A Jefferson County jury has awarded a plaintiff more than $26,000 in damages for injuries she suffered following an automobile collision.
Alleging the individual who caused the collision was an underinsured motorist, Melodie Gilbert filed suit against her insurance provider, Allstate Indemnity, on June 23, 2014, in Jefferson County District Court.
The case went to trial on Dec. 1 and ended the following day.
According to the lawsuit, on Jan. 22, 2014, Gilbert was a passenger in a vehicle traveling north on MLK Boulevard in Beaumont when Troy Williams, an underinsured motorist, was traveling the wrong way and collided with her vehicle.
After the collision, Williams allegedly fled the scene and was later taken into custody and criminally charged, the suit states.
Williams was covered by a policy through Direct General Insurance Company of Louisiana, which paid Gilbert $30,000.
In her suit, Gilbert claims Allstate breached its contract.
According to the court’s charge to the jury, the jury was not asked to assign negligence and was instead asked what sum of money would compensate Gilbert.
Jurors awarded her $20,895.47 for medical expenses, $625 in lost wages and $5,000 for mental anguish.
Gilbert is represented by Tommy Yeates, attorney for the Beaumont law firm Moore Landrey.
Attorney Karl Drews represents Allstate.
Judge Milton Shuffield, 136th District Court, is presiding over the case.
Case No. D-195818