Jones

BACKGROUND

This case arises from an automobile accident that occurred on April 16, 2005. Jones asserted that a vehicle driven by Pierce hit the rear of his vehicle. The parties, who both had legal counsel at the time, submitted to nonbinding arbitration and, on July 19, 2007, the arbitrator awarded Jones $13,035.67. Jones rejected the arbitration award, and requested a jury trial de novo. On September 27, 2007, Pierce made an offer to compromise pursuant to section 998. He offered to pay Jones $7,500 in exchange for Jones’s dismissing with prejudice his claims against Pierce. The offer provided that both parties would bear their own costs and attorney fees. Jones did not accept the offer. Pierce died while the litigation was pending and Jones, in propria persona, pursued his claims against defendants. After Jones presented his case, defendants moved for nonsuit, which the trial court granted. Jones appealed, and we reversed and remanded for further proceedings in our nonpublished opinion, Jones v. Pierce (Feb. 6, 2012,

A130580).

At the end of the second trial, the superior court submitted the matter to the jury. On August 30, 2012, the jury found Pierce liable for negligence…