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Jury awards man $5M for injuries received in crash By DEBORAH BALL Sun staff writer December 10. 2005 6:01AM n Alachua County jury awarded a Gainesville man $5.2 million in civil court Thursday for a 2003 motorcycle accident that cost him an arm. Jurors deliberated for two hours before handing down the verdict in favor of 35-year-old Kendall Cayson, said his lawyer, Fred Abbott of Jacksonville. Cayson was driving his motorcycle west on NW 39th Avenue on Feb. 11, 2003, when he hit a car driven by Patricia Mills, Abbott said. Mills failed to yield the right of way to Cayson when she tried to turn onto NW 24th Boulevard, police reported. As a result of the crash, Cayson's right arm was amputated at the elbow and he was in a coma for three weeks. He also received a broken collar bone, a dislocated shoulder, a broken knee and a broken pelvis, among other injuries, Abbott said. Lawyers for both sides could not reach an agreement on a settlement, prompting Abbott to take the case to civil trial, he said. Cayson said he was very surprised by the amount the jury awarded him and feels "blessed to be alive." Cayson said he hopes to use the money to get physical therapy to learn how to use one arm. "I'm trying to get my life back together," Cayson said in a phone interview. "I went through so much and I'm happy it's over with. I can get on with my life." Mills could not be reached for comment Friday. A defense lawyer hired by Mills' insurance company declined to comment except to say that a determination to appeal the verdict has not been made.
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