At around 5:30 p.m. on June 22, 2012, plaintiff Rewa Young, 39, a special-needs student teacher with the Los Angeles Unified School District, was driving in Torrance when she came to a stop at the intersection of Artesia Boulevard and Western Avenue. She was then rear-ended by a vehicle operated by Jay Jayasiri. Young claimed to her neck and back. A police officer waiting at the red light on Western Avenue witnessed the collision. Young sued Jay Jayasiri and the believed owner of Jay Jayasiri’s vehicle, Jay Jayasiri’s father, Jayasingheliyan Jayasiri. Young alleged that Jay Jayasiri was negligent in the operation of his vehicle. Jayasingheliyan Jayasiri was ultimately dismissed from the case. Young claimed that she stopped at the intersection of Artesia Boulevard and Western Avenue due to gridlock traffic and that as a result, she could not safely go through the intersection. Thus, she claimed that Jay Jayasiri failed to keep a proper lookout and collided with her stopped vehicle. Jay Jayasiri maintained that Young had cut him off and stopped abruptly at the intersection, causing the crash., Young claimed to her neck and back, including a lumbar disc bulge. She subsequently went to a Kaiser hospital the following day for emergency treatment and evaluation. Young later received a course of chiropractic treatment and presented for orthopedic consultations. She was referred to a pain management specialist, who recommended epidural injections. Young also sought consultation with a spine surgeon, who opined that Young will eventually need surgery on her lower back. Young claimed that as a result of her neck and back , she is limited in her ability to lift her students and maintain her household. Thus, Young sought recovery of $8,857 in past medical costs for her chiropractic treatment, an MRI, orthopedic surgeon consultations, and pain management consultation. She also sought recovery of $180,000 in future medical costs for back surgery. Plaintiff’s counsel ultimately asked the jury to award $624,857 in total damages. Defense counsel contended that Young had a pre-existing back condition. Thus, counsel argued that due Young’s weight and alleged prior back condition, the alleged were not caused by the accident.