Driver T-boned by teen wins at trial

A St. Louis County jury awarded $1.265 million to a plaintiff injured in a collision with a 16-year-old driver.

Jerome Gray sued Nathaniel L. Caraballo, alleging the teen driver ran a red light at the intersection of Tesson Ferry Road and Lindbergh Boulevard while driving his father’s 2016 Ford Mustang, T-boning Gray’s 2014 Ford F-150 pickup truck. Simon said the defendant was driving home from church at the time of the November 2020 collision.

Gray suffered a broken collarbone and two slap tears to both shoulders that required arthroscopic surgeries, said plaintiff’s attorney John M. Simon.

The jury deliberated for several hours before rendering its verdict, awarding Gray $1.25 million in compensatory damages and an additional $15,000 in punitive damages.

Attorneys for Caraballo did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Simon said the defendants admitted negligence but disputed liability for punitive damages and fought causation for one of the shoulder injuries.

At closing, Simon sought $2.45 million in damages, while the defense countered with $50,000 to $100,000, the plaintiff’s attorney said.

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$1.265 million verdict

Motor vehicle collision

Breakdown: $1.25 million in compensatory damages, $15,000 in punitive damages

Venue: St. Louis County Circuit

Case Number/Date: 21SL-CC00410/May 23, 2023

Judge: John Borbonus

Plaintiff’s expert: Dr. Ryan Pitts, St. Louis (medical-surgical specialties)

Defendant’s expert: Dr. David King, Motion Orthopedic, St. Louis (medical-surgical specialties)

Last Pretrial Demand: $1.5 million

Last Pretrial Offer: $636,998

Insurance: Travelers, Geico (for Caraballo)

Caption: Jerome Gray v. Nathaniel Caraballo

Plaintiff’s Attorneys: John M. Simon and Megan Crowe, The Simon Law Firm, St. Louis

Defendant’s Attorneys: Tom Magee and Meg Fowler, HeplerBroom, St. Louis