New Haven Jury Sides with Defendant in Personal Injury Lawsuit

Tasha Williams, et al v. Joan Murphy

• Court: Connecticut State, New Haven Division, Superior Court
• Case Number: NNH-CV22-6127254-S
• Filed: October 12, 2022
• Judges: Barbara Jongbloed | Matthew Frechette | Michael Kamp | Nicole Tung
• Case Type: V01 - Vehicular - Motor Vehicles - Driver and/or Passenger(s) vs. Driver(s)
• Cause: Negligence

Parties Involved

• Plaintiff(s): Tasha Williams | Jamoni William | Jaihjuanna Williams
• Counsel for Plaintiff: Bershtein Bershtein & Bershtein | Richard A. Bershtein. Esq

 

• Defendant(s): Joan Murphy
• Counsel for Defendants: Law Offices of Garraty M. Cynthia

Verdict Information

• Verdict Date: May 15, 2024
• Total damages awarded to Plaintiff(s): $0 (Verdict for Defendant)

About the Case

Cause

This was a personal injury lawsuit stemming from a rear-end collision that occurred on December 4, 2020, around 1:30 PM at the intersection of Amity Road and Fowler Street in New Haven, Connecticut. The plaintiffs were Tasha Williams and her two minor daughters, Jamoni Williams and Jaihjuanna Williams. They were passengers in Williams' vehicle at the time of the accident. The defendant was Joan Murphy, the operator of the vehicle that allegedly caused the rear-end collision. According to the complaint, Murphy owned and operated a 2004 Chevy Malibu sedan. She stopped at a red traffic light on Amity Road. Williams, driving a 2019 Nissan Altima with her daughters as passengers, stopped directly behind Murphy's vehicle. The complaint alleged that Murphy then suddenly and without warning accelerated backward from her stopped position. This caused the rear of her Malibu to collide with the front end of Williams' Altima. The plaintiffs asserted that this rear-end collision and the resulting injuries were directly and proximately caused by Murphy's negligent operation of her vehicle. They cited specific acts of negligence. These included failure to keep a proper lookout, failure to maintain reasonable control of the vehicle, and failure to operate properly to avoid a collision. They also cited failure to see Williams' vehicle in time, inattentiveness to other vehicles on the road, and the unsafe backing/movement of her vehicle from the stopped position when it was not reasonably safe to do so.

Injury

As a result of the impact, Tasha Williams sustained multiple injuries. These included cervical, thoracic, lumbosacral, and ankle sprains/strains. She also had injuries to her muscles, ligaments, nerves, soft tissues, and other anatomy. Her daughter Jamoni, a minor who was in the front passenger seat, suffered cervical sprains/strains with spasms and pain. She also had a lumbar sprain/strain. Jaihjuanna, the other minor daughter who was a rear passenger, experienced similar injuries. She had cervical and lumbar sprain/strain injuries along with spasms and pain in those areas.

Damages

The plaintiffs claimed they endured pain and suffering and an inability to perform usual activities and chores. They incurred medical expenses for treatment from physicians, physical therapy, medications, and other required care. The lawsuit sought monetary damages in excess of $15,000 for each plaintiff to compensate for their injuries, losses, and pain and suffering resulting from the collision.

Jury Verdict

In this Personal Injury Lawsuit, the jury did not find that Jaihjuanna Williams proved by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant's negligence was a proximate cause of any injuries and losses she claimed. Consequently, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendant.   Court Documents: Complaint Verdict