Explore average settlements and court awards for rear-end car accidents in Mississippi. Find actual case examples similar to yours.

Rear-end collisions are the most common type of accident in the United States, accounting for 29 percent of all car crashes.¹

The average settlement for a moderate rear-end collision in Mississippi is $31,217. Actual payout amounts ranged from $3,571 for minor soft-tissue injuries to $150,000 for more serious injuries.

Average Payouts for Mississippi Rear-End Collisions

To get the average settlement amounts listed below, we analyzed a group of real Mississippi rear-end car accident cases involving a range of injuries. Our group only included cases that resulted in a payout to the injury victim.

Average Payout by Severity of Injury
Minor Injury	$7,479
Moderate Injury	$31,217
Severe Injury	$150,000
Payout Range by Type of Injury
Back and Neck Injuries	$3,571 - $150,000
Head Injuries	$5,000 - $10,321

Factors Affecting Mississippi Rear-End Settlement Amounts

The extent and severity of injuries is the primary factor in the amount of compensation. Medical bills, lost income, out-of-pocket expenses, and an amount for the victim’s pain and suffering are included in settlement calculations.

Factors Affecting Payout Amounts

Other factors that influence rear-end injury payouts in Mississippi include:

• Injury Severity – Serious injuries that leave the victim with a permanent disability or scarring will justify higher compensation than minor soft-tissue injuries.
• Force of Impact – Low-impact fender benders have much smaller payouts than high-speed rear-end collisions or crashes caused by larger and heavier vehicles.
• Shared Fault – Mississippi is a pure comparative negligence state. You can file an injury claim against the other party even if you are more at fault than them, so long as you aren’t the only person at fault for the crash. Your final payout will be reduced according to your percentage of fault.
• Auto Policy Limits – Mississippi mandates all drivers carry insurance no less than $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident bodily injury liability, and $25,000 property damage liability. The minimum liability limit may not be enough to cover severe injury claims.
• Uninsured Motorist Coverage – Mississippi requires insurance carriers to offer uninsured motorist (UM) coverage equal to the policy’s liability limits. The policyholder has the right to waive UM coverage by signing a form.
• Multiple Claimants – The per-accident liability coverage carried by the at-fault driver may not be enough to go around when multiple victims are seriously injured.
• Venue and Jurisdiction – Some courts have a history of large awards issued to car accident victims. In these jurisdictions, the at-fault driver’s insurance company may be willing to offer a better settlement to keep your case from going to trial.
• Punitive Damages: Punitive damages can only be awarded by a judge or jury in a court trial when the accident is the result of malice, gross negligence, or reckless disregard for the safety of others. Mississippi’s punitive damage law requires the court to consider the at-fault party’s financial condition and limits the amount of punitive damages based on the defendant’s net worth.

Minor Injury Case Examples

Minor injuries from a car accident can include scrapes, minor cuts, bumps and bruises. There may be muscle sprains or strains and stiffness. Most minor injury victims are back to normal within a few weeks, and only miss a few days to a week of work.

Three-Car Rear-End Crash with Back Injuries

Type of Injury: Soft tissue neck and lower back injuries-bulging disc at L4-L5;degenerative disc disease; contusions and bruises
Award/Settlement Amount: $3,571
Case Summary: Plaintiff was stopped in a line of traffic when defendant rear-ended his vehicle, pushing it into a third vehicle which was also stopped. Plaintiff claimed he suffered soft tissue neck and lower back injuries, degenerative disc disease, bulging disc at L4-L5, contusions and bruises as a direct result of the accident. Defendant contended that he rear-ended a third party’s vehicle, pushing it into plaintiff’s vehicle, and that third party’s vehicle incurred the brunt of the impact. Jury returned a plaintiff verdict for $3,571. Per counsel, the following impacted the outcome: (1) plaintiff’s credibility; (2) defendant’s medical testimony that plaintiff’s degenerative condition was not proximately related to the accident; and (3) plaintiff’s bulging discs were not impinging on the nerve roots to justify plaintiff’s claim of chronic pain.
Location: Madison County, Mississippi
Case Name and Docket Number: Winstead v. Keppler, 3:11-cv-00475-DPJ-FKB

Rear-End Victim Settles Soft-Tissue Injuries

Type of Injury: Neck and back injuries-cervical and lumbar strain with headaches
Award/Settlement Amount: $5,000
Case Summary: Plaintiff’s vehicle was struck from behind by the defendant’s vehicle. Plaintiff claimed he suffered headaches and cervical and lumbar strain. The defendant admitted liability but maintained that the plaintiff’s injuries were related to a motor vehicle accident following the subject accident. Defendant however agreed to settle the claim for $5,000. Plaintiff accepted the offer.
Location: Leflore County, Mississippi
Case Name and Docket Number: Grussaute v. Feigley, 5:14-cv-00100-KS-MTP

