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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAn Indiana woman is set to receive $825,000 after a Floyd County jury decided that her automobile insurer was required to compensate her following a serious accident.
Earlier this week, the jury ruled that State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. was required to pay Kaitlin Miller, of Harrison County, after an uninsured motorist negligently collided with her in 2023.
“The chronic pain, numbness, and ongoing limitations our client continues to suffer every day are not something a 32-year-old should have to endure,” said John Morgan, founder of national injury law firm Morgan & Morgan, and attorney John Smith in a written statement on Friday. “As a mother of two young children, these injuries have impacted her immensely.”
State Farm did not return an email from The Indiana Lawyer requesting comment on the jury’s verdict.
Around Oct. 31, 2023, Miller was driving on State Road 64 in Georgetown, Indiana, when another driver pulled out of a parking lot in front of Miller and collided with her, according to Morgan & Morgan.
Miller suffered a concussion, with ongoing post-traumatic headaches, and an injury to her lower back, which still requires her to get radiofrequency ablations and injections.
State Farm was Miller’s insurance provider — and had been for 17 years.
Since the other driver involved in the accident was uninsured and found negligent, Miller’s insurance policy provided that State Farm would cover her injuries and damages, according to court documents.
But State Farm had not paid the $150,000 policy limits of her underinsured motorist coverage.
Before the trial, State Farm offered to settle the matter for $25,000, Morgan & Morgan said, but Miller declined.
On Tuesday, a jury instead moved to award Miller $825,000.
“Our client paid a monthly premium for 17 years for State Farm to protect her from this exact situation, but they attempted to minimize her injuries and avoid their responsibility to honor her policy,” Morgan and Smith said. “We’re pleased the jury compelled State Farm to uphold their end of the bargain.”
The case is Kaitlin Miller v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, 22D03-2410-CT-001822. Maria Granger was the presiding judge.
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