Alanis v. Bullard

On June 4, 2024, an Indiana jury awarded Albertina Alanis $2,359,268 in damages to compensate for losses incurred due to a motor vehicle accident caused by Mercedes Bullard’s negligence.

Case Background

Albertina Alanis sued to recover damages from a motor vehicle accident where Mercedes Bullard ran a stop sign. The case was filed in the Carroll County Circuit Court, Indiana. Judge Laura Zeman presided over the case. [Case number: 08C01-1704-CT-4]

Cause

On January 18, 2017, Albertina Alanis, 46, drove south on S.R. 29 in the Town of Flora, Carroll County. Meanwhile, Mercedes Bullard traveled east on S.R. 18. At the intersection of these roads, Bullard failed to stop at a stop sign and crashed into Alanis.

Injury

Alanis sustained fractures in both ankles, a broken wrist, and fractured ribs. She underwent surgery on both her ankle and wrist.

Afterward, Alanis spent three months in a rehabilitation hospital before returning home. Since then, she has reported severe post-traumatic arthritis in her leg. Consequently, she now walks with a limp. Evidence showed that her arthritis would likely worsen with age. Additionally, although Alanis works full-time, her arthritis complicates her ability to care for her disabled adult child.

Damages

Alanis’ medical bills totaled $359,000. Alanis, employed at Tyson Foods, missed a year of work. During this time, she lost $40,000 in wages. However, she did not file a claim for future lost wages or additional medical expenses. Alanis sought special and general damages for the losses and injuries caused the Bullard’s negligence.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

Legal Representation

  • Plaintiff(s): Albertina Alanis
    • Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Anthony W. Patterson | Katherine M. Moore | James D. Moore
  • Defendant(s): Mercedes Bullard | Grange Insurance
    • Counsel for Defendant(s): Thomas E. Rosta

Claims

Alanis sued Bullard, accusing her of not yielding the right-of-way, running the stop sign, and causing the collision. Additionally, Alanis filed an uninsured/underinsured motorist claim with her insurer, Grange Insurance. She eventually reached a settlement with Grange Insurance and agreed to dismiss the company from the case. The litigation then proceeded exclusively against Bullard.

Defense

Bullard defended herself by attributing the crash to Alanis’s comparative fault for speeding. Additionally, Bullard challenged the severity of Alanis’s reported injuries.

Jury Verdict

The case was tried over two days in Delphi. On June 4, 2024, the Indiana jury, after deliberating for one hour and forty minutes, assigned 100% of the fault for negligence to Bullard. The jury then awarded Alanis $2,359,268 in damages.  Subsequently, the court entered a judgment for that amount.

Court Documents:

Available upon request