In June 2010, plaintiff Siranush Mehrabyan, 30, a clerical worker, was driving on Balboa Boulevard, a three lane roadway in Los Angeles County, when her vehicle collided with a vehicle operated by Kristopher Higgins. Mehrabyan claimed the accident caused an injury to her lower back. Mehrabyan sued Higgins for motor vehicle negligence. Mehrabyan alleged that she was traveling in the rightmost lane when her vehicle was rear-ended by Higgins. Higgins claimed that he was proceeding in the rightmost lane, close to the right curve, when Mehrabyan merged in front of him from the middle lane and stopped at the edge of a driveway to a gas station. He alleged that as a result of Mehrabyan’s actions, he collided into Mehrabyan’s vehicle., Mehrabyan went to work after the accident, but then went to see a chiropractor several hours later. An MRI taken in September 2010 showed a 5-millimeter lumbar herniation at the L1-2 level. She subsequently treated with the chiropractor for a few months post-accident and had an epidural injection. Plaintiff’s counsel noted that Mehrabyan had two prior motor vehicle accidents in 2007, which also caused an injury to her L1-2 level. Damage to Mehrabyan’s vehicle included a scratch on her bumper, while the damage to Higgins’ vehicle included $600 worth of damage to the front bumper. Defense counsel contended that Mehrabyan presented to two physicians for treatment of her from the accidents in 2007, and that any injury she currently complains about was pre-existing. Counsel also contended that, as evidenced by the minimal amount of property damage, the collision involved too low an impact to cause Mehrabyan any . Prior to trial, the parties entered into an undisclosed high/low agreement.