Family of boy injured in car crash awarded $10 million

By Mary Mitchell

Published on May 04, 2006

Nicolas Mora was riding in a car driven by his aunt in November 2004 when it collided with another driver's car. Both his aunt and the other driver were named as defendants in the lawsuit. The defendants are accused of careless and negligent driving, failure to keep their vehicles under control, and failure to keep a proper lookout.

Nicolas was in a coma when the claim was filed in early 2005. Charles Monnett, the Charlotte, N.C. lawyer who represented Nicolas and his family, stated that medical care for Nicolas had already amounted to $525,000 by the time the jury returned the verdict on April 26, 2006. Regarding the award, Monnett said "This is not a runaway verdict. It's reasonable based on the evidence. Nicolas suffered a severe brain injury. He can't talk. And he can't walk. He's confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life."

The Mecklenburg Superior Court jurors calculated the award based on Nicolas' injuries and damages. The defendants are allowed to appeal. The attorney representing Nicolas' aunt declined to comment on the case.

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