On Sept. 28, 2018, plaintiff Raquel Manzo, 53, a homemaker, was driving in the city of Jurupa Valley. While she was stopped at the intersection of Felspar Street and Jurupa Valley Road, her car’s rear end was struck by a trailing vehicle that was being driven by Daniel Buenrostro. Manzo claimed that she suffered of her back and neck. Manzo sued Buenrostro and Buenrostro’s employers, LGS Transport Inc. and Mario Cuellar. The lawsuit alleged that Buenrostro was negligent in the operation of his vehicle. The lawsuit further alleged that Cuellar and LGS Transport were liable because the accident occurred during Buenrostro’s performance of his job’s duties. Defense counsel conceded liability. The trial addressed damages., Plaintiff’s counsel estimated that Manzo’s vehicle was struck at a speed of 3 to 5 mph. Manzo claimed that she suffered a herniation of her C6-7 intervertebral disc. She also claimed that the accident aggravated a preexisting degenerative condition: arthropathy of a lumbar facet joint. Manzo underwent administration of painkilling injections, but she claimed that she suffered ongoing pain related to the accident. In November 2019, she underwent fusion of her spine’s C6-7 level. Manzo claimed that she still suffers significant pain in her neck and that she is limited in her activities of daily living. She claimed that she struggles with walking, so she utilizes a cane, and that she cannot care for her grandchildren as well as she did before the accident. Manzo’s treating physician opined that Manzo will need fusion of the spine’s C5-6 level because of degeneration caused by the initial fusion surgery. Manzo sought recovery of past and future medical costs, and she also sought recovery of damages for her past and future pain and suffering. Defense counsel denied that Manzo was injured by the accident. Counsel argued that the impact occurred at too low of speed to cause any .