On Sept. 14, 2010, plaintiff Vera Lopez Awwad, 54, a licensed vocational nurse, was operating a vehicle that was stopped on Pasadena Avenue, at the intersection with Bellefontaine Street in South Pasadena, when the rear of her vehicle was struck by the front of a vehicle driven by Robert Bender. The impact caused Awwad’s vehicle to spin and strike a utility pole. Awwad claimed spinal from the accident. Awwad sued Robert Bender and his wife, Sheryl Bender, the owner of the vehicle. Awwad alleged that Mr. Bender was negligent in the operation of his vehicle and that Mrs. Bender was vicariously liable for her husband’s actions. The Benders stipulated to negligence, and the case proceeded in litigation on the issues of causation and damages., Awwad claimed she suffered a T4 compression fracture and bulging discs in her cervical spine. She claimed her caused radiating pain to her shoulders and upper back. She also claimed that she aggravated a pre-existing condition in her lumbar spine, which caused her to become symptomatic. As a result, Awwad reportedly experienced numbness and pain radiating into her right leg. She subsequently treated her with extensive physical therapy. Awwad claimed that she is limited in her ability to work as a nurse due to the accident. She sought recovery of unspecified amounts of noneconomic damages for her past and future pain and suffering. Defense counsel denied the compression fracture or the shoulder injury was caused by the accident. The defense’s experts in orthopedic surgery and neuroradiology opined that Awwad had significant prior work-related , and that the majority of her medical treatment was unnecessary and unrelated to the collision. Defense counsel further disputed Awwad’s claim that she was limited in her ability to work as a result of the subject collision.