$15,000,000 VERDICT FOR CAR PASSENGER

In an older section of Philadelphia, a set of decades old trolley tracks ran down the center of the street in a right-of-way reserved for public transit. Because the various governmental units involved could not agree who had the legal responsibility for maintaining the tracks, the condition of the tracks and the surrounding road severely deteriorated. The dangerous condition of the road caused the driver of a car to lose control; tragically, the passenger suffered serious orthopedic injuries. Investigation of the accident revealed the interagency bickering. The agencies again would not fulfill their responsibilities by compensating the passenger for her injuries, thereby forcing her to trial. At trial, the jury returned a $15,000,000 verdict.