TRIAL WIN: Military Veteran Awarded $150,000 for a Neck Injury Stemming from Car Crash

AUBURN, Maine, April 16, 2019- An Androscoggin County jury awarded $150,000 in damages to Coleen Elias, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, two and a half years after she suffered a neck injury in a car collision.

In November 2016, Elias was driving to work in Auburn after dropping her children at daycare when her car was struck by another driver who failed to yield while making a turn. Elias struck her head on the car’s door frame, causing tears to muscles and tissues in her neck. The defendant driver denied responsibility for the crash and blamed Elias for the collision.

Since the collision, Elias has endured persistent neck pain. Despite the pain caused by her neck injury, Elias continued to work full time in health care administration, and recently obtained her master’s degree.

Attorney Travis Brennan of the Berman & Simmons law firm in Lewiston represented Elias in her lawsuit. The jury’s verdict of $150,000 is well above the industry average for similar cases and covers Elias’ past and future pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life.

“We are very pleased with the outcome, and thankful to the jury for the time and attention they gave to deciding this case,” Brennan said. “This case has always been about holding the defendant accountable for her actions and obtaining full and fair compensation for Coleen. The jury’s verdict does just that.”

Berman and Simmons is the leading personal injury and medical malpractice firm in Maine. The firm has 19 attorneys and more than 40 staff members with offices in Portland, Lewiston, and Bangor.