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An Ulster County jury has awarded $31 million to Kelly Burley, a woman who was severely injured in a 2019 car crash. The accident occurred on the Mid-Hudson Bridge in Lloyd, when Burley was rear-ended by a truck from Arnoff Moving & Storage, driven by a company employee. The crash led to Burley developing cauda equina syndrome, a serious spinal condition, which left her wheelchair-bound.
The verdict, announced on Friday (March 14), is the largest for a car crash case in Ulster County history. Before the trial, Burley was offered a $10 million settlement, which she declined. Her attorney, Andrew Finkelstein, noted that the jury's decision came after a two-week trial involving testimony from eight expert witnesses, Burley's parents, and police officers.
The Arnoff truck, driven by Robert Wayne Spadaccini, was traveling at 30 miles per hour when it struck Burley's vehicle, causing a chain reaction involving two other cars. Fortunately, the other drivers were not injured. Arnoff Moving & Storage accepted responsibility for the accident, and the jury found the company negligent, leading to Burley's injuries.
Burley, who was living in Newburgh at the time of the crash, now resides with her parents in Oregon. Despite the significant financial award, her attorney emphasized that Burley would prefer to have her health back.