Tennessee court upholds $575,000 award to UPS driver injured in 2022 crash

A Tennessee appeals court has upheld a $575,000 compensation award to a UPS driver injured in a 2022 collision. The court ruled on November 9 that the evidence supported the jury's findings that the crash caused permanent shoulder damage and affected the driver's future earning capacity.The case involved Randy Gooden, whose vehicle was hit from behind by Bryant Johnson on January 13, 2022. Johnson worked for Serra Chevrolet LLC. Gooden sued both, seeking $1.5 million in damages.According to the judgement, Gooden returned to his UPS delivery job but said shoulder pain made his work difficult. He sometimes needed customers to help him complete his duties and was unsure whether he could continue working until the age of 52 or 53, as he had planned.A jury found Johnson and Serra Chevrolet fully responsible for the accident and awarded Gooden $575,000 after a trial in February 2025. The defendants challenged the verdict, but the trial court rejected their request to overturn or reduce it. They then appealed.Medical evidence and conflicting opinionsGooden sought treatment soon after the crash for back and right shoulder pain. Physiotherapy began on January 31, 2022. The assessment found limited shoulder movement and reduced grip strength in his right hand.Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Apurva Dalal began treating him in February.