A Circuit Court jury awarded $9.25 million to the victim of a 2008 drunk driving accident in Tennessee, representing perhaps the largest award for drunk-driving damages in Tennessee history. Jessica Volz was reportedly driving home from a high school basketball game on Mountain View Road in 2008 when a drunk driver hit her car head-on. Last Tuesday, a Hamilton County Circuit Court jury awarded the record amount to Volz in a civil lawsuit against the drunk driver, Kevin Davis, including $350,000 in past damages, $150,000 in future damages and $8.75 million in punitive damages, court documents show. If you have suffered injuries caused by a TN drunk driving accident, contact our skilled DUI accident attorneys at Michael D. Ponce & Associates today.
Although it’s unlikely that Davis, who was not present at the one-day civil trial, has the resources to pay the award, said Volz’s attorney, he is still required to pay whatever he can, and even bankruptcy won’t free him of the obligation. “I don’t think I’ll ever get a penny of it and that’s OK, I’m alright with that,” said Volz in a phone interview last Thursday. “I just want people to know it’s not OK to drink and drive.” Volz and her attorney, Morgan Adams, say they hope the verdict will resonate with other people, encouraging them to step in if a friend, family member or even a stranger tries to drive after drinking.
According to a news release from Adams, Davis, 29, drank half a bottle of Southern Comfort during a 30-minute period on November 25, 2008, and then drove down Mountain View Road in Tennessee after waiting only 10 minutes. David passed out while behind the wheel, drifted into oncoming traffic, and struck Volz’s car head-on when the then-18-year-old was returning home from a basketball game. On October 14, 2009, David pleaded guilty to vehicular assault in the collision and received a four-year sentence. Criminal court records show the incident was Davis’ third DUI.
Volz continues to suffer from foot problems even after undergoing multiple surgeries and years of physical therapy, and seeking punitive damages was an effort to deter others from similar dangerous actions. If you have been injured in a Nashville drunk driving accident, or if you lost a loved one in such an accident, contact our qualified DUI accident lawyers at Michael D. Ponce & Associates for legal help. You may have grounds to file a drunk driving lawsuit against the at-fault party, in order to pursue financial compensation for your injuries, medical bills, future care, and pain and suffering.