the car, and not applying brakes in time. She also pointed out statutory violations under Connecticut traffic laws, including reckless driving, speeding, and distracted driving.
Ortiz’s actions, according to Davis, directly caused the collision at the Austin and East Street intersection, leaving her trapped in the vehicle with multiple injuries.
Injury
The crash left Davis with significant injuries. She suffered harm to her shoulder, left arm, left ear, neck, chest, back, and wrist. Her doctors reported aggravation of pre-existing conditions that made her more vulnerable to injury. She endured constant physical pain, needed ongoing physical therapy, and faced limits on her daily activities.
Beyond physical harm, she also experienced emotional trauma, fearing long-term medical issues from the accident. Her injuries prevented her from working for a period, resulting in lost income and diminished earning capacity.
Damages
Davis sought compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and the depreciation of her vehicle. She also pursued noneconomic damages for her pain, suffering, and reduced quality of life. Her case against Selective Insurance centered on underinsured motorist coverage, since the insurance carried by Ortiz and Saleh was insufficient to cover the full extent of her losses.
Legal Representation
Plaintiff(s): Jody Davis
Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Frank J. McCoy
Experts for Plaintiff(s): Robert Belniak | Payam Sajedi | Michael Firestone | Michael Petit | Matthew Neulander | Alden Stock | Alecia Davidson | Hanbing Zhou | Robert Waxman | Dana Haywood | Jason Brown | Kellie Geanuracos
Defendant(s): Victor Ortiz | Jose Ortiz | Fazza Saleh | Selective Insurance Company of America
Counsel for Defendant(s): Jeffery P. Apuzzo
Experts for Defendant(s): Glenn Taylor | Caleb P. Peck
Key Arguments and Proceedings
Plaintiff’s Arguments
Jody Davis, through her counsel, argued that Victor Ortiz bore complete responsibility for the crash. They pointed to eyewitness accounts, traffic laws, and accident reconstruction showing Ortiz ignored the stop sign and sped through the intersection. Davis’s legal team also stressed that she had been fully stopped and cautious when the collision occurred, leaving her no chance to avoid the impact.
They argued that Jose Ortiz, as Victor’s father, shared liability under Connecticut law for the reckless actions of a minor. They further held Fazza Saleh, the vehicle’s owner, liable under the “family car doctrine,” which attaches responsibility when a family member drives with the owner’s consent.
Finally, they pressed Selective Insurance to honor its obligation to provide underinsured motorist coverage, since the other Defendants’ insurance would not come close to covering the Plaintiff’s full damages.
Defense’s Arguments
Selective Insurance filed special defenses, seeking to limit or reduce any payout. The insurer argued that any damages awarded should be offset by sums already covered by workers’ compensation, other liability insurance, or medical payments. It also claimed Davis could not collect duplicate payments for the same losses under different coverage types. Furthermore, Selective argued its policy acted as “secondary” coverage, meaning Davis needed to exhaust other sources of compensation before tapping its funds.
Victor Ortiz and the co-Defendants contested the extent of liability, but the primary defense strategy rested on limiting damages and coverage obligations rather than denying the accident itself.
Claims
The Plaintiff claimed the accident stemmed from reckless disregard of traffic laws by Victor Ortiz, which created life-changing harm for Davis. She demanded both economic and noneconomic damages, along with double or treble damages under Connecticut’s reckless driving statute.
Defense
The defense focused less on denying negligence and more on technical policy issues. Selective Insurance emphasized contractual limits, setoffs, and the need to exhaust other insurance. Their stance was that even if Davis deserved compensation, the company should not bear responsibility for duplicate or excessive payouts.
Jury Verdict
After a lengthy trial, the jury sided with Jody Davis. On April 10, 2024, the panel found in favor of the Plaintiff against Selective Insurance Company of America. They awarded her a total of $540,000 in damages, combining $73,761.74 in economic losses and $466,238 in noneconomic damages.
This verdict underscored the jury’s belief that Davis’s injuries and hardships went well beyond her medical bills. The award sent a strong message about reckless driving and about insurers’ obligations when an at-fault driver’s coverage falls short.