On May 3, 2007, the plaintiff stopped on highway 127 for a train in Pinckneyville, Illinois, when the defendant, directly behind the plaintiff, hit the rear of the plaintiff's truck. At trial, the defendant admitted she was negligent.

The plaintiff claimed injuries to her neck and headaches. The plaintiff claimed her alleged injuries caused her to incur medical bills totaling $4,475.36, which included chiropractic treatment and x-rays. The defendant presented evidence showing the minimal nature of the impact and that the plaintiff did not seek any treatment for more than two weeks after the accident and then another two months thereafter. The plaintiff asked the jury to award her the total of her medical bills and pain suffering at the trial. The jury returned a verdict for the defendant.