Jury Awards $540K to Davis in Ortiz Car Crash Case

 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