State Department of Highways & Public Transportation v. Cotner

Cherie Cotner was a passenger in a car driven by her husband Stephen when it went out of control on an allegedly iced-over bridge. The Cotners sued the State Department of Highways and Public Transportation claiming, among other things, that the State failed to warn of a dangerous condition. A jury found Stephen and the State both negligent and equally responsible for the accident, and assessed damages of $5,750,000.00 for Cherie, $35,-000.00 for Stephen’s past mental anguish and loss of his wife’s society, companionship, household services and consortium, and “0” for Stephen’s future…