Rear-End Crash Case Settled After Dispute

Type of Injury: Neck and lower back injury-Muscle and ligament strains of cervical, thoracic and lumbosacral spine with muscle spasms
Award/Settlement Amount: $6,376
Case Summary: Plaintiff was a passenger in a non-party vehicle, which was traveling northbound and had slowed for traffic on the highway, when his host vehicle was struck from behind by a northbound vehicle driven by defendant. Plaintiff said he suffered musculoligamentous strains of his cervical, thoracic and lumbosacral spine with muscle spasms. The defendant denied liability, and contended the plaintiff failed to take reasonable action to promote his own recovery and failed to follow the advice of his medical providers with respect to treatment that would have lessened his discomfort. Jury found for plaintiff in the amount of $6,376.
Location: Pearl River County, Mississippi
Case Name and Docket Number: Amacker v. Dedeaux, 15-380

At-Fault Rear-End Driver Appeals Arbitration, Loses Trial

Type of Injury: Neck injury-cervical sprain; head injury
Award/Settlement Amount: $9,131
Case Summary: Plaintiff drove northbound. The roads were icy, so plaintiff slowed down due to the road conditions. After she braked, defendant rear-ended her vehicle with his pick-up truck. Plaintiff received a diagnosis of cervical sprain and head injury after the accident and later complained of lingering headaches and pain in her head, lower back, leg and foot. Defendant generally denied the allegations in his answer. The case went to arbitration. The arbitrator found in favor of the plaintiff and recommended an award of $4,248.64 in damages. Believing he would fare better in front of a jury, defendant requested a new trial. The jury found against defendant and returned a verdict for plaintiff, awarding her $9,131 in damages.
Location: Jackson County, Mississippi
Case Name and Docket Number: Thompson v. Nguyen, 2009-CT-01147-SCT; 2009-CA-01147-COA

Jury Award to Injured Victim of Rear-End Chain Collision

Type of Injury: Injury to left shoulder; post-traumatic headaches and dizziness; cervical, dorsal and lumbosacral strains
Award/Settlement Amount: $10,321
Case Summary: Plaintiff was involved in a chain reaction collision in which her southbound vehicle was struck from behind by a vehicle operated by defendant, which subsequently pushed his vehicle into the vehicle in front of her. Plaintiff claimed she suffered injury to her left shoulder, post-traumatic headaches with dizziness and memory deficits, cervical, dorsal and lumbosacral strains and mental anguish as a result of the accident. The defendant generally denied liability. Jurors returned a verdict for the plaintiff, awarding her $10,321 in damages.
Location: Jackson County, Mississippi
Case Name and Docket Number: Hubbard v. Delta Sanitation, LLC, A2401-08-140

Shared Fault for Rear-End Collision after Lane Change

Type of Injury: Injuries to chest and ribs
Award/Settlement Amount: $10,472
Case Summary: Plaintiff drove his vehicle east. The right lane of the highway was closed due to road construction. When the right lane reopened, Plaintiff said he drove into the right lane of traffic after checking his rear-view mirror and was subsequently rear-ended by a vehicle driven by defendant. Plaintiff sustained injuries to his chest and ribs due to the accident. In his answer, defendant generally denied the plaintiff’s allegations and specifically denied he struck plaintiff’s vehicle. Defendant claimed the plaintiff’s negligence had proximately caused his injuries and damages. The case proceeded to trial. Jury found plaintiff 25 percent negligent and defendant 75 percent negligent for the collision. Jury awarded plaintiff $2,333.20 for economic damages, $2,139 for property damages and $6,000 for noneconomic damages.
Location: Jackson County, Mississippi
Case Name and Docket Number: Anderson v. Salaam, 2014-047L

Moderate Injury Case Examples

Moderate car accident injuries are more painful and may take weeks or months to heal. Moderate injuries may include simple fractures, bulging or herniated discs, brain concussions, and extensive soft-tissue injuries. There may be lingering effects of the injuries and victims may be out of work for a few months, depending on the physical requirements of their employment.

Rear-End Accident Defendant Admits Fault, Disputes Damages

Type of Injury: Left shoulder injury-rotator cuff sprain and bursitis; others-cervical and lumbar strains
Award/Settlement Amount: $15,873
Case Summary: Plaintiff’s westbound vehicle, stopped at a red light, was rear-ended by a vehicle operated by defendant and owned by co-defendant. Plaintiff claimed he suffered permanent left shoulder injury, including rotator cuff sprain and bursitis, cervical and lumbar strains with permanent injury to the lumbar spine and severe emotional distress as a direct result of the accident. Defendant admitted liability but disputed damages, noting that the plaintiff suffered low back injuries in a prior motor vehicle accident. Jury returned $15,873 verdict for plaintiff.
Location: Jackson County, Mississippi
Case Name and Docket Number: Clancy v. Greyhound Bus Lines, Inc, 1:11cv336; 1:11-CV-00336

