MOTOR VEHICLE

ORANGE CIRCUIT COURT

A jury awarded nearly $4 million to a woman who was severely injured when she hit a crashed vehicle on a wet highway.

Shayna Green, 24 at the time of the January 2015 collision in Winter Park, was driving a compact car when a sport utility vehicle ahead of her hydroplaned, hit an Interstate 4 guardrail and came to rest perpendicular to the travel lanes. A driver in front of Green swerved and avoided hitting the SUV, but Green slammed into it. She underwent surgery for back and neck injuries.

Defense counsel argued Green had time to avoid the crash, but Green's accident-reconstruction expert opined she wasn't tailgating or speeding and didn't have time to avoid the SUV. The total award was $3.95 million.

Case: Green v. Brown

Case No.: 2015-CA-007653-O

Plaintiffs attorneys: Melissa Alzate, Kissimmee, and Keith R. Mitnik, Matt Morgan and Nick Russo, Orlando, Morgan & Morgan,

Defense attorneys: Lourdes M. Calvo-Paquette, Christopher Dean and Natalie Stratis-Malak, Mimi L. Smith and Associates, Orlando