Woman wins $4.3M in texting while driving case

BUNNELL, Fla. (AP) — A Florida woman who was severely injured in a crash caused by her then-boyfriend, who was allegedly texting while driving, has won a $4.3 million lawsuit.

The law firm representing 26-year-old Cacilia Carter told The Daytona Beach News-Journal (http://bit.ly/1kU8Htm) the verdict was handed down Aug. 5 in Flagler County Circuit Court.

Carter was a passenger in a vehicle driven by her then-boyfriend Joseph O’Guin on Dec. 20, 2010. Carter’s attorneys claimed O’Guin was texting and ran a stop sign. The Florida Highway Patrol says the vehicle slid into a tractor-trailer.

Attorney Luis Gracia says Carter is still impaired and permanently disabled. Gracia says O’Guin did not testify during the trial.

There was no jury in the case, so Circuit Judge Dennis Craig made the ruling.

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Information from: Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal, http://www.news-journalonline.com

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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