Bicycle collision lawsuit ends in plaintiff's favor

GALVESTON - A January 2012 lawsuit arising from a collision involving a bicyclist recently came to a close. 

Galveston County jurors heard the case between plaintiff James Lovell and defendant Karen Phillips earlier this month and ruled in favor of Lovell.

Lovell sued Phillips in the Galveston County 405th District Court on Jan. 21, 2012. Lovell claimed Phillips knocked him off his bicycle near a League City grocery store on Sept. 8, 2011.

According to the original petition, Lovell was riding his bike to a friend's house when Phillips struck him in front of Kroger's along FM 518.

Lovell said he stopped at the store's driveway just as Phillips made her way out of the parking lot. He claims Phillips motioned for him to cross in front of her vehicle, but then accelerated into him as he started to pedal.

According to the suit, the impact was so great "that Mr. Lovell was drug under Ms. Phillips' vehicle approximately 15 feet into the street."

Phillips denied Lovell's allegations.

The case went to trial on Feb. 7 and concluded the next day.

A representative with the law firm that represented Lovell told The Southeast Texas Record that the jury awarded the plaintiff a total of $41,600 in damages with the amount reduced by 50 per cent for contributory negligence.

The plaintiff's verdict was the first for new Galveston County 405th District Court Judge Michelle Slaughter, who assumed the judgeship by defeating the court's original seat-holder, Wayne Mallia, in last year's primary runoff elections.

Case No. 12-CV-0096