Perrin v. Malimba: $10K Verdict in CT Highway Crash Case
Table of Contents
Case Background
This personal injury lawsuit arose from a motor vehicle collision that occurred on April 22, 2022. Giya Perrin brought the action against Alain Malimba in the Connecticut Superior Court, Judicial District of New Haven. Perrin filed her complaint on March 20, 2024, with a return date of May 7, 2024. The Defendant answered and raised a special defense on September 16, 2024. The matter proceeded to a jury trial, which concluded with a verdict on November 14, 2025. The Plaintiff sought compensatory damages for injuries she claimed resulted from the Defendant's negligent operation of a motor vehicle on Interstate 91 South in New Haven, Connecticut.
Cause
The collision occurred at approximately 6:46 a.m. on Interstate 91 South in New Haven. Perrin drove her vehicle in the center lane of the highway while Malimba operated her vehicle in the left lane. According to the complaint, Malimba suddenly attempted to pass Perrin's vehicle without warning and struck it during the maneuver. The impact between the two vehicles formed the basis of Perrin's negligence claims against Malimba.
Injury
The collision caused Perrin to sustain multiple injuries to her spine. She suffered a cervical spine injury, thoracic spine injury, and lumbar spine injury. She also experienced persistent headaches and radiculopathy, a condition where compressed nerves in the spine cause pain, weakness, or numbness that radiates to other parts of the body. The complaint stated these injuries caused significant physical pain and suffering, and some or all of the conditions may prove permanent in nature.
Beyond the physical injuries, Perrin claimed she endured mental anguish, frustration, and anxiety stemming from her injured condition. The accident limited her ability to perform her usual occupation and restricted her participation in daily life activities she enjoyed before the collision.
Damages Sought
Perrin sought compensatory damages and any other relief the Court deemed appropriate. Her statement of amount in demand specified money damages in excess of $15,000.00.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
Legal Representation
Plaintiff: Giya Perrin
· Counsel for Plaintiff: R.J. Weber, III
Defendant: Alain Malimba
· Counsel for Defendant: Jeffrey C. Nagle
Claims
Perrin's complaint alleged Malimba acted negligently in multiple ways that caused the collision.
Failure to Maintain Control
The Plaintiff argued the Defendant failed to keep her automobile under reasonable and proper control. She did not maintain a proper lookout for other vehicles or conditions on the roadway and failed to pay attention to where she was heading.
Failure to Avoid the Collision
Perrin claimed Malimba failed to apply her brakes in time or in a sufficient manner to avoid the collision. The Defendant did not sound her horn or make any attempt to give Perrin a timely warning of the impending collision. She also failed to turn her vehicle to avoid the crash and did not use proper precautions or measures to prevent the accident.
Impaired Operation
The complaint alleged Malimba failed to remain awake and alert during her operation of the vehicle.
Excessive Speed
Perrin asserted Malimba operated her motor vehicle at a rate of speed greater than what was reasonable given the width, traffic, and use of the highway. This alleged violation applied both under common law and Connecticut General Statute Section 14-218a.
Improper Lane Change
The Plaintiff claimed the Defendant failed to operate her motor vehicle as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane of travel. According to the complaint, Malimba moved her vehicle from her lane when such movement could not be made safely. This allegation cited violations of both common law and Connecticut General Statutes Section 14-236.
Defense
Malimba filed her answer and special defense on September 16, 2024. The Defendant admitted that both parties operated motor vehicles at the stated time and place, and that the vehicles came into contact. However, she denied the characterization of how the collision occurred and denied all allegations of negligence.
The defense raised a special defense of contributory negligence against Perrin. Malimba argued that if Perrin suffered injuries and damages as alleged in her complaint, those injuries resulted from Perrin's own negligent conduct. Specifically, the defense claimed Perrin failed to keep her vehicle entirely within a single lane on the multiple lane highway and moved from one lane into the other when it was not reasonably safe to do so. The defense cited Connecticut General Statutes Section 14-236 as the statute Perrin allegedly violated through this conduct.
Jury Verdict
The jury returned its verdict on November 14, 2025, finding in favor of the Plaintiff Giya Perrin and against the Defendant Alain Malimba.
On the question of liability, the jury assigned 100 percent of the fault to the Defendant Malimba. The jury found zero percent liability on the part of the Plaintiff Perrin, completely rejecting the defense's argument that Perrin's own negligence contributed to the collision. The total percentage of liability equaled 100 percent.
The jury awarded Perrin economic damages of $9,057.00. These damages typically cover quantifiable financial losses such as medical expenses, lost wages, and other out-of-pocket costs directly resulting from the accident and injuries.
For noneconomic damages, the jury awarded $1,000.00. Noneconomic damages compensate for subjective losses that do not have a specific dollar value, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
The total damages amounted to $10,057.00 when the jury combined the economic and noneconomic awards.
Because the jury found zero percent contributory negligence on Perrin's part, no reduction applied to the final award. Under Connecticut's comparative negligence rules, a Plaintiff's recovery decreases by their percentage of fault. Since Perrin bore no responsibility for the collision according to the jury's finding, she received the full damage award without any reduction.
The final award to Plaintiff Giya Perrin totalled $10,057.00.
The jury foreperson signed the verdict form on November 14, 2025, concluding the trial in the Connecticut Superior Court, Judicial District of New Haven.
This case demonstrated a straightforward motor vehicle negligence dispute where the primary contested issue centered on which driver bore responsibility for the lane change that caused the collision. The defense strategy of blaming the Plaintiff for an improper lane change failed to persuade the jury, which placed complete fault on the Defendant. While Perrin prevailed on the liability question, the damage award remained relatively modest compared to the extensive injuries alleged in her complaint, suggesting the jury may have had questions about the extent or causation of some claimed damages despite finding full liability.
Court Documents