Johnson v. Smith

In this wrongful death case, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff-administrator. The sole question for decision is whether the trial court erred in refusing to set the verdict aside as inadequate.

James Melvin Johnson was killed on June 30, 1988, when the motorcycle he was operating and a van driven by Joseph Dwayne Smith collided at the intersection of Routes 287 and 854 in Loudoun County. Johnson and Smith were proceeding in opposite directions on Route 287, and the collision occurred when Smith attempted to make a left turn onto Route 854. Smith told the investigating state…