Chelsie Hill wins $12 million in landslide verdict

It was sweet victory for the paralyzed Chelsie Hill on Friday. The 22 year old paraplegic and reality show star took on Toyota in court, and won.

Jury deliberations were short, one source says just 2 hours, and in the end her victory netted Hill just about $12 million dollars.

Hill tells, News Channel Five, “I’m really thankful for people to see why I was fighting so hard for this.” Hill also thanked her attorneys Bob Rosenthan and Andie Kreft.

When Hill was 17 years old, she got into a vehicle with a friend who had been drinking. They hit a tree head-on in a Toyota For-Runner. Hill was sitting in the back seat with the lap belt on. She left the hospital 51 days later a T-10 paraplegic.

That didn’t stop the young woman from changing her goals in life. She’s had success in the ‘Push Girls’ reality show on the Sundance Channel and is a leader on one of the largest wheelchair dance teams in the world. She’s even written a book.

The trial lasted just over 3 weeks and several witnesses were called. Hill even took the stand at one point. Toyota had argued that Hill’s paralysis was caused by the D-U-I accident, while Hill argued it was Toyota’s lap belt design that was flawed and caused her injuries.

In the end, the jury found Toyota 90% at fault while Hill and driver Aaron Corn were found to be 5% at fault.

Corn was found guilty for D-U-I in the accident and served time in prison. He’s since been released and is on probation.