Trucker At Fault for Rear-End Crash for Merging in Path of  Victim

Type of Injury: Stiffness and pain in neck, back and shoulder
Award/Settlement Amount: $16,145
Case Summary: Defendant was operating a tractor-trailer owned by co-defendant. Defendant was attempting to merge onto a roadway from an entrance ramp when plaintiff rear-ended the tractor. Plaintiff claimed she suffered stiffness and pain in her neck, back and shoulder as a result of the accident. Plaintiff contended that defendant failed to yield the right-of-way and cut in front of her vehicle. Defendants claimed plaintiff was negligent in failing to pay full attention to traffic, in failing to maintain proper control of her vehicle and in following too closely and that plaintiff’s negligence was the sole proximate cause of the accident. Defendants further argued that plaintiff’s injuries were pre-existing and had resolved. Jury returned a plaintiff verdict.
Location: Madison County, Mississippi
Case Name and Docket Number: Rice v Cresco Capital, Inc., 3:16-cv-00588-DPJ-FKB

Jury Award for Rear-End Collision Despite At-Fault Driver Excuses

Type of Injury: Soft tissue neck and low back injuries
Award/Settlement Amount: $17,000
Case Summary: Plaintiff was stopped in a line of traffic at a red light when defendant rear-ended his vehicle. Plaintiff suffered soft tissue neck and low back injuries. Defendant contended that the accident occurred at a point where the roadway had two lanes of travel in his direction of travel and that he was attempting to pass plaintiff and other vehicles stopped at the traffic light on their right at the time of the accident. Further, an unidentified motorist pulled out from a driveway to his right, creating a sudden emergency, and that he lost control of his truck on the wet road surface and collided with plaintiff’s vehicle. Jury found in favor of plaintiff, awarding him $17,000 in damages.
Location: Jackson County, Mississippi
Case Name and Docket Number: Adams v. Hilton, 3:11-cv-00618-DPJ-FKB

Rear-End Crash at Red Light Causes Partial Disability

Type of Injury: “Back injury-disc bulges at L1-L5; Others-cervical, thoracic and lumbosacral strains; cervical and lumbosacral radiculopathy
Award/Settlement Amount: $24,395
Case Summary: As plaintiff drove northbound, stopped at a red light, a northbound vehicle operated by defendant struck plaintiff’s vehicle in the rear. Plaintiff said he suffered aggravation of previously asymptomatic disc bulges at levels L1 through L5; cervical, thoracic and lumbosacral strains; cervical and lumbosacral radiculopathy; and 5% permanent partial disability of her cervical and lumbar spine. The defendant denied liability and claimed the plaintiff’s two previous motor vehicle accidents caused her alleged injuries. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff and awarded her $20,443.85 for past medical expenses and $3,952 for past lost earnings.
Location: Hinds County, Mississippi
Case Name and Docket Number: Jackson v. Construction Group, LLC., 2:19-cv-00130-KS-MTP

At-Fault Rear-End Crash Driver Settles After Denying Liability

Type of Injury: Soft tissue neck and back injuries-cervical and lumbar strains, multiple contusions and abrasions
Award/Settlement Amount: $82,672
Case Summary: Plaintiff’s vehicle was rear-ended by defendant’s vehicle. Plaintiff contended that she suffered cervical and lumbar strains and multiple contusions and abrasions and that defendant was the sole proximate cause of the accident and her injuries. The defendant denied liability, disputed the extent of the plaintiff’s injuries, and contended that plaintiff stopped her vehicle abruptly and caused this accident. The claimed settled for $82,672 before trial.
Location: Hinds County, Mississippi
Case Name and Docket Number: McAllister v. Stafford, 3:14cv538; 3:14-cv-00538

Severe Injury Case Examples

Severe car accident victims may sustain multiple injuries resulting in residual impairment, with permanent scarring or disfigurement. Some severe injury victims are totally and permanently disabled. Seriously injured victims may be out of work for months, and some are never able to return to the jobs they held before the crash.

Jury Award to Rear-End Crash Victim Who Lost Athletic Ability

Type of Injury: General neck and back injuries
Award/Settlement Amount: $150,000
Case Summary: Plaintiff and defendant were operating their respective automobiles when defendant rear-ended the plaintiff. Plaintiff was very active in karate at the time of the accident. He claimed the impact resulted in a neck and back injury to the extent that he will never be able to resume his karate activities. Plaintiff further contended that he will require future chiropractic treatment for an indefinite period of time. Defendant contended plaintiff’s injuries were exaggerated and the chiropractic treatments were not medically necessary. Defendant also argued that Plaintiff’s earning capacity as a computer technician was not impaired and plaintiff did not lose income from his inability to pursue karate. Jury awarded plaintiff $150,000 in damages plus interest.
Location: Madison County, Mississippi
Case Name and Docket Number: Alan v. Joseph, 5:97CV34BRS

Methodology

We researched and analyzed real Mississippi car accident cases resulting from rear-end collisions. Many cases settled out of court, while some cases went to trial and won a monetary award. Our group of cases did not include wrongful death claims, or cases that were lost at trial.

Averages are calculated by adding all the payouts in a group of cases and dividing the total by the number of cases in the group.

Final payouts reflect any reductions made after a jury determination of shared fault.