$3M for Car Negligence
A Middlesex County jury on Feb 16 awarded $3 million to a woman who suffered a lumbar disk herniation in a car crash. Teria Armstead of Edison was in the left lane of the Garden State Parkway approaching the Union tolls on July 12, 2002, when John Sonzogni, or Oradell, rear-ended her car. His vehicle had been side-swiped by Mattie Crosson of Hillside, who had crossed over the lanes.
Crosson blamed Sonzogni who she claimed came between her and the barrier, knocking her out of the way before hitting Armstead, but a state trooper's testimony refuted her version. The jury found Sonzogni negligent but Crosson solely at fault and liable for all the damages. Armstead is in almost constant pain from a herniation at L5-S1 and had to give up her delivery service and take a job as an administrative assistant. Crosson had claimed Armstead's back pain was caused by a 1996 bowling injury.
(This information was obtained from the New Jersey Law Journal